Short Fiction · Theme
The Contrast Between City and Country
How Short Fiction develops The Contrast Between City and Country.
The narratives frequently juxtapose the vibrant, chaotic energy of New York or London with the sleepy, stifling nature of rural villages, using setting to reflect characters' desires for excitement, escape, or peace.
Where it surfaces
- III
Rutherford's idealization of rural Worcestershire clashes with Peggy's devotion to Broadway and city life.
- VI
Peggy argues that Rutherford's true home is with 'the girl and the cows and roses,' not Broadway.
- Something to Worry About
Sally's love for London's noise, shops, and cinemas clashes with Millbourne's sleepy, boring village life, driving the conflict.
- At Geisenheimer's
The chapter highlights the clash between Charlie's metropolitan aspirations and his wife's longing for home, ultimately resolved by their return to the country.
- The Mixer
Tommy experiences both urban and rural settings, observing the different behaviors and values of humans in each environment.