The Return of the Native and The Mayor of Casterbridge both consist of plot twists, coincidences, and a series of minor and major climaxes. However, the time involved in the novels is very different. The Return of the Native may at first seem long because it contains many plot twists, but is it in fact very compact. The whole story takes place in only about a year. In contrast, The Mayor of Casterbridge takes place …showed first 75 words of 1195 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1195 total…could have reached Henchard a little bit sooner," and, "What if Clym had not waited so long before going back to Eustacia." The only difference in the endings is that The Return of the Native has somewhat of an epilogue where Thomasin and Diggery are happily married and Clym remembers Eustacia happily and becomes a teacher of some kind. Perhaps this is only the beginning of another spiraling tragedy. We must be left to wonder.