A Comparison Of John Thomas in Tickets, Please and Tony Kytes The Arch-Deceiver.
A Comparison Of John Thomas in Tickets, Please and Tony Kytes The Arch-Deceiver.
Both "Tickets, Please" and Tony Kytes the arch-deceiver are short stories written just before and just after the beginning of the 20th Century, by two very talented authors "Thomas Hardy" (The Arch-Deceiver) and D H Lawrence (Tickets, Please). Both stories are describing the relationships between men and women of their times, as it is easily seen the moods and attitudes of the books change according to the date they were set in. The Arch-Deceiver was written just before the 1st world war. Tickets, please was written in 1918 at the very end of the 1st world war. War can have a huge effect on people including the role that women play in dishounouring and changing traditional ways. This is why D. H. Lawrence tried to set a background easy to relate to, he achieved this by describing his characters in such huge detail and giving them symbolic names.
David H. Lawrence
D.H. Lawrence was born David Herbert Lawrence in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire on September 11, 1885. Eastwood was a coal mining town filled with hardworking Englishmen and women. D.H. was considered eccentric for his lack of work enthusiasim and his love of literature.
After finishing grammar school, D.H. recieved a scholarship to attend Nottingham High School. Ironically, D.H. did not excell in school and after dropping out of school he gained a clerkship in a surgical appliance factory. It was during this time that D.H. met Jessie Chambers and the two became fast friends. Jessie tutored D.H. and encouraged him to begin writing in 1905. D.H. went on to gain a teaching certificate from University College, Notingham
In 1911, D.H. quit teaching because of a reoccuring battle with pneumonia. He eloped with Frieda Weekley, a German wife of a professor at Nottingham. The couple traveled across Europe and were finally married in 1914 after Frieda's divorce.
During WWI, D.H. and Frieda lived in virtual poverty in England. After the war was over D.H. went to Italy and never returned to his home again. On March 2, 1930 Lawrence died in Vence, France from complications of tuberculosis.
Thomas Hardy
"Thomas Hardy" was born in a cottage in Higher Bockhampton, near Dorchester, on 2 June 1840. He was educated locally and at sixteen was articled to a Dorchester architect, John Hicks. In 1862 he moved to London and found employment with another architect, Arthur Blomfield. He now began to write poetry and published an essay. By 1867 he had returned to Dorset to work as Hicks's assistant and began his first (unpublished) novel, The Poor Man and the Lady.
"On an architectural visit to St Juliot in Cornwall in 1870 he met his first wife, Emma Gifford. Before their marriage in 1874 he had published four novels and was earning his living as a writer. More novels followed and in 1878 the Hardys moved from Dorset to the London literary scene. But in 1885, after building his house at Max Gate near Dorchester, Hardy again returned to Dorset. He then produced most of his major novels: The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), The Woodlanders (1887), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1891), The Pursuit of the Well-Beloved (1892) and Jude the Obscure (1895). Amidst the controversy caused by Jude the Obscure, he turned to the poetry he had been writing all his life. In the next thirty years he published over nine hundred poems and his epic drama in verse, The Dynasts.
"After a long and bitter estrangement, Emma Gifford died at Max Gate in 1912. Paradoxically, the event triggered some of Hardy's finest love poetry. In 1914, however, he married Florence Dugdale, a close friend for several years. In 1910 he had been awarded the Order of Merit and was recognized, even revered, as the major literary figure of the time. He died on 11 January 1928. His ashes were buried in Westminster Abbey and his heart at Stinsford in Dorset."
Tony Kytes the Arch-Deceiver
"Tony Kytes the Arch Deceiver" is a hilarious story of an afternoon when Tony was driving home from the market in his wagon. A pretty girl called Unity to whom he was quite close before he met his present fiancé stopped him and asked him to give her a lift home. They were riding along, having a flirtatious conversation, when Tony saw Milly, his fiancé. Fearing her displeasure on seeing Unity riding with him on the wagon, he manages to persuade Unity to hide at the back of the wagon. Extraordinarily, later in the journey Tony manages to persuade Milly to do the same thing when he sees yet another young lady, this time called Hannah. Inevitably, at the end of the journey the three young ladies discover each other's presence. After a brief period of mayhem, Milly and Tony are alone again, planning their wedding.
