How does Thomas Hardy hint at what is to come, in each story Essay Example

receives a public school education, becoming ashamed of her working-class origins. Eventually, Sophy reunites with Sam and they wish to wed, but her son objects because the prospective groom is of lower social standing and also fears being replaced as his father's successor.

After a couple of years, Sophy died without any resolution as her son remained opposed to her marriage. Moving on to the last story, The Withered Arm features the protagonist Rhoda Brooks.

Rhoda's curiosity about Farmer Lodge's young and beautiful new wife prompts her to desire her son to visit and assess her appearance and lifestyle. In a dream, Rhoda envisions someone approaching her sleeping son.

Despite the vividness of the dream, she manages to shake it off and make friends with Gertrude, Farmer Lodge's new wife who has an unusual mark resembling finger imprints on her arm. Gertrude confides in Rhoda that her husband considers her unattractive because of this mark.

Gertrude suggests they visit a magician to treat her arm. However, the magician tells Gertrude something privately that causes her to distance herself from Rhoda due to severe depression. The story revolves around this theme. The turning point in the story is when Farmer Lodges informs Gertrude of his upcoming vacation. She requests to accompany him, but he declines and leaves.

After deciding to finally address her arm issue, the protagonist visits someone who suggests that it will only improve if she dips it in the blood of a deceased man. She attends a hanging and enters a room to be confronted with a dead body. It is there where she stumbles upon Farmer Lodge and Rhoda together.

After Rhoda throws Gertrude down and causes

paralysis in her arm, Gertrude, who was both Rhoda's and Farmer Lodge's son, eventually passes away. Despite becoming old and frail, Rhoda continues to work. Farmer Lodge misses his son and, as a result, decides to transform his residence into an orphanage for boys.

After moving away, he retreats to the countryside where he encounters short stories with distinct characteristics. One crucial feature is the limited number of characters, which prevents the story from becoming confusing. Additionally, short stories often have surprise endings or twists. The primary theme of these short stories is often centered around misery.

Misery is a common theme found in Hardy’s short stories, except for Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver which is relatively less dismal. Hardy’s tales often emphasize the inevitability of fate regardless of any actions taken. In contrast to modern short stories, those from the 19th century were lengthier and more descriptive due to the limited options of travel and entertainment available to people during that time. As a result, readers had more time for reading and appreciated the detailed descriptions present in these stories.

The opening of Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver features dialogue and a narrator describing Tony's physical appearance and personality. Despite having scars, the narrator notes that Tony is still considered attractive by women.

Tony, a former scandalous man who sang suggestive songs like "O the petticoats went off, and the breeches they went on!" and had numerous female companions, is currently engaged but still has an old flame, suggesting that his appearance and reputation as a ladies' man may lead to drama. Meanwhile, in The Sons Veto, Hardy opens by discussing a woman's hairstyle.

Describing Sophy's

appearance in the present, her hair is perfectly arranged, which likely took significant time and effort. Despite being identified as an "invalid" due to her use of a wheelchair, those observing her from behind tend to find her beautiful. However, upon seeing her face when she turns around, many are disappointed to discover that she does not meet their expectations in terms of attractiveness.

The woman, who is not young due to having a twelve or thirteen-year-old son, captures people's curiosity, as they find her somewhat enigmatic. Even more impressive, her son is exceptionally knowledgeable and even corrects her when she misspeaks, with the woman acknowledging that "He has been comfortable..."

As milkmaids gossip, Sophy's son is embarrassed by her diction and corrects her grammar. Although her son has crumbs on his mouth, Sophy refrains from telling him to wipe it. The Withered Arm starts with this scene.

During a conversation, one of them inquires if anyone has seen someone's wife. The other describes the new wife as being exceptionally beautiful, but carefully ensures that the "thin fading woman" sitting on the other side of the room does not overhear. This particular woman is seated separately from the rest.

During a conversation at work, the age difference between Farmer Lodge and his new wife is brought up. The workers try to discuss this topic discreetly so as not to upset the thin woman, leading us to wonder if there is a connection between her and the milking lady. The supervisor intervenes and instructs them to refrain from discussing "Farmer Lodge's age, or Farmer Lodges new mis'ess", thereby revealing the identity of the husband and wife. The other

workers sympathetically comment on how difficult this must be for the thin woman.

In this section, we discover Rhoda Brook's name and her relationship with Farmer Lodge. While discussing the topic with someone else, one person exclaims "o no." They reveal that Farmer Lodge has not spoken to Rhoda Brook in years, implying some sort of tension between them. After finishing her day's work, Rhoda meets her son on her way home. She tells him that his "father" will be bringing his "young wife" home from Angle-bury the following day. This information reveals that Rhoda and Farmer Lodge share a son together.

Farmer Lodge has remarried and Rhoda asks her son to visit the new wife in town. The title of the story, "The Withered Arm," provides a hint as to what will happen - someone will have a withered arm. The son is set to meet his father's new wife the following day. Overall, this essay explores how each of the three short stories - "The Withered Arm," "Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver," and "The Son's Veto" - use their opening lines to foreshadow the events that will unfold.

In the story "Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver," the title foreshadows the protagonist's nature as a cunning trickster, hinting that his duplicitous ways will eventually catch up with him. Similarly, in "The Sons Veto," the son's elitism is unmistakable from the outset as he regards his mother as inferior to himself. This snobbery is illustrated further towards the end of the story when his mother expresses a desire to remarry.

Disapproving of his mother and her boyfriend, the protagonist firmly declines. The Withered Arm highlights

a significant age gap between the newly wedded couple, emphasizing the husband's superficiality in choosing a young and attractive wife.

Tragic consequences ensue when a wife's beauty is marred, revealing the unstable foundation upon which the marriage was built.