One can hardly avoid hearing a critique of urban life compared to rural here. From our visit to the plain in Chapter 1-7, its "great qualities" seem to amount to endurance: its people are "waiting for the future in a pathetic immobility of patience." In contrast, the townsfolk are discontented with their lot ("sullen" and "vindictive") and willing to act for their immediate betterment ("thievish" and "bloodthirsty"). Urban life is thus criticized because its people are more idealistic.