Both pieces of writing show how young women can be misled by somewhat more experienced men. This is shown by their innocence and tendency to follow the male initiatives, to the extent that the young ladies in the Tony Kytes story are even willing to suspend common sense and ludicrously conceal themselves beneath tarpaulin!
In the Tony Kytes story there were six characters, the four main ones being Tony and the three young ladies. The one we get to know best of all is Tony. Through his conversation with the girls, he reveals himself as being ...
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Both pieces of writing show how young women can be misled by somewhat more experienced men. This is shown by their innocence and tendency to follow the male initiatives, to the extent that the young ladies in the Tony Kytes story are even willing to suspend common sense and ludicrously conceal themselves beneath tarpaulin!
In the Tony Kytes story there were six characters, the four main ones being Tony and the three young ladies. The one we get to know best of all is Tony. Through his conversation with the girls, he reveals himself as being an indecisive, weak but well meaning character. He finds it difficult to refuse any of the women a lift, and seems beguiled by the beauty of each of them when the others were out of sight as when he says to Unity "I never knowed you was so pretty before!" The female characters are not very diverse, and they are described very superficially as stereotypes of manipulative feminine whiles as when Unity says "and-can you say I'm not pretty, Tony? Now look at me!"
The women in both of the texts appear to want very much to believe what the men say to them, as when Milly in the story believes in the end that Tony has chosen to marry her rather than the other girls. The reality is, of course, is that she is the only one left willing to be his wife.
The tone of the Tony Kytes story is humorous throughout. We find ourselves smiling in exasperation as Tony's antics descend further and further into farce for example ' "Of course you must come along wi me" says Tony, feeling a dim sort of sweat rising up inside his clothes.' There is a disagreement between the understated mildness of the language and the wildly bizarre chain of events it is describing. Even at the climax of the story, when all the girls have discovered each other's existence Tony merely says "Don't ye quarrel my dears-don't ye!"
Tony takes his women for granted, he thinks that they all love him and would die to go out with him, but the irony is, even though Milly agreed to marriage, it was mainly because no one else would take him! He is very insecure in his actions towards the women, which may be the reason for him being so easily led. This story is intresting and a great book to analyze it is full of mysterious angles and symbols that you may not pick up the first read, I enjoyed this book more than Tickets, Please because it took me longer to think about and to depict.
Tickets, Please
It was originally published in The Strand magazine (April 1919 issue) which specialized in detective and weird fiction. It was the only Lawrence story ever to be published in The Strand and at a time when the magazine was searching for "new blood" to revitalize slagging wartime sales. There are a few differences from the magazine version and the version later collected in book form. The inspector's name was originally John Joseph Raynor. Lawrence then changed it to John Thomas Raynor with the hated nick-name of "Coddy" to drive the point home. John Thomas and Lady Jane are the euphemisms given the male and female sexual organs in Lady Chatterley's Lover. A Cod-piece in medieval armor was the padded metal cup that protected the family jewels. Cod has a definition, however, which applies to the function--meaning "pillow" or "cushion." Therefore the nickname of Coddy takes on the meaning: slang for the genitals. The other major difference between the two versions is in the ending scene, which is more elaborate in the revised version.
I notice that Annie's last name is Stone; and yet the root name, Ann, means "graceful one," so already there is conflict or tension established in her character. The women who work the tram are described as "fearless young hussies. They are not going to be done in the eye--not they. They fear nobody--and everybody fears them." The drivers and men of the tram are described as "men unfit for active service: cripples and hunchbacks" or as "rash young men, a little crippled, or by delicate young men, who creep forward in terror." John Thomas is an inspector, not a driver; but still we must wonder in this time of war why he is in the service of the tramway rather than military service. Is he one of these "delicate young men" who is "unfit for active service"? And yet he gets into trouble for being rather too active with the women. He avoids one war to get caught up in another--the battle of the sexes.
He is in the position of being their superior as inspector, and yet the women seem to be filled with more raw courage. The women become like warriors exacting their revenge and leaving him a casualty in the love/hate game. It's sadly ironic that the girl he likes the most is the one to lead the attack against him. And she is also the one he chooses at the end to be intertwined with in a relationship of hate.
