The Strangers Who Came To Town Analysis

Acceptance and Freedom: The Duvitches
To ponder the biggest freedom movement of the century, it is probable that one would think of Martin Luther King Jr’s fight in the civil rights movement; the theme is often limited to freedom but, what King was fighting for simultaneously was acceptance of black Americans. While the Duvitches’ freedom in The Strangers Who Came to Town was not lead by a civil rights movement, it followed the same concept. They required the acceptance of the townspeople to achieve their freedom. Each member of the family fought their own battles; Mrs. Duvitch and her appearance, Mr. Duvitch and his untouchable status and the torment the Duvitch children faced at school.
Mrs. Duvitch rarely showed her face, causing her to be the subject of the townswomen gossip. Rumour had it that “she was the victim of an obscure skin disease and that…she shook scales out of [her] bed sheet” (Flack 3). Andy’s mother inviting Mrs. Duvitch to a tea party “where her delicate manners, and fine needlework…won the approval of the local housewives who were present” (15). Acceptance was a domino effect which lead to her freedom. Later, the community

Their “leaf, lard and black bread sandwiches” (4) and “boiled-out ragpickers’ clothes” (4) made them a target at school. Nonetheless, with their parents’ freedom, theirs soon followed. Nathan and his acceptance into a local ball club had his father exclaiming how he was “chust like de American boy” (16). The freedom these children achieved is evident through the quote, “it wasn’t long before the young Duvitches were able to enjoy outside companionship” (16), contrary to the days where “they headed straight for home, never lingering on the playground” (4). In summary, the acceptance of the Duvitch elders prompted their own acceptance and gave the Duvitches their freedoms as American