"Transients in Arcadia" Journal

How does the coincidence and irony in the plot contrast against the emphasis on description of the setting? What does this accomplish?

New criticism looks at elements of the "human condition" revealed in the work. "Transients in Arcadia" reveals the elementary want and thrill of being who you cannot be everyday, of taking on a new identity momentarily to experience something that you could not usually experience. Mamie and Jimmy’s deception of the staff and guests at the Hotel Lotus shows the ease with which humans can see from each other’s perspective when they are willing.

The coincidence in this plot is that Madame Beaumont and Mr. Farrington both save up for a vacation in a highly upscale hotel, and pretend to be who they are not. These two lower-class citizens meet by a fluke and fall in love, and they may never have met in their normal world. That is the irony.

It is interesting that the story begins with such an in-depth description of the setting. This really emphasizes the importance of the feelings of calmness and serenity in Hotel Lotus. In the beginning, Madame Beaumont fits into this serenity and calm, and the staff love her for it. She fits into the setting better than the real aristocrats do. Her real identity is not revealed until the very end, which displays the coincidence when Farrington reveals his own identity. Mamie and Jimmy have become transients, people passing through, and visiting "Arcadia," a place of pure happiness, harmony, and life. But though they think Hotel Lotus is their Arcadia, it is really only a path to their true Arcadia, which is their love for each other. Arcadia can be found anywhere.