Vaidehi Roy asked 6 years ago
How did Joe Thompson prove to be an angel in disguise for Maggie in T. S. Arthur’s short story “An Angel in Disguise”?
In the story “An angel in disguise” Joe Thompson a wheelwright though rough in exterior had a heart which was tender in some places. He liked children and was pleased to have them come to his shop.
While the news of the lady’s death spreads throughout the village, everyone was eager to take John and Kate but none wanted a bed-ridden child. Hence, they all decided to send her to poorhouse.
As the dead went for its pauper grave everyone went out ignoring the pity glances of Maggie. At that moment, an odd terror arose upon Maggie’s face and she cried out for Mr. Thomson not to leave her alone.
At such point Mr. Thomson was the only one who lifted her from such miserable condition and paved a path for her new life. Hence, Mr. Thomson appeared to be “An Angel in Disguise” for Maggie to pick her up from such a miserable condition and providing shelter at his own house along with a mother.
In T. S. Arthur’s short story “An Angel in Disguise”, the little poor girl Maggie was left alone when her mother died keeping behind her three children in the hands of their fate. Though two villagers agreed to take John and Kate, no one showed any interest in Maggie, as she had been sick and bed-ridden for two years due to a fall from a window.
Everyone suggested to take her to the poorhouse, but none cared to take the initiative. Joe Thompson was the only man who couldn’t go home leaving the poor girl alone. He said to the blacksmith’s wife —
“It’s a cruel thing to leave her so.”
The blacksmith’s wife suggested Joe to take her to the poorhouse and waited no longer. A vague terror had come into Maggie’s thin white face just when she called out —
“O, Mr. Thompson! don’t leave me here all alone!”
Joe had some tender spots in his heart in spite of his rough exterior. He couldn’t reject
“No, dear, You sha’n’t be left here alone.”
Then he took her home lifting her in her arms overcoming the fears of how his ‘vinegar-tempered wife’ might react on seeing her. Not only that, afterwards he convinced his wife to treat the child with tenderness.
So, Joe Thompson was the man who gave the girl a completely new life. When there seemed to be no hope for the little girl, Joe reached to her like an angel. He was an angel in disguise for Maggie.
When Maggie’s mother died, farmer Jones took John and placed him in wagon and drove off. Mrs.Ellis spoke to Kate and drove her away. But no one was interested to take the poor little Maggie. Everyone’s suggestion was to “take Maggie to the poorhouse”. After this everyone hurried away leaving Mr.Joe Thompson behind. If Thompson had left Maggie alone that would be the end of her life. But since he took her to his house it gave her a new life and an opportunity to live a Happy Life.