Old Mrs Chundle – Thomas Hardy and A Visit of Charity Essay Example

is crucial to examine the characters in both narratives. In "Old Mrs Chundle," the main characters are Mrs Chundle and the curate.

The curate possesses qualities of kindness, innocence, zeal, and a hint of naivety, which will be elaborated on shortly. Conversely, Mrs Chundle is a fascinating character to depict. She exudes an air of independence, being a woman of the land who finds contentment in her current circumstances. Despite living next to the Enckworth highway, she has never felt compelled to venture there. She is astute but fiercely honest. While she refuses to accept money for the curate's lunch, she deceitfully assures him that she attended church because she believed she could disguise the truth.

In his portrayal of kindness, Hardy presents two instances. The first is through the helpfulness exhibited by Mrs Chundle, who shares some of her self-cultivated food with the curate. This food, which had just been harvested from her own garden, is a common practice in households of the same area. Mrs Chundle proudly claims, "'Tis all my own growing, that's true." The curate feels obligated to repay this favor. However, when he discovers that Mrs Chundle had lied about attending church every Sunday – a fact that the rector, who had been in charge for thirteen years, confirms – he becomes displeased and refers to her as "A wicked old woman."

This is the first indication of the curate's negative side. Later in the story, he appears to be naive when he promises to "get the tube" for Mrs Chundle, "at his own expense," just so she can hear the sermon. He doesn't seem to consider that she may not attend after

a few times. Mrs Chundle has been challenging to handle. However, she remains thankful for the curate's efforts in making her more comfortable.

The main character acknowledges the inappropriateness of prejudice based on age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background. She admires the vicar's similar viewpoint, who holds that every individual's soul holds value and is deserving of salvation irrespective of their wealth. In Hardy's book, the depictions of characters and their relationships mirror the era and locale - rural England. Within this context, elderly individuals were shown respect and care by community members as well as parish priests prioritizing spiritual health over physical necessities.

Welty's story "A visit of charity" revolves around the theme of charity. However, the supposed act of philanthropy in the story is overshadowed by Marian's ulterior motives. While she visits an old age home, it becomes apparent that her intentions are driven by a desire to gain popularity within the Campfire Girls. This is evident when Marian hesitates to bring flowers, suggesting that her true purpose is to gain social recognition.

Marian actually intended to say that this would only give her a few points on her score chart, although it appears that she suddenly feels guilty as she doesn't finish the sentence. Unlike Mrs Chundle who resided in a well-built and "respectable" cottage with her humble possessions, she possessed something even more important: respectability. In Welty's text, both old ladies lack dignity.

In the past, Americans prioritized their busy modern lives and accumulating wealth over caring for their elderly. These two elderly women are seemingly neglected in a Home that is adjacent to a sanatorium, devoid of any personal possessions. "No one even has a

penny to spare for a poor old woman who doesn't have anything of her own." Their relatives and the rest of the community never visit them. They rudely behave and neglect their hygiene, spending their days engaged in conflicts, screaming, and insulting one another.

Welty constantly compares them to animals "Like a pet. There is a significant contrast between the two stories. Welty appears to have written her story with the intention of providing enjoyment, while Hardy's story seems to serve as a moral message. This is supported by the fact that this was the only story Hardy did not publish during his lifetime; it was not recognized until after his death in 1929 when it was published in a journal.

The stories of Hardy and Welty differ in their intentions. Hardy's story demonstrates the kindness shown by both Mrs Chundle and the curate, even when unexpected. In contrast, Welty's story could have portrayed more kindness if the reasons for Marian's visit had been improved, but this was not the case.

Marian's visit of charity is not enjoyable, and it reveals her selfishness as she uses the good deed to boost her social status. This contrasts with the curate's intentions, who is willing to incur expenses to help the old lady. The story concludes with a reference to betrayal, as the curate feels similar to Peter at the cock-crow. He reflects on how his persistent urging led to Mrs.'s actions.

