Tony Kytes the arch deceiver’ and ‘The Seduction’ Essay Example
Tony Kytes the arch deceiver’ and ‘The Seduction’ Essay Example

Tony Kytes the arch deceiver’ and ‘The Seduction’ Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (652 words)
  • Published: October 21, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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Both texts explore the theme of young women being deceived by men. The women's innocence and obedience are highlighted. This is emphasized when the women in 'Tony Kytes' choose to hide under tarpaulin just to avoid confrontation, as stated in the quote: "(Insert Quote)." However, there are also differences between the two texts in terms of consequences. In the seduction poem, the girl's gullibility leads to devastating outcomes. On the other hand, in Tony Kytes story, the women only suffer minor damage to their dignity. Tony's indecisiveness, weakness and charm were conveyed through his interactions with the women.

The boy is a shady and deceptive character, while Tony's personality is vastly dissimilar. Tony uses flattery to ensure that he has company, a common action of his era. On the other hand, the boy em

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ploys alcohol as a tool to win over the girl, as evidenced by him offering her vodka. It is clear that both men do not consider the consequences of their actions.

Both Tony and the boy in the seduction exemplify their respective eras. Tony embodies politeness, attentiveness, and charm, while the nameless boy from the 1980s reflects the behavior of many boys from that time. To present a balanced argument, one must also examine the actions of the women involved. The boy used the girl for his pleasure and left her, resulting in her pregnancy. However, it must be noted that the girl did not have to consent to their final act, nor did she have to consume alcohol.

The poem reveals the girl's guilt of being both naive and gullible while confusing lust with love. Her inclination to believe in tabloids is evident

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in her reaction where she stifles a giggle, recalling stories from teenage magazines. The possibility that she ignored the problem page or was a victim of 'it will never happen to me' cannot be ruled out. The societal pressure of her time further adds to her predicament. A point of interest is how the girl's contrasting thoughts lead her to drunkenness.

Initially, the girl believed that the boys' kiss tasted like nicotine, but her perception changed, and she believed that the kiss was scented by Listerine. Tony was manipulated by Unity and Hannah, who took advantage of his weak character to flatter and deceive the two flirtatious women. They asked Tony if he thought they were pretty and pressured him to agree. Getting married was a societal expectation, and women feared being deemed too old and "placed on the shelf." Milly's gullibility in believing Tony's lies makes her similar to the girl in the seduction as she witnessed Tony proposing to two other women before her.

Inquiring if Tony truly intended his words towards his acquaintances, Milly also suffers from societal pressure and lacks dignity. The poem's location mirrors the incident with the boy displaying no regard for the girl amidst the contaminated environment of Liverpool's docks, described as "The Mersey, green as a septic wound." The consequences are severe, akin to the polluted docks, and language is utilized to indicate the timeframe of the narratives while effectively impressing upon the reader.

The story uses language typical of its time period, including phrases like 'Hark' and 'nunny watch'. In contrast, the modern language of 'the Seduction' includes words like 'little slag'. Such differences highlight the changes that

have occurred in the past century. To further emphasize the setting, the metaphor "Silver stream of traffic" and personification "Blind windows of the tower blocks" are used, both being recognized as modern items.

While Hardy adds humor to his story by portraying women hiding under sacks and tarpaulin, McCauley's poem only has humor in its ironic title 'The Seduction', despite having no actual seduction. Despite the attempts from both authors to add humor, the underlying theme of betrayal and deceit is serious in both pieces of text.

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