Upon first glance in “The Other Town,” the narrator seems to be describing the daily life of a town that has an exact replica. However, the story shifts from describing the “other town,” comparing it to the town where everyone resides, to the political conflicts that arise from having the unused, additional town. The two sides are represented by the terms, “Purists,” and, “Moralists.” The narrator inserts his own political stance, but not heavily.
It seems as though the narrator is neither purist, nor moralist, but rather in-between the two ideas. In the end, he talks about the two paths, representing the two parties, and talks about a third in which he belongs.
Though both directions have something to be said for them, there’s also a third way, which is the one I like best. That’s when you can stop for a moment, midway along the path, and turn your head in both directions: toward the other town, which shimmers through the thick branches pf oak and pine, and toward our town, almost obscured by the woods but still showing through. Exactly where I am, when I stand there and look both ways, who can say? It’s just for a little while, before I move on. (143)
The Purists side with the history aspect of the towns and do not wish to change anything, whereas the Moralists fight for change.
Those of us who are older, and have visited the other town many times, take a special pleasure in detecting such mismatchings, though a few purists among us argue that any difference is a flaw and should never be tolerated. (134)
These moralists object in particular to the invasion of homes above all their own homes, especially late at night, when visitors are allowed to explore any unlit room with flashlights supplied by guards. (139)
The narrator includes the history of the two towns and speculations on why the town was built in order for readers to understand the quarrel between the two parties.
The fantastic element of this story is the appeal the “other town” has that entices the people from the original town so much.
It even happens now and then that someone will try to take up residence in the other town – an act forbidden by law. Teenagers, in particular, attempt to hide there after closing time at midnight, though only last year a husband and wife, both in their forties, were discovered by a guard at three in the morning in the bedroom of a house on Sagamore Road. Repeated violations are punished by penalties of enforced absence, which are considered so harsh that they are usually commuted to community service. (141)
As it turned out, they had patiently dug a tunnel, night after night, from the north woods into the forbidden world, where they held secret meetings for weeks before being discovered by a guard. (141)
Even though people risk being banned from the other town, they still risk everything to visit.
I agree that there are conflicts of the sides! I think there are the people that think it is good and that there are people who think it is weird that there is another town that is replicating their own town.
I really liked how you used ‘The Pluralist’ and ‘The Moralist’ metaphor while reading this story. I didn’t really think of politics while reading this story on my own but after reading your blog post, it really allowed me to incorporate that idea into the story. Great post!