Longfoot Mistakes Polly for a Boy
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Polly examines a gravestone, but finds the inscription illegible, while Ben expresses disbelief in their location. The Doctor determines they are in the 17th century, contradicting Ben's insistence that they are in 1966.
Longfoot emerges from the church, wielding an antique flintlock pistol and demanding they halt. Mistaking Polly for a young man due to her attire, he cautiously approaches the Doctor, questioning their presence on foot.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Skeptical and increasingly alarmed, grappling with the absurdity of their situation while trying to maintain his composure.
Ben, ever the skeptic, questions their surroundings with his modern mindset, remarking on the lack of houses and the impracticality of finding a bus. His reaction to the Doctor’s revelation about their temporal displacement is one of shock and disbelief, highlighting his struggle to accept the reality of their situation. His cockney grit and practical nature clash with the anachronistic dangers they face, making him a reluctant but vocal participant in the group’s improvisation.
- • To understand and adapt to their new environment, despite his initial disbelief.
- • To support the group’s efforts to navigate the confrontation with Longfoot, even if he doesn’t fully grasp the stakes.
- • That their situation is a temporary misunderstanding that can be resolved with logic or practical solutions.
- • That the Doctor’s explanations about time travel are either a joke or a sign of deeper trouble.
Confused and anxious, struggling to reconcile the reality of their situation with the immediate threat posed by Longfoot’s aggression.
Polly, dressed in her modern trouser suit and cap, is mistaken for a boy by Longfoot, which heightens the tension of the encounter. She pleads with Longfoot to put away his gun, her confusion and frustration evident as she struggles to read the gravestone and adapt to their sudden displacement. Her modern attire and demeanor further expose the group’s anachronistic presence, forcing her into a passive but vulnerable role.
- • To de-escalate the confrontation by appealing to Longfoot’s sense of reason or mercy.
- • To understand their surroundings and confirm their temporal displacement, despite her inability to read the gravestone.
- • That their modern clothing and mannerisms will make it difficult to blend in or gain trust in this era.
- • That Longfoot’s aggression is a direct result of their unfamiliar appearance and behavior.
Highly suspicious and defensive, driven by a mix of fear and duty to protect his community from outsiders, but also exhibiting a grudging sense of responsibility toward strangers.
Longfoot emerges from the church with a flintlock pistol, immediately assuming a defensive and aggressive stance. He mistakes Polly for a boy due to her attire, which fuels his suspicion of the group. His interrogation is sharp and probing, revealing his deep distrust of outsiders, particularly those arriving on foot rather than by sea—a detail that hints at the region’s smuggling tensions. Despite his hostility, he offers sustenance and direction, suggesting a complex mix of paranoia and reluctant hospitality.
- • To determine the group’s true origins and intentions, ensuring they pose no threat to the village.
- • To assert his authority as churchwarden and protect the community’s secrets, particularly those related to smuggling.
- • That outsiders arriving on foot are inherently suspicious and potentially dangerous.
- • That the group’s modern attire and mannerisms are a sign of deception or supernatural interference.
Feigned calm masking deep concern for the group’s safety and the need to navigate this hostile era without drawing further suspicion.
The Doctor stands as the group’s calm and strategic leader, assessing the situation with sharp wit and protective instincts. He quickly fabricates a cover story about being lost travelers to deflect Longfoot’s suspicion, subtly confirming their temporal displacement to Ben ('That gentleman comes from the 17th century'). His posture and tone remain composed, masking the urgency of their predicament while ensuring the group’s safety.
- • To deflect Longfoot’s suspicion and avoid immediate conflict by fabricating a plausible cover story.
- • To subtly inform Ben of their temporal displacement without alarming Longfoot or Polly.
- • That their modern appearance and mannerisms will draw unwanted attention in this era.
- • That Longfoot’s suspicion stems from the region’s smuggling tensions and the unusual nature of their arrival.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The weathered gravestone in the churchyard serves as a clue to the group’s temporal displacement, though Polly is unable to read its faded inscriptions. Its presence highlights the anachronistic nature of their arrival, as the gravestone’s 17th-century markings contrast sharply with their modern attire and mannerisms. The gravestone also functions as a symbolic reminder of the era’s mortality and the stakes of their predicament, as the group’s survival depends on their ability to navigate this unfamiliar and hostile world.
Polly’s cap, like her trouser suit, contributes to Longfoot’s misidentification of her as a boy. The cap’s modern style and the way it conceals her hair further reinforce the anachronistic nature of her appearance, adding to the group’s vulnerability. The cap serves as a visual cue for Longfoot’s suspicion, as it deviates from the era’s gender norms and signals that the group does not belong. This object underscores the precariousness of their situation, as even small details of their modern attire can expose them to danger.
Longfoot’s flintlock pistol is the immediate catalyst for tension in this encounter, its polished metal and dark wooden stock gleaming as he brandishes it at the group. The weapon amplifies the threat of the situation, forcing the Doctor, Polly, and Ben into a defensive posture. Its presence underscores the era’s raw dangers and Longfoot’s role as a figure of authority, capable of violence if provoked. The pistol also serves as a metaphor for the group’s vulnerability, as their modern sensibilities clash with the brutal realities of 17th-century Cornwall.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The churchyard serves as the primary setting for this confrontation, its open space dotted with gravestones creating a tense and exposed environment. The location’s atmosphere is one of quiet menace, as the group’s arrival disrupts the stillness and draws Longfoot’s aggressive attention. The churchyard