Individual vs. Society

Characters like Iden, with his unconventional habits and intellectual nature, are out of place in their community, and Amaryllis's artistic aspirations clash with societal expectations, emphasizing the theme of misfit individuals struggling against conformity.

Amaryllis feels isolated in the crowd, torn between her own desires and societal expectations.

Mr. Iden's inconsistent behavior—trapping mice in one place while feeding them in another—highlights the complexity and contradiction of human nature against societal expectations.

Amaryllis stands apart from the crowd, a solitary observer critiquing the conformity and pettiness of the fair-goers, while the tramps are marginalized outsiders.

Mr. Iden's solitary dew-wading is condemned by Mrs. Iden because 'nobody else does it,' illustrating the pressure to conform.