GENESIS

A COLLECTION OF POEMS & SHORT STORIES

AN ANGEL IN DISGUISE

Timothy Shay Arthur (1809 - 1885)

The story, 'An Angel in Disguise', Is a story about love, kindness, human feelings and bereavement This story is about
an angel with an open heart and pure soul. The author's message is to help other people. He wants us to be kind, sympathetic
and tender because there may be an angel in disguise for us. The story also portrays the redeeming power of love. Jane
Thompson is shown as a hard-hearted woman who scorns at her husband for bringing home that 'sick brat' but she gets
transformed by the end of the story. Being childless, it had been dark and cold and miserable for a long time because she had
nothing to love and care for except herself. And so she became sore. However, Mrs. Thompson ends up falling in love with
Maggie, and finds purpose in taking care and looking after her. Before Maggie comes Into her life, now she is no longer irritable
and ill-tempered. Maggie proves to be an angel in disguise to Mrs. Thompson.
The story is also about disease. The story begins by displaying the negative things that disease brings with it, like the
mother's death due to her addiction and Maggie being stuck alone because no one wants to adoptthe child who cannot walk.
Conversely, the end of the story demonstrates the happiness that accepting disease can bring, when the Thompsons take
Maggie in and are finally happy.
Thus, the story shows that love can transform everybody.

Characterisation

Maggie is introduced as the youngest of her fami ly, and is t ragically crippled from falling from a window two years prior.
She is unable to leave her bed unless carried in someone's arms. She is said to be wan/ pallid and wasted for whom the visitors
brought cast-off garments. They removed her soiled and ragged clothes and dressed her in clean clothes. She had sad eyes
and a patient fa ce which touched many hearts. After her mother's death owing to consumption, her two siblings, John and
Kate, were taken in by farmer Jones and Mrs. Ellis. She was to be sent off to the poor house as nobody wanted her in their
homes owing to her disability.
M aggie hates being left a lone. This shown when all the visitors have left, she had raised herself to an upright position
and was sitting on the bed, straining her eyes upon the door with terror written on her face. Then when Joe Thomson enters
she cried out, 'O, Mr Thomson/ Don' t leave me here all alone/'
Maggie symbolizes innocence and dependency, because she literally cannot survive without the love and care of
someone else. This is seen as a burden at first glance, but Maggie turns out to be a blessing in the Thompson home because
she gives Mrs. Thompson purpose. Maggie's character illustrates the main theme of the short story that humans cannot
survive without other humans to love and care for them.

Joe Thomson

Joe Thomson is a wheelwright who has a rough exterior but in very soft and tender on the inside. He likes children and
was pleased to have them come to his shop where he mended and made sleds and wagons for them with charging them
anything. Joe Thompson is the image of compassion in this story. After the mother's funeral, Joe is compelled to take Maggie
home with him, because "it's a cruel thing to leave her so." and he knows that bringing her to a poorhouse, as the others have
suggested, will do no good for little Maggie. He is confronted by his wife, Jane, who calls Maggie a 'sick-brat' and wants her
sent to the poorhouse at once. However, he is able to convince her to let Maggie stay in their home for a day before she wa s
brought to a poorhouse, although Joe had no intention to bring her to one at all.
He is a religious person. He quotes the Bible to calm his wife. He refers to how the Saviour rebuked his disciples who
would not receive little children; how He took them up in his arms and blessed the m; and how He said that 'whosoever gave
them even a cup of cold water should not go unrewarded.' He exhorts his wife to be kind to Maggie and t reat her gently.
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 GENESIS
A COLLECTION OF POEMS & SHORT STORIES

He has soft feelings for Maggie. He shows this when he takes pity on her and takes her in his arms and goes home with
her. When he reaches his home a bond had already corded itself around them both and love was springing into life. later, his
voice shakes and he turns his head away to hide this moist eyes from his wife.

Mrs. Thomson

Mrs. Jane Thompson is first introduced as a very cruel harsh character with little compassion for Magg.ie, calling her a
"sick brat". She is childless and is not 'not a woman of saintly temper' with little compassion for Maggie. When her husband
bring home Maggie, she is enraged and wants her to be sent to the poorhouse at once. Although after spending time with
Maggie, Jane is transformed into a kind, loving and caring lady. She decides she wants to take care Maggie for a few more
days, which eventually turns into the rest of her life. Mrs. Thompson ends up falling in love with Maggie, and finds purpose in
taking care and looking after her. Before Maggie comes into her life, it had been dark and cold and miserable for a long time
because she had nothing to love and care for except herself. And so she became sore. However, now she is no longer irritable
and ill-tempered. {:\._
Mrs. Thompson's character Illuminates the theme of caring, and, ow caring for and loving others can bring the best out
of someone and give someone a purpose for living.

The title of the story 'An Angel in Disguise' is most appropriate and symbolic as the story deals with Maggie, a bed-
ridden child who proves to be an angel in disguise for the Thompsons who are childless. Maggie is the youngest of the three
children left to fend for themselves by their mother who died of consu mption. Two yea rs ago she had fallen from a window
and injured her spine and she had not been able to leave her bed since except when lifted in the arms of her mother.
On the death of their mother, John and Katy are taken away by mew fa milies but being disabled, Maggie is left alone
because nobody wants to take her to their home. Joe Thompson takes pity and carries her to his home. His wife is enraged to
find that he has brought a 'sick brat' to he r home and wants her sent to the poorhouse as soon as possible. After spending
some time with Maggie, she begins to love her and is transfo rmed into a kind, loving and caring lady. Thus, Maggie proves to
be an angel in disguise to Mrs. Thompson.
Hence, the title is most suitable.

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