Chundle passes away tragically, causing the narrator to kneel in the sand, overwhelmed with remorse. In stark contrast, the character Marian in Welty's story initially has no intention of helping the elderly ladies. "As she walked up the

steps, unsure of her purpose, she shifted the pot from hand to hand. She then had to set it down and remove her mittens before she could open the heavy door." The uncertainty displayed here indicates that this is Marian's first time performing such an act. It feels as though she is being trapped in a robber's cave, moments before being murdered. This further emphasizes Marian's reluctance to be involved and her desire to be elsewhere. Eventually, Marian runs out desperately, trying to return to her old selfish and carefree life without any consideration or compassion for the abandoned women.

This starkly contrasts the curate who always maintains control over his emotions, possibly due to his background as an assistant priest or vicar in a parish, or maybe because he has never encountered a disruptive force like Marian has. It could also be because the curate is better at concealing his unease and frustration compared to the youthful Marian. It is worth noting that both authors incorporated humor into their narratives.

Humor pervades the Hardy story, gradually intensifying until the moment when Mrs. Chundle's onion stew-scented belch halts the sermon prematurely, as it becomes a "hazard" for the curate to proceed. Conversely, the humor in the Welty story can be characterized as dark, with its depiction of fragmented claws and an overall sense of anticlimax. Initially, the interactions and dialogue between the women may appear comical, but in reality, they convey a deep sadness.

The text highlights the use of different techniques by the two authors. Welty's approach solely revolves around Marian's perspective, as she refrains from narrating the story through the viewpoint of the old women. Marian

starts a sentence but stops midway, contemplating saying that bringing flowers to the Old Ladies' Home would earn the Campfire Girls an extra point. Additionally, if they also brought a Bible and read it to the old ladies during the bus ride, it would count as double points.

This is solely Marian's perspective and not the old lady's desired outcome. In contrast, Hardy's story examines this situation from different viewpoints - the curate, Mrs Chundle, and a narrator. 'The kind-hearted curate went to great trouble to obtain the tube and have it fitted vertically as described. The upper mouth of the tube was placed directly under the face of whoever would preach. The following fateful Sunday morning was when it would be put to the test. '

Hardy's method of writing is lauded for his skillful use of a "narrator" to convey the emotions and thoughts of his characters, making the above passage an exemplary illustration of his writing style. On the other hand, Welty employs language with great precision, imbuing specific words with individual meanings. An example of this can be seen towards the end of the story when Marian, filled with fear, flees and notices a nurse reading a copy of "Field ; Stream," symbolizing the impending sense of freedom she is about to experience.

The author uses objectives to describe features and enhance Marian's perception. For example, Marian sees the old woman's hand as a 'claw', giving it a surreal quality. This effect is further emphasized by the story being told in third person, such as when it says 'Marian felt as if she was walking on the waves'. This creates a sense of

distance and allows for analysis of Marian from a broader perspective. Additionally, the story frequently compares the old women to animals, with sheep being the most common comparison.

It seems that the purpose of the text is to illustrate how older women are compared to a herd of sheep, with one starting a behavior and the rest following suit. Unlike Welty, Hardy incorporates the characters' speech to bring them to life instead of relying on descriptions in the third person. The characters' speech also serves to reveal their personality and background. For instance, when describing Mrs Chundle, Hardy uses her speech to determine her social class and level of education. As she says, "Twasn't a mossel o' good, and so I could have told 'ee before," indicating her education and social background.

Both stories have surprising conclusions. In one story, Marian leaves the old age home feeling upset, disturbed, and frightened. In the other story, Mrs. Chundle's death greatly saddens the curate. Although their endings differ, both stories share the common element of distress for the main characters. I especially appreciate the use of the word "apple" in the Welty story. This word represents life's cyclical nature. Even though Marian currently feels distressed, she will eventually reach the same stage of life as those elderly women.

As demonstrated and examined previously, both stories address the identical theme of the younger generation's attitude and perception towards elderly individuals. However, in my perspective, Welty's story focuses solely on a captivating and realistic analysis set in "modern" America, without delving much further. Despite its classification as a thriller, Hardy's story possesses greater complexity. The bond between the primary characters evolves and

culminates in a considerate and reflective conclusion. It is evident that individuals in Victorian England displayed greater concern and reverence for the elderly, particularly in rural areas.