# Community and Gossip in The Uncalled

> Theme guide for The Uncalled by Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The small-town setting is defined by pervasive gossip, as characters like Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Smith constantly surveil and judge others, shaping public opinion and influencing Fred's fate.

## Where it surfaces

- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/i): The women's conversation is filled with judgment, gossip, and a reluctance to help, highlighting the community's role in shaping social reputation.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/ii): The women engage in a hive-like drone of conversation, speculating about the preacher, Margaret's life, and her salvation, revealing the community's judgmental nature.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/iii): The women's meeting exemplifies how the community collectively decides Fred's fate, with gossip and personal judgments shaping the discussion.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/iv): The conversation between Miss Prime and Hodges highlights the pervasive gossip in the town and the community's watchful nature.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/v): The chapter revolves around Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Smith's gossip-driven investigation into Freddie's fate, highlighting how the community monitors and judges personal decisions.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/ix): Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Martin's tea-time conversation drives the chapter, revealing how the community scrutinizes and judges Fred's future.
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xiii): The scandal surrounding Sophy Davis fuels gossip throughout Dexter, and Mr. Simpson attempts to weaponize it within the church.
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/chapters/xvii): The chapter highlights how Dexter's residents obsess over Tom Brent's and Fred's stories, and the Hodges' struggle to keep Fred's news private.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/themes/community_and_gossip
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_uncalled_se/themes