An Angel in Disguise is a popular story by T.S Arthur which deals with themes of compassion, responsibility, the power of love and the need for temperance. Elaborate.
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Answer:
An Angel in Disguise is a short story by T.S Arthur which beautifully demonstrates the power of love in a situation of hopelessness. Written in the voice of a third person omniscient narrator, the story makes a strong case for compassion towards the downtrodden and tries to draw a clear connection between love and happiness.✔️
Explanation:
An Angel in Disguise by T. S Arthur opens with a very graphic representation of misery and helplessness. A woman has died in poverty (presumably due to disease and alcohol abuse), surrounded by her wretched children. The news of her death quickly spreads in the village and the neighbors hastily gather around her dead body, bringing along some food and clothes for her orphaned children. The narrator shows how pity moves the villagers to action and goes on to state that “Death touches the spring of our common humanity.”
Three children are orphaned by the death of their mother: John, Kate and Maggie. John, the eldest, is a boy of twelve. Kate, about ten to eleven, is an active and a bright girl. Maggie, the youngest, is hopelessly diseased. She had been handicapped after having fallen from a window two years earlier, injuring her spine. The villagers discuss what should be done about the children and they all agree that the little ones must not be left to starve. Finally, farmer Jones adopts John and Kate is adopted by Mrs. Ellis. Though it may seem like a commendable act on their part, their decision to “adopt” the children, their decision is actually based on self interest as shall be seen later in the analysis of the story.
Nobody comes forward to adopt poor Maggie and some suggest taking her to the Poor House. Finally, it is the wheelwright Joe Thompson who, unable to resist Maggie’s pleas, lifts her up in his arms and heads home. He’s sure that his wife, a childless woman, will resist his choice of adoption but he decides to take Maggie anyway. On reaching home, he and his wife have a heated argument over Maggie’s adoption. The wife strongly resists the adoption of an invalid child. However, Thompson passionately defends the child and speaks on her behalf with such force that Mrs. Thompson finally agrees to keep her for the night. Joe gives the example of how Jesus loved little children and makes a fervent appeal to his wife:
He leaves Maggi to Mrs. Jones’ care before going to work. Upon his return, he doesn’t mention Maggie but instead asks for the supper. He goes to meet the child and is struck by her tender voice and the gratefulness of her tone. During supper, Mrs Thompson brings up the topic of Maggie and asks him what he is going to do with the child. Joe replies very tactfully, pretending to be surprised: ” I thought you understood me that she was to go to the Poor House.” Mrs. Thompson looks strangely at her husband and drops her eyes.
She then prepares some meal and takes it to Maggie who eats it with great pleasure :
Mrs Jones is clearly touched and we will see that her attitude towards the child is changed forever. The next morning at breakfast time, in response to Joe’s statement that he must see the Guardians of The Poor House concerning Maggie, Mrs Thompson remarks that they will keep Maggie for a day or two longer. However, Joe never visits the Guardians of the Poor on Maggie’s account, for in less than a week Mrs Joe Thompson has become so attached to Maggie that she would rather herself go to the Alms house than send Maggie there.
The story ends on a happy note explaining how Maggie acted as an object of love to bring happiness in the house of Joe Thompson, especially in the life of his wife which had so far been an unhappy one, for being without a child, she had nothing to love and care for out of herself.
Maggie thus becomes a ‘precious burden’ to the Thompson family- an angel who had come to his house disguised as a sick and miserable child, and filled its dreary chambers with the sunshine of love.✔️