Spirit of Generosity

The importance of generosity and selflessness in the world is the novel's ultimate theme and moral. Forest's sudden changes and hostility toward Matty reflect the negative changes that take place in Village. While the community is described as an open Utopian society that shares resources with outsiders and newcomers, the growing mindset of selfishness in the form of a border closure threatens the fabric of the community. Forest begins to thicken and darken to parallel the darkening hearts of the townspeople who begin to trade their core character values for the superficial. Mentor essentially barters his soul to improve his physical appearance. Mentor's desire is to attract a widow who values good looks instead of selecting a woman who will love his true self and personality. Matty's neighbor, who sewed Matty's clothes as a child, barters her kind heart for a new sewing machine and luxurious...