Comparisons with Crichton's Other Work (Scottish Highers English): Revision Notes
Comparisons with Crichton's Other Work
Recurring themes in Crichton Smith's short stories
The Existence of the Hermit shares similar patterns with three other stories by Iain Crichton Smith: Mother and Son, The Painter, and The Red Door. These four works explore how small village communities can become restrictive and oppressive. The social expectations placed on individuals by their neighbours create an environment where people cannot fully express themselves or live according to their own values.
Throughout these stories, Crichton Smith examines the same fundamental question: what happens when an individual's needs and desires conflict with what the community expects? This recurring exploration gives his work thematic unity and depth.
Crichton Smith frequently examines the tension between the individual and the community in his work. His characters feel trapped by the need to conform, unable to pursue their own happiness or identity. This dichotomy between personal freedom and communal pressure drives the conflict in all four stories. The villages in these stories demand conformity, and anyone who stands out faces consequences.
Outsiders and non-conformity: The Painter and The Existence of the Hermit
These two stories follow characters who are rejected by their communities for being different. In The Painter, William's artistic talent and physical beauty set him apart from other villagers. His paintings capture uncomfortable truths about village life, exposing realities that others prefer to ignore. In The Existence of the Hermit, the hermit's lifestyle appears strange to the villagers. His choice to live alone forces them to question their own existence and values, which makes them uncomfortable.
Both stories use a distinctive narrative perspective. The narrators remain unnamed and speak on behalf of the community, frequently using plural pronouns such as "us" and "we". This technique shows how strongly the narrators identify with the collective group. They see themselves as representatives of community values rather than individuals with independent thoughts.
Understanding the Narrative Technique
The use of plural pronouns creates an interesting effect: readers hear the story from within the community itself. This insider perspective makes the oppressive nature of these communities even more disturbing, as we see how normal and justified their intolerance seems from their own viewpoint.
This perspective reveals an important point: for some people, belonging to the community provides comfort and identity. The group offers security and shared purpose.
However, Crichton Smith presents this collective identity as dangerous when it becomes rigid and intolerant. The "rules" about how people should behave are unwritten but powerful. When William or the hermit breaks these expectations by living differently, the community cannot accept them.
Both characters must eventually leave their villages. They cannot be themselves in such an oppressive environment where difference is treated as a threat. The stories work as cautionary tales, warning readers about the dangers of communities that value conformity above individual expression.
Fear of rejection: The Red Door and Mother and Son
The protagonists in these two stories have not yet been cast out by their communities, but they live with constant anxiety about what might happen. They observe what happened to people like William or the hermit and fear similar treatment if they reveal their true selves or make unconventional choices.
These characters exist in a state of suspended tension. They want to live according to their own values and desires, but they fear the consequences of doing so. The divide between individual happiness and community expectations creates an impossible situation. The characters cannot find genuine contentment because they must constantly suppress their true nature to avoid rejection.
This psychological state—wanting freedom but fearing the cost—makes these characters particularly relatable. Unlike William or the hermit, who have already been rejected, these protagonists still have the choice to conform or rebel. Their indecision reflects a very human struggle.
Crichton Smith leaves readers feeling that this situation cannot continue indefinitely. Change must come, though the stories do not provide clear solutions. The hope implied at the end of each story is that the main characters might find freedom and self-expression by leaving their villages and seeking fulfilment in the wider world, away from restrictive community judgement.
The symbolism of the open door
Crichton Smith uses doors as a powerful recurring symbol across these stories. At the end of The Existence of the Hermit, the narrator observes:
Analyzing the Open Door Symbol
Quote from The Existence of the Hermit:
"The door too was wide open as if he was inviting people to see that he had gone."
This image carries multiple layers of meaning:
- Transparency: The hermit has nothing to hide and makes no secret of his departure
- Freedom: The open door suggests possibility and escape from restriction
- Invitation: Even in leaving, the hermit maintains his openness and honesty
- Finality: The wide-open door confirms his complete departure from the community
Similar door imagery appears in the other stories:
- In The Red Door, Murdo knocks purposefully on Mary's door, suggesting his determination to pursue connection despite community expectations
- In Mother and Son, John opens the door to listen to the rain, showing his awareness of a world beyond his current limited existence
The open or opening door functions as a symbol of hope and new beginnings in each story. It represents the possibility of change and escape from oppressive circumstances. The door marks the threshold between the restrictive village community and the freedom that exists beyond it. When characters approach or pass through doorways, they move towards self-determination and away from the narrow expectations that have confined them.
The Power of Recurring Motifs
By repeating the door imagery across multiple stories, Crichton Smith creates a unifying symbol that readers can recognize and understand more deeply with each appearance. This technique strengthens the thematic connections between the stories.
This motif reinforces Crichton Smith's central message: individuals need the freedom to be themselves, even if this means leaving behind the security of community belonging. The open door offers hope that such freedom is possible.
Key Points to Remember:
- Crichton Smith explores the conflict between individual freedom and community expectations across multiple stories, showing how small villages can become oppressive when they demand conformity
- The Painter and The Existence of the Hermit show characters who are rejected for being different and must leave their communities, while The Red Door and Mother and Son show characters living in fear of similar rejection
- The use of plural pronouns ("us" and "we") in the narration reveals how some people find identity and belonging in the collective community, even when that community becomes intolerant
- The open door appears as a symbol in all four stories, representing new beginnings, hope, and the possibility of escape from restrictive environments
- None of the stories suggest that the tension between individual and community can be resolved within the village setting; freedom requires leaving