“Tony Kytes” and “Tickets Please” Essay Example
“Tony Kytes” and “Tickets Please” Essay Example

“Tony Kytes” and “Tickets Please” Essay Example

Available Only on StudyHippo
Topics:
  • Pages: 11 (2857 words)
  • Published: October 20, 2017
  • Type: Case Study
View Entire Sample
Text preview

In this essay, I will compare two stories that depict different time periods: "Tony Kytes", set around 1870, and "Tickets Please", set around 1918. The latter story takes place after the war and portrays a world where women were more independent and vocal about their rights. It was common for women to work in traditionally male-dominated environments, causing some to adopt more masculine qualities. Prior to the war, women were confined to domestic work and adhered to traditional attitudes and lifestyles. They held their men in high regard and aimed to be good wives, as evidenced by one character's statement to Tony: "I would make you a finer wife."

This was not always the case, as some had previously worked in lower-class sectors. Both "Tony Kytes" and "Tickets Please" revolve around men who ma

...

nipulate and deceive women, causing havoc in their lives. Although "Tony Kytes" is not as dramatic as "Tickets Please", it tells the story of Tony, a man who is engaged to Milly but is tempted by his ex-girlfriend to marry her instead. However, he ultimately ends up with Milly. In contrast, "Tickets Please" focuses on a man named John Thomas and is much more intense in its portrayal of deceitful behavior towards women.

The man, John Thomas, is attracted to women who run trams because they are often alone due to the war taking men away. He only spends one night with these women, but his actions are discovered by Annie who is not swayed by his charm. Despite Annie and others seeking revenge, John Thomas manages to hurt Annie by choosing her among all the girls. Both stories revolve around men deceiving

View entire sample
Join StudyHippo to see entire essay

or being unfaithful to women.

Comparing the differences between the two works based on their respective time periods and overall treatment of characters, "Tony Kytes" is a straightforward and humorous tale that also contains moments of gravity. Depicted as affectionate and nurturing, the women featured are not meant to travel alone in society.

This situation is peculiar because Unity, a former love interest of Tony's, requested a ride from him as it was uncommon for women to venture out alone without a chaperone or family member in those times. In this small village, it was likely that such behavior would spark gossip. This is unlike the situation in 'Tickets Please,' where women are depicted as more autonomous and can be seen walking alone at night after getting off the tram. During their ride, Unity flirts with Tony and asks why he left her for someone else. She employs clever phrases such as 'we've known each other since childhood' to try and win him back.

Unity is attempting to win Tony back by flirting with him, a behavior that would have been uncommon due to societal norms and his engagement to Milly. Modern flirtation occurs frequently and differs from that depicted in "Tickets Please" and "Tony Kytes," where girls exerted control over the former but lost some control in the latter alongside the men.

When riding with Tony, Unity obeys his request to go under the sacks or in the back, as he uses his charm to manipulate her actions. Similarly, John Thomas possesses charm in 'Tickets Please', but the women remain in control. Throughout the story, Milly emerges as a dominant figure, causing Unity to hide

on the cart.

Modern day women have more power than they used to. In the setting of 'Tony Kytes', it would have been difficult to find a decent man, so it's not surprising that women were eager to have him. However, this also shows that the women were easily persuaded and gullible, as Tony could make them believe anything. Annie stands apart from the rest of the women because she doesn't give in easily and resists flirting at the beginning of the story. Thus, it is clear that women are more in control and know when to stop.

Miss Stone, please be careful not to step on my corn. Your action repeatedly causes me pain which makes me think that you possess a cold and emotionless heart. In response, Miss Stone suggests that I should keep the corn in my pocket to prevent it from getting hurt again. This demonstrates her resistance to my flirtations and her sharp-tongued nature when she retorts with a witty reply.

The traditional lifestyle shown in this text reveals how women behaved back in the day. It shows that they were ready to fight back and were stronger than expected. This is in contrast to the girls in 'Tony Kytes' who did not react this way. Milly, who is portrayed as an innocent girl, receives a lift from Tony who is going to be her husband. This is seen as normal behavior. In contrast, the girls in 'Tickets Please' are often described as "wild creatures" who sometimes hurt or insult others.

By performing more traditionally masculine tasks, women begin to adopt a more masculine personality trait, contributing to their behavior. This is

exemplified in the contrast between Milly and Annie, who is portrayed as having a violent temperament, while Milly is innocent and weak. Milly can also be easily influenced by Tony's charm, as demonstrated during their conversation while riding together, with Hannah Jolliver watching nearby.

Tony expresses his fear of his wife's temper if she sees him with Milly and asks as a favor to his "coming wife" to hide under the empty sacks at the front of the wagon, which demonstrates the ease with which Tony can charm women such as Milly.

