realization that Hadleyburg is not what is appears to be. The people pride themselves on their reputation and are comfortable living inside their bubble of fabricated probity. Instead of reflecting on their treatment of others, they focus on sustaining the image of their holy village. To entice the people of Hadleyburg into falling into the strangers trap of a joke, he baits them with a bag of gold. The symbolism behind the bag of money, is comparable to the Garden of Eden. Just like Eve was tempted to eat a piece of the forbidden fruit, the town’s people are tempted to do and say whatever need be to obtain the bag of money. Accompanying the bag, is a note explaining how one unique citizen of Hadleyburg had done a good deed to the outsider
