ASSIGNMENT # 1

DECEPTIVE APPEARANCES IN ‘THE THREE STRANGERS’

Submitted to: Mr. Sajjid Khan

Submitted by:

Romasa Saeed ( FM21575 )

Dur-i-Shahwar Khalid ( FM21608 )

Sara Zulfiqar ( SAM - 2203)

BS English 3C ( Evening )

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES,

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
INTRODUCTION:

The short story "The Three Strangers" by Thomas Hardy is a brilliant treatment of the concept of
appearances being deceptive. The plot revolves around three strangers who arrive in quest of
safety at a secluded farmhouse, each with their own hidden motives and secrets. As the night
progresses, their true identities and motives become clear, highlighting the perils of making
judgements based just on appearances. Hardy emphasises the ways in which external
appearances can be misleading, pushing readers to reconsider their own assumptions and
judgements through his vivid descriptions and skilful characterization.

STRANGER ONE:

Appearances are often deceptive. In this story, the first stranger hid his true identity by taking
refuge in the shepherd’s cottage. He appeared to be cool and calm throughout the story. This in
result, misled the attendees of the party of his true identity.

The way the first stranger walks also brings out the mystery in him- “there was caution in it”
referring to his walk. Later, as he is about to enter the house, the first pedestrian is described to
be ‘mentally looking through the door’. This shows that he might be uncomfortable with what
the people inside might ask him. Once the second stranger is inside, and the people at the party
are asking about his profession, the first stranger does not seem to be too pleased to be asked
about it. It seems at first that he is keen to let everyone know, especially when the hedge
carpenter says, you can tell a man’s profession by his hands with the first man ‘instinctively
sought the shade’. All this shows that he is not telling the truth about his profession. This also
indicates that he is not what he pretends, and again, it makes the reader wonder why the man is
so secretive about himself.
STRANGER TWO:

This idea is emphasised further by the fact that the other characters in the novel have secret
intentions and are not who they appear to be. The Second Stranger is first introduced as an
apparently innocuous, cheery man who enters the protagonist's, the shepherd's, house to seek
shelter from the storm. He is affable and gregarious, and the shepherd and his wife warmly
welcome him into their household. However, as the night progresses, the true identity of the
Second Stranger is revealed. It is learned that he is a police officer who has come to apprehend
the Third Stranger, a wanted criminal. In order to carry out his objective, the Second Stranger
has disguised himself in order to blend in with the locals and gain their trust.

This change in the character of the Second Stranger emphasises the concept of looks being
misleading. He appears to be an innocent traveller seeking shelter from the rain on the surface,
but he has a secret objective and is not who he appears to be.

The Second Stranger’s character serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of making
assumptions based on appearances, and emphasises the importance of looking beneath the
surface to uncover the truth.

STRANGER THREE:

The third stranger who is the criminal’s brother appears to be the criminal. He seems evil
through his physical appearance and gestures. The author creates irony in the story when how
stranger three appears is different from who he is.

First, the criminal’s brother is the last person to enter the shepherd’s home. “Shepherd Fennel” is
already weary of more people entering his home, so the author uses the poor timing of the
criminal’s brother to arouse suspicion in the reader. Also, the second stranger has sung about him
being sent to “Casterbridge jail” to hang a thief so the villagers feel uncomfortable. Furthermore,
the author says he is “a short, small personage, of fair complexion, and dressed in a decent
suit of dark clothes” (p.23). This shows he appears like a criminal since he wears “a decent suit
of dark clothes.” Dark colors are often associated with crime or evil. The clothes the stranger
wears are fine which show he has wealth.

Second, the third stranger’s gestures make him look like he has committed a crime. The author
says he is “…the picture of abject terror – his knees trembling, his hands shaking…his
white lips were parted…” (p.24). The imagery shows the third stranger looks horrified since his
body shakes with fear. His hands shake so much that the “door – latch” rattles “audibly”. Not
only do the villagers see a person in “dark clothes”, but they also see him act odd. Furthermore,
the third stranger’s “eyes” are “fixed on the merry officer of justice.” This suggests that he fears
the executioner. Also, after he looks at the “officer”, he runs away. This deceives the reader to
think he is the criminal since he does not stay. It gives the impression he runs away from
authority – which a criminal would only do. Also, the timing of the third stranger ‘s departure
from the shepherd’s home and the sound of the “gun” are close by so it appears as if he is the
criminal. When the guests set out to chase him, they use “stout staves and pitchforks”. A
“pitchfork” represents a weapon against the devil in the Western tradition. The author also uses
the phrase “vagabonds like him” and the word “prisoner” to describe the third stranger which
makes the reader associate crime with him.

The author builds tension and irony when the guests discover the third stranger is not the
criminal. The criminal’s brother tells them “My brother looked a glance of agony at me… I
was so terror – struck… I turned and hurried away.” (p.35). This shows the idea
“appearances are deceiving” since the criminal’s brother fears for his brother instead of himself.
The narrator adds the third stranger’s tone had “the stamp of truth”. The idiom shows he is
honest.

Thus, the dark clothes (appearance), shaking and trembling (gestures) and opinions of the guests
(narration) to make the third stranger seem like the criminal, while he is an innocent and honest
man.

OTHER CHARACTERS:

Another example of this theme is the shepherd's wife. She was shown to be frugal and mean but
she did not let her intentions be revealed by acting generous. Furthermore, deceptive appearance
was of the constable. He was a coward but by mentioning authority he hid it somehow. He wore
grey uniform and called himself the King's man. He oversaw the search, but he hid behind staff
as symbol of authority.

CONCLUSION:

In "The Three Strangers," Thomas Hardy expertly shows how appearances may deceive. Hardy's
portrayal of the three strangers demonstrates how people frequently conceal their true goals and
identities behind a façade of outer appearances. He warns against making conclusions entirely
based on appearances, which can lead to misunderstandings and even catastrophic consequences.
Finally, the story reminds readers that there is always more to a person than meets the eye, and
that it is critical to look past outward appearances in order to truly understand and connect with
others.