Milly continues to follow Tony's instructions like before. In comparison to the women from "Tickets Please", Milly and others like her are submissive and willing to marry Tony at any cost. On the other hand, the women in "Tickets Please" are independent and less likely to take orders from men. They have no one to turn to for help or support, which makes them responsible for taking care of everything on their own. Hannah is the only person who seems to share similar traits with the women from "Tickets Please", as she has a better handle on things when dealing with Tony.

The text describes a moment of intimacy between Hannah and Tony while they ride. Hannah looks into Tony's eyes and comments on how she enjoys riding with him. Tony reciprocates the sentiment and they share a moment of connection. The text is enclosed in HTML paragraph tags.

The text highlights the power dynamics between Hannah and Tony, with Hannah being the one in control. According to the quote, Tony is eventually swayed by Hannah's charms, as he appreciates her more and regrets his

previous talk of marriage with Milly or Unity. This echoes the character of Annie in "Tickets Please", who similarly has control. As we see when she walks with John Thomas, she maintains distance and control over her own body, never allowing him to have complete power over her.

Annie's intention was to determine whether Tony desired a lasting relationship or just a one-night stand, which was his preference. It was apparent that both stories had two women who controlled the men. Tony and Hannah continued to flirt, with Tony becoming enamored, exclaiming "My sweet Hannah!" while holding her hand and disregarding Milly and Hannah. Ultimately, Tony succumbed to Hannah's pervasive flirting, revealing his susceptibility to her charms.

Flirting was the way in which the girls obtained control, and Tony was unable to tolerate this. Hannah succeeded in winning him over through her superior ability to flirt. Delighted to learn that Tony would abandon Milly to marry her, Hannah exclaimed, "Throw over Milly? - all to marry me! How delightful!" Meanwhile, Milly, who had overheard everything that Hannah had said, was fuming under the sacks. This scenario was less severe than that of "Tickets Please", where Annie retaliated against John Thomas by physically harming him.

Once again, this demonstrates the untamed nature of the events. Tony visited his father in the field when suddenly the cart began to move on its own at an increasing speed, causing Milly to scream. This indicates that women in this time were more delicate compared to the forceful personalities of the females in "Tickets Please" who wouldn't have expressed such distress over a rolling cart. A heated argument ensued, prompting all the

girls to shout and cry similar to "Tickets Please," although they didn't initially cry at the outset.

Despite their typically feminine demeanor, the girls tumbled in a big heap on the cart, causing Hannah to obtain a facial scratch. While this would have been a significant concern for the women of that era, their anger did not compare to that of the "fearless young hussies" in "Tickets Please". Amidst the chaos, Tony revealed that he had asked Hannah.

The girls' highly charged reaction to Tony's decision indicates that they have changed over time. In the past, women were more subdued and less likely to stand up to their husbands. However, after the war, women became more assertive and concerned with their rights, leading them to fight back against their husbands. Even Annie would have responded more aggressively than these girls.

Hannah's dad unexpectedly arrived and witnessed Tony's proposal, even though Hannah had gone to great lengths to keep it a secret. Despite this, Tony still asked Hannah to marry him. However, Hannah's father advised her to refuse Tony if she still valued her virtue and was not at risk. This illustrates how parents played a significant role in their children's lives and choices in that time period. In the traditional lifestyle, people gave more weight to their parents' decisions. Although Hannah may have accepted Tony's proposal, she ultimately said no because her father was present.

The sight of Tony not coming must have deeply saddened her, as evidenced by her looking back multiple times. Tony assumed she would choose him and gave up when her father refused. He settled for Unity, but her response of "Take

her leavings? Not I!" showed she had no desire to be second best. Despite their wait and Tony's dishonesty, both women still longed to be with him, as Unity also looked back hoping for another chance.

It may have been challenging for the girls living in the village to find a loving and attractive partner, so it was expected they would be interested in Tony. Ultimately, Milly was the chosen one despite Hannah and Unity also being willing candidates, as they faced other obstacles. Thomas Hardy portrayed Milly as the innocent one among the three and evoked pity towards her.

During their conversation, she expressed doubt: "You didn't really mean what you said to them?" To which Tony replied confidently, "Not a word of it!" Milly trusted Tony's sincerity and stayed with him, never wanting to lose him. The audience empathizes with Tony's dishonesty and pitied him. Although the girls in this story were angry, they were not as vengeful as Annie in "Ticket Please." When Annie discovered John Thomas's infidelity, she sought revenge by physically harming him. This example of societal change highlights the differences in people's perceptions from prior times.

