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The Footsteps at the Lock · Theme
Nature versus Artifice
How The Footsteps at the Lock develops Nature versus Artifice.
The idyllic Thames setting is described in lush, natural detail, while characters like Nigel prefer artificiality—he dislikes flowers outdoors, praises photography for never telling the truth, and dresses up for effect.
Where it surfaces
- II: Shipcote Lock
The chapter contrasts the natural beauty of the Thames with the cousins' artificial detachment; Nigel prefers towns and finds nature 'inartistic', while the lock-keeper's garden represents a cultivated, controlled version of nature.