“The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg” is about a town, Hadleyburg, that is known throughout the land for its unmatched honesty. This virtue was so important to the citizens of Hadleyburg that it was taught to the children beginning at birth and principles continually taught throughout each person’s life. The citizens were indeed honest but they were very pious and haughty in their self-proclaimed goodness.
Unbeknown to the people of Hadleyburg, a stranger passing through the town, was greatly offended by their uncaring posture towards strangers. For the following year after his visit, he wanted to get revenge on not just one person of the town, but he wanted revenge on the whole community and ruin its upstanding reputation. He pondered his plan …. finally creating one that he felt was certain to ruin the entire town.
His extensive scheme centered around a sack of gold and the contents of a letter. He first arrived late at night on the door step of the Richards home and delivered the sack to Mrs. Richards. He said that he was leaving and returning to his country and knew the honesty of the town and wanted the contents delivered to its rightful owner. He knew that Mr. and Mrs. Richards were upstanding citizens and would do what was right in getting the sack to the appropriate person. In the letter, he said, “I was a gambler. … I arrived in this village at night, hungry and without a penny. I asked for help. … I begged of the right man. He gave me twenty dollars. He also gave me fortune; for out of that money I have made myself rich at the gaming-table. … Now I have no idea who that man was, but I want him found, and I want him to have this money. … I would find him myself; but no matter, he will be found. This is an honest town, an incorruptible town, and I know I can trust it without fear. This man can be identified by the remark he made to me; I feel persuaded that he will remember it.”
The Essay on Mortal Man God Richard King
Within Shakespeare s play Richard II there are many questionable and un trusting characters. Truth and duty are only illusions within the play. Lust for power and control override the order of England and its ordained king. It s believed that it is by the will of God that Richard is king. No mortal man can come between what God has set before them as rule. The final decision is God s and the only ...
Mr. and Mrs. Richards pondered on who might be the rightful owner and the only person they came up with was the deceased Mr. Goodson. But not knowing for sure, they published the story in the newspaper with the goal of seeking the rightful owner of the sack. Then began the internal struggles of right from wrong of the entire town. The scheme perpetuated with each of the nineteen couples in the town receiving a letter from a distant State stating, “I am going to reveal to you the remark. … ‘You are far from being a bad man; go, and reform.’” So each tried to justify that they were indeed the rightful owner however they didn’t realize that all nineteen couples received the same letter. They then gave their claim to Rev. Burgess for the town meeting where the owner would be revealed. Meanwhile, the wives went out and spent the money in anticipation that they would get the sack.
The town meeting finally arrived. People from all over came to the meeting. It was a huge event. Burgess pulled out a letter and read the claim from Billson that he was the owner. Then another letter was read, almost exact, and that was claiming the owner was Wilson. A dispute started over the details. But then Burgess went on to read the same claim from all the other couples except from the Richards. After all the claims were read, the sack was opened and another note was found and read. It explained the stranger’s scheme and how he wanted revenge on the whole town. “P.S. There is no test-remark – nobody made one. There wasn’t any pauper stranger, nor any twenty-dollar contribution. … My project was to corrupt Hadleyburg the Incorruptible.” As the effects of “the test” drag on, it causes dissension and despair to the point of the Richards becoming ill and ultimately dying. The stranger wanted to point out that if one’s virtue is not tested but merely temptations were non-existent, then when the temptations did arise, they did not have enough strength to overcome them and corruption prevailed.
The Essay on Mohawk By Richard Russo
Mohawk by Richard Russo Richard Russo is one of America's funniest literary novelists. Richard Russo lives in coastal Maine with his wife and their two daughters. He has written five novles: Mohawk, The Risk Pool, Nobodys Fool, Straight Man and Empire Falls, and a collection of short stories, The Whore's Child. Mohawk remains today as it was described then: A first novel with all the assurance of ...