In "Tony Kytes", the female characters had a gentler demeanor compared to those in "Tickets Please", which takes place after World War I in 1918. The women in "Tickets Please" had undergone significant changes, including taking on traditionally male professions and wearing shorter skirts. As a result, they no longer needed to actively pursue men and instead were pursued themselves. These women were also mentally empowered, unafraid to speak their minds and defend themselves.

According to the author, these individuals are characterized as

"fearless young hussies". This implies that they possess a great deal of strength and bravery. For instance, in the narrative, there is a tram worker named Annie who encounters a man named John Thomas whom she fancies. Annie demonstrates her independence and control over her actions throughout the story.

Flirting is a common theme in both this story and "Tony Kytes." It is the main way that men and women interact and pursue each other. However, the main difference is in the strength and control of the women. In this story, Annie is portrayed as a strong and in control woman, even when she flirts with men such as Ted. This is evident in Ted's comment, "Oh, mind my corn, Miss Stone."

The passage indicates that you have a heart of stone as you have trampled on it once more. Miss Stone advises you to keep it in your pocket and promptly ascends the stairs in her sturdy high boots. This segment illustrates her ability to flirt while remaining in charge and cognizant of when to cease. Additionally, it illustrates her sharp-tongued personality, always ready to respond with a strike. It also reveals that she is brazen and quick-witted, prepared to retort.

This passage highlights a significant contrast between "Tony Kytes" and another work in which women are feared. Prior to the war, women were more practical and swayed by their guardians. The female character in question is formidable and commands fear from those around her, resulting in fewer impudent remarks from characters such as Unity, Hannah, or Milly. Lawrence describes her as authoritarian, mistrustful, and prone to initiating physical violence or verbal abuse. This depiction

portrays her as an independent and robust character.

John Thomas and the woman he had been flirting with met at the fair and spent a pleasant evening together. In both stories, the men and women enjoy each other's company. A particular quote from one story exemplifies this: "I like riding with you," Tony said, looking into her eyes. "And I with you." This demonstrates that they had a good time together and also have genuine affection for each other, forgetting all else. Unity and Milly on the cart were left behind. Tony is open to a full relationship unlike John Thomas, who only desires a one-night stand.

After the night ends, John Thomas and Annie take a walk and share a kiss. However, it is clear that Annie maintains her self-control as the text states, "So Annie walked out with John Thomas, though she kept her own body dangling in the distance." Despite her attraction to him, she resists giving in completely. This highlights her admirable level of self-discipline. Eventually, Annie learns that John Thomas was not interested in a committed relationship with her - something she had hoped for. Even though he couldn't offer her the intellectual stimulation she desired, he still left her.

After going out, she saw him with another girl and this enraged her, fueling a desire for revenge. This sets "Tickets Please" apart from "Tony Kytes," where the soft women never resulted in violence. However, Annie's desire for revenge demonstrates the significant change in women's attitudes over the years. They are now more aggressive and willing to fight back, as evidenced by her statement to Nora that she could "knock him off

the foot-board" when he approaches her.

Nora expressed her desire to see him taken down a notch, indicating that Annie wasn't the only one seeking revenge. The waiting room, where all the girls convened after work, was the proposed location for settling the matter once and for all. This tale is more somber than "Tony Kytes"; the girls played a game whereby they challenged him to identify which of them had touched him based on his familiarity with them.

As the tension grew, the protagonist became anxious until Annie took action and struck him on the head. While physical violence was resorted to in this tale, "Tickets Please" depicted anger primarily through verbal means or not at all. The authors' styles are distinct, with one being more serious than the other. Following the initial slap, all of the girls present proceeded to strike and kick the protagonist.

Annie expressed an overwhelming amount of emotions, directing her anger towards him. The gravity of the situation reflects the girls' intense fury. This trait developed as a result of the absence of dependable support and their need for self-sufficiency after the war. The girls' capacity for revenge is also evident.

The skirmish between them was likened to that of savage creatures, attesting to their formidable strength. The frequent use and repetition of "wild" reinforces this animalistic imagery. Following the altercation, he is tasked to pick his favorite girl among the group. John Thomas exhibits cunning by selecting Annie, the head of the posse, which catches her off guard.

Eventually, they released him and all the girls hoped that John Thomas would choose them, except for Annie. Annie was left feeling broken and

hurt, as she never anticipated being picked. This is the turning point at which John Thomas gains control. In comparison to the women in "Tony Kytes," the women in "Tickets Please" are more assertive and have a greater sense of self-control.

In the story, the behavior of women was influenced by the changes that had occurred during the time in which it was set.

Get an explanation on any task
Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
New