So John Thomas is touched by Annie who leads the assault. But then he touches her back symbolically when he singles her out. She has finally established the personal level of intimacy that she desired from him. But the intimacy is one of hate not love. She is singled out from the crowd as a hated individual.
Part of the revised ending centers on the key to the door that Annie possesses and gives over for him to leave. The "key" is a symbol of power which she now has over him. He has indeed been "taken down a peg or two"; but in the new version, Annie feels regret over this change of authority.
It's a very meaningful and intresting story It also has links to Lawrence's own life when he was attacked in his youth by factory girls at Haywood's surgical appliances factory. Lawrence could well identify with the humiliation of such an incident.
Evaluation
"Tony Kytes" was set at the end of the nineteenth century in a rural community which seems mostly unaffected by the Industrial Revolution, remaining traditional in both the way of life and the attitudes of the people. The members of the community are very relaxed in the way that they live, riding around in the carts, being very leisurely, especially the women who did hardly any work other than in the house. "Tickets Please", set 25 years later, has a much more urban setting with a tougher, faster lifestyle, with all the danger and excitement of the tramlines shown in the assertive and self-assured behaviour of the women who work on them. The men were away at war and the women were doing jobs which had previously been thought suitable only for men. They had been given freedom and were empowered and able to take liberties. These women were probably encouraged by the suffragettes; giving them confidence and making them examine their own lives and ambitions. They were beginning to believe that they were equal in status to men, and therefore were no longer acting in such a traditional, gentle, delicate and soft manner.
Around the turn of the century, it was predominantly a man's world as reflected in both stories. More so in "Tony Kytes" but there are still parts of this in "Tickets Please" as although the women may now think that they are in charge, the men are doing the most important job as they are at war.
Both stories tell us, that men at this time like to be able to have the prettiest girl, and enjoy being able to choose from several. In "Tony Kytes" it appears very important for the women to be good looking, as they are all mentioned in terms of their looks, being described as "dashing" or "handsome". The women are aware that looks are important and even think that this alone will enable them to find a husband. Unity says "Can you say I'm not pretty, Tony", playing up on her femininity, in order to woo him. Although they may seem naïve and weak, the women aren't foolish and act very coy and are actually more knowing than they may first appear. They manipulate Tony, speaking in a "tender sort of chide". Here Unity pretends to be sweet and innocent in order to win his admiration, making him think that he is totally and completely in control of the women.
In "Tickets Please", John Thomas also likes the freedom to choose between lots of willing women, and is encouraged by the fact that all the able bodied men are at war and he has his pick.
Now the women no longer wear long flowing dresses, wearing an "ugly blue uniform" and "skirts up to their knees" which 20 years ago would have been totally inappropriate. They show that by wearing these clothes women at this time don't need to rely upon their charms to get a man and they are more at ease with themselves. The clothes along with their attitudes take away their delicate, womanly appearance, and because they are doing traditionally male jobs, they have taken on typically male characteristics. Their behaviour in this story is also undisciplined and wayward. When Ted tells Annie that she has stepped on his corn, she sarcastically replies that he "should keep it in his pocket". She is also described as having a "sharp tongue" telling us of her cheeky attitude. The author describes the girls as "fearless young hussies" and he tells the audience that "They fear no-one, and everyone fears them". This tells us that now the roles of women has changed dramatically as now they are very unruly, in control and most of all, they know their own mind and won't be told what to do. The author leaves us in no doubt that no one would dare challenge these women.
Unlike the rough, cocky manners shown by the women in "Tickets Please", in the earlier story- "Tony Kytes" we see that there is a certain code of behaviour expected from women. They were supposed to respect their men and make him a good wife and they seem to accept this- "I would make you a finer wife" said one as she tried to get Tony to marry her. They did not do anything more strenuous than walking about in the town and looking pretty because it was a very ancestral society and it would have been improper for a woman to do anything other than this. Tony's father shows this when he declares that he should marry Milly based on the grounds that she was the only one which "did not ask to ride with him". This was because women were not supposed to ask men as it would be considered as too forward, and they would not make the best wife, which was really what they were judged on, along with how pretty they were. This attitude is not displayed towards the men, as it was almost expected that he had had his way with her as Tony says: "though you may think it an unusual thing in me". Even if he had it would not have spoiled his chances of finding a wife. Here there are undertones that the women were very gullible and vulnerable and at the mercy of the man.
