Compare and contrast “The Arch-Deceiver” with the poem “Seduction” Essay Example

and deception of three women, Seduction focused on a single girl who was deceived in a serious manner.

Arch Deceiver had three girls: Milly Richard's, described as "a nice, light small tender thing", Unity Sallet, a "handsome girl" who Tony was interested in before he got with Milly, and Hannah, "another young beauty of the place at that time" who was the first woman Tony fell in love with. He almost arranged to marry Hannah before Milly. Milly was deceived the most out of the three as she believed she was going to marry Tony. Hannah was the strongest and somewhat conceited; she even asked Tony, "Well aren't you going to be civil enough to ask me to ride home with you?" These girls were more forward than usual. The deceiver labelled the girl in Seduction a "little slag".

The girl was deceived and used for sex while getting drunk, which made her more attractive to the boy. Despite being viewed as tarty for following him, her innocent white shoes indicate her true nature. The writer garners sympathy by highlighting her thoughts and feelings, and her knowledge of sex comes from stories in teenage magazines.

The girl was misled by the magazines she read, believing their false stories - like thinking that losing her virginity was a romantic experience. Both the story and poem prioritize relationships, both featuring a boy who deceives a girl. Although the boys are at fault for deceiving, the girls are also partially to blame for being gullible. Tony's deception of multiple girls is portrayed humorously, while in Seduction, the boy deceives only one girl in a serious way by having

sex with her. However, both Thomas Hardy and Eileen McAuley show great sympathy towards the girls in their respective texts.

In both "Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver" and "Seduction," deception is a key theme. However, there are differences in how the deceivers carry out their acts. Tony deceives three women in a humorous way by hiding them one by one in the back of a cart. The boy in Seduction deceives one girl and the consequences are tragic, causing her to discover she was three months pregnant which ruined her bright future. The repetition in the poem accentuates the girl's despair, and alliteration highlights the seductive nature of teen magazines and how they present meeting people as glamorous. In "The Arch Deceiver," Tony spins a web of lies, while in "Seduction," the boy does not make promises.

The deception of Tony Kytes is highlighted in both texts, although the writer and narrator have differing attitudes towards the characters. In Arch Deceiver, the carrier speaks positively of Tony, describing him as a likeable individual and commenting on his memorable appearance. On the other hand, Seduction evokes sympathy for the girl who is depicted sobbing in the confinement of her room. Additionally, the narrator in Arch Deceiver is presented in the first person while the narrator in Seduction is presented in the third person.

The narrator's attitude and feelings remain unchanged throughout, but Eileen McAuley's attitude towards the girl becomes more serious in the second part of the poem. The narrative follows a chronological structure, while the poem is divided into two parts - the first depicting the night of seduction, and the second portraying its consequences. This structure

effectively reveals the truth as the story unfolds.

The first part of the poem implies a time gap due to the protagonist's pregnancy, while in contrast, the character Tony Kytes in "Arch Deceiver" deceives three women individually. The language in "Arch Deceiver" features archaic words and phrases that reflect the time period of the story. The use of harsh language towards the female character highlights the male's disdainful attitude. Metaphors and similes contribute to a more severe portrayal of deception.

Tony resembled a tree hit by lightning. There was a genuine squeak, followed by a drawn-out moan that sounded like a broken heart.

According to the text, lying has permanent consequences and hurts people. McAuley portrays an unromantic attitude compared to the girl's enchantment by emphasizing the boy's actions such as how he "enthused her about the milk cup" and "spat into the river". The author further characterizes the boy as tough and rebellious through descriptive phrases like "sat down in the darkness, leather jacket creaking madly" and revealing that he was skipping school. The poem and story are critical in nature with Thomas Hardy emphasizing Tony's deceitfulness which leads Milly, who is labeled insane by the author, to marry him.

Eileen McAuley expresses heightened criticism towards teenage magazines for creating a deceptive image about sex and stories that led the girl astray; in addition, she empathizes with the girl whose lost future is a direct result of this distortion. When comparing the boys in Seduction and Tony Kytes, McAuley holds the former to more severe scrutiny due to the girl's pregnancy resulting from his deceitful actions. While Milly accepts Tony's proposal in Arch

Deceiver, there is a distinct lack of strong attitudes present; however, in Seduction, there is a great deal of sympathy for the girl. McAuley illustrates this sympathy by emphasizing the impact of both the boy's deception and the influence of teenage magazines on her life.

Both Tony Kytes and Milly criticize each other in The Arch Deceiver, as Tony engages in flirting with other girls while being engaged to Milly, who also receives criticism for being deceived by her future husband. Set in the 19th century, there was a strict moral code against deception and men were expected to propose to women, as it was considered disgraceful and awkward for women to propose. In contrast, Seduction is set in 1980s Liverpool where good GCSE grades were necessary for future success and unmarried pregnant women had to face negative attitudes and reputations.

The seriousness of deception in Seduction, as portrayed by Eileen McAuley, makes it the most crucial aspect. The boy uses the girl for sex, resulting in her pregnancy. In contrast, Thomas Hardy approaches deception humorously in his portrayal of Tony Kytes hiding girls in a kart one by one. Tone, language, content, and symbolism highlight the different attitudes towards deception.