Theme of "The Strangers that Came to Town"
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  Freedom is a privilege not everybody can enjoy. It can come in the form of freedom of speech or even freedom of worship, but most importantly acceptance. In his short story, "The Strangers that Came to Town", Ambrose Flack is showing that true freedom is about being accepted. Ambrose Flack combines the elements of characterization, plot and setting to portray her theme of freedom as acceptance.
  The story is mainly comprised of two families, the Duvitches and Andy's family. The characterization of the oppressed Duvitches are what insist a deeper message of freedom through acceptance. The most often mentioned Duvitch, is Mr. Duvitch. He is treated as lesser because of his malodorous job which he needs to provide for his family. "It followed that the Syringa Street young, meeting him on the street, sometimes stopped their noses as they passed him by—a form of torment all the more acute when Mr. Duvitch had to share it with the children that happened to be with him." (3) A clear sign of unacceptance is shown by the youth of Syringa street as they pass Mr. Duvitch. Mrs. Duvitch is also a target for harsh torment through rumors and judging, though she has rarely stepped foot outside her home. "But this gave rise to the rumor that she was the victim of an obscure skin disease and that every morning she shook scales out of the bed sheet," (3) a description of rumors passed around Syringa Street regarding Mrs. Duvitch. This rumor is an indication of immediate disrespect and unacceptance based solely off the fact that Mrs. Duvitch has not even spoken to these people, but she is already being criticized. The final Duvitches oppressed on Syringa Street are all the children. "Before she could put a stop to it, some of their classmates scoffed at the leaf, lard and black bread sandwiches they ate for lunch, huddled in one corner of the recreation room, dressed in their boiled-out ragpickers' clothes. After school, they headed straight for home, never lingering on the playground," (4) This quote is a description of the Duvitch children's school life where they are meant to get along with the other children. Instead, they are scoffed at and never welcome after school hours by the other children. The oppression by students in this case was done in the form of exclusion and is another form of unacceptance. Mr. and Mrs. Duvitch and all their children are examples of oppression at the beginning of the book. They later turn into reasons why true acceptance is freedom because of when they are accepted by Andy's family during a supper together. "Overjoyed to have neighbors in his house, he was so full of himself that I was conscious of an invisible stature in him which made him seem quite as tall as Father. He beamed and feasted his eyes on us. Saying very little, he managed to make us feel a great deal and he constantly sought his wife's eyes with glances of delight over the wonder of what was happening," (14) this quote is Mr. Duvitches reaction to when he was finally free because he was accepted by his neighbors. This characterization is what proves acceptance is true freedom.
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