In "Tony Kytes" these women too like to have a man but for different reasons. At this time the women wanted to get married as they would have had no way of life in this rural community without men and also when they were married they would look more respectable. For these women it seems almost urgent to find a husband and they show no solidarity with the other women. Hannah feels no guilt when Tony decides that he wants to abandon Milly to marry her, saying "Throw over Milly? - all to marry me!" There is more friendship shown by the women in "Tickets Please" which is possibly because it is less of a necessity to get married, and more so not to marry a man who humiliates you, and is only interested in himself. At the end of the story, all the girls get together to get revenge on John Thomas, for treating them poorly. They have found out that he is a bit of a womanizer, who is only after one thing- "John Thomas intended to remain a nocturnal presence", and they decide to take action. They catch him unaware, and are very violent in their approach to teaching him a lesson, "slapping him, pinching him, pulling at his hair". This is possibly because since they are doing the male jobs, they have assumed male characteristics and aggression, and it is not important how they behave.
We are horrified at the hatred and bitterness in their revenge, and we possibly feel sorry for John Thomas who is at the mercy of these out-of-control women. They also seem to enjoy doing it as they "Giggle wildly" at his embarrassment. At the end of "Tony Kytes", the women then are humiliated too as it is revealed that Tony had promised each of them marriage. They are far less hostile in their approach to teaching him a lesson, telling us of their gentle nature, only refusing to take the vows when he asks each of them. Hannah refuses him first "I have spirit, and I do refuse him", because her father was there and because she thought that a scratch on her face might leave a scar. Really, Hannah did want to marry Tony but she did not want to let it be revealed that she had no pride, and also she wanted to make sure that it was her that he really wanted her shown by her "Thinking and hoping that he would ask her again". This same behavior was displayed by Unity whom he asked next who also turned him down for the sake of not suffering more humiliation. Finally he asked Milly who did accept and was even prepared to suffer embarrassment to get her man, only after making sure that he "...didn't really mean what he said to them". Here the women show a certain amount of pride, although they were secretly hoping that he would ask them again and Tony ends up with the same girl as when he began.
Tony loses out in this story, as he did not get the most "dashing" girl for she refused, embarrassing him. Also he got the girl which his father said was best, which he did not really want-"...All things that could have happened to wean him from Milly there was nothing so powerful as his father's recommending her". In both these stories there is an irony in the fact that the women fall for the charms of these two men who both are lacking something. Tony is not good looking as he had "a seam here and there left by the small pox" and John Thomas is not at war with the rest of the men of his generation. So he to must be missing something important.
The expectations of what women were capable of are also very reflective of their position at this time. When Tony left the cart in the hands of Hannah it was almost expected that a woman would not be able to control the horses. Tony's father said "You shouldn't have left the reigns in her hands" indicating that a woman would be too weak and incapable of steering the cart.
Overall these two stories show how dramatically the roles of men and women changed in just 25 years around the time of the Industrial Revolution. They show because men being at war, the women were finally given the chance to show that they no longer wanted to be pretty wives and domestic servants, who had to behave a certain way and were frightened to have an opinion, like the women in "Tony Kytes". They needed a chance to show that they were not inferior, and the absence of men, along with the urgent need for women to keep the economy running, gave them opportunity, as shown in "Tickets Please".
Whilst some women gladly gave up their new jobs after the war finished, others were not willing to lose their new found freedom, and this helped provide the foundations for a new society which was more equal. The ending of "Tickets Please" reveals although the women had demonstrated that the stereotypes of what they were capable of were far from the truth, they had not totally got one over on John Thomas. Here the author shows, neither sex wins outright, hinting at the equality of what was to come, not where one sex was superior in society to the other.
Conclusion
Both books were very similar in there ways of relationships and I think the authors write quite similarly as well, I enjoyed both books and it was very interesting to see how 25 years can change the whole of History and how well it can be expressed in a book.