There's an old cliche: "everyone's the hero of their own tale." I'd suggest this same turn of phrase can help to elucidate some of the themes underpinning "The Japanese Quince," by John Galsworthy. Generally speaking, people tend to assume that their experiences in life are utterly unique unto themselves. However, in this story, Galsworthy seems to suggest a very different picture of reality, by which industrial society and class structure has worn away at genuine human authenticity. Under the confines of industrial society, and the artificiality it imposes upon the people living within it, genuine individuality seems to have been undermined, to the point where people start resembling duplicates of each other.

That theme is reflected in the story's two characters, Mr. Tandram and Mr. Nilson. The two are practically identical, to such a degree that they might as well be labeled mirror images. Hence Nilson's own feelings of surprise and discomfort: he had never supposed that his own redundancy might be in effect.

As this story begins, Nilson takes some time out of his day to stroll through the gardens outside his home, stopping to admire the tree that gives this story its name. As he does so, he entertains lofty assumptions that he is unique in his reaction—that in all of London, he is the only person of his class who would put a momentary stop to his day in order to admire this kind of scene. He says as much in his own internal narration. However, as soon as these thoughts have crossed his mind, Nilson notices his neighbor, Mr. Tandram, dressed in an identical fashion, observing that very same tree, and generally acting in an all too similar manner to Nilson himself. This discovery comes as an unpleasant and disconcerting surprise. Nilson had assumed that his experiences are unique within the world and unique unto himself. Tandram's presence would suggest otherwise.