Tone Analysis in Chapter 25 of The Human ComedyChapter 25, "Mr. Ara", begins with the neighborhood kids gathering in front of Ara's market. August Gottlieb, Ulysses, Lionel and other young men from Ithaca have just taken part in the theft of an apricot from old Henderson's tree. Standing in front of the shop, the boys venerate the apricot as a sacramental element. August, the boy who captures him physically, is held in high regard for his courage and efficiency. Although the apricot is hard, green and far from ripe, it has a deeper meaning for small-town kids. The fruit is an item obtained despite the possible danger of being discovered by Henderson; it is considered an extremely well-deserved memory. Kids appreciate it more than any other object at that time. For them it symbolizes courage and the courageous willingness to risk one's reputation to obtain this tasty item. The apricot is admired with respect and gratification. As August holds him in the palm of his hand, he is described as a religious leader, as he is one who committed the biblical sin of stealing and came away clean. A respected ruler is established through the single, courageous action of a young boy. Later, Mr. Ara comes out of his shop and asks the boys to leave. After they leave, her little son comes over and asks for an apple. Ara sympathizes with the boy and seems to share with him a silent sadness, a negative nostalgic feeling of a cold and oppressive past. As the boy takes a bite of the apple, he decides he doesn't want it. A little annoyed, Ara consumes the rest of the apple so as not to waste it. However, he finds the apple unpalatable and does not finish it himself. Overall, Ara is a little troubled by the... middle of the paper... definable sadness that lurks in the air around them. The way the child will not be satisfied sends his father into frustrated resentment towards modern society. People take too much for granted in a place of hope, privilege and freedom while the war drags on in another country, ten thousand miles away. The appreciation of youthful innocence is so juxtaposed with selfishness and the inability to be content, that it seems to create a double tone that creates a contrast on the reality of humanity. Sometimes we can never be satisfied with what we have until something is lost or sacrificed. In youth and innocence, satisfaction and appreciation of the world around us seems to come more easily, perhaps because life has not yet been tainted by greed. It may be part of human nature that, as we grow up, our desires become more complex and therefore more difficult to satiate..