The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg | Themes
Hypocrisy
Several narrative elements render the honest reputation of Hadleyburg suspect from the beginning. The narrator describes a town that ‘‘care[s] not a rap for strangers or their opinions,’’ while a couple of its residents so severely offend a stranger that he feels compelled to wreck revenge against the whole town. After the stranger delivers the sack of gold to the Richardses, Mary becomes anxious about theft, exclaiming,"Mercy on us, and the door not locked!’’ She regains composure only after she ‘‘listens awhile for burglars.’’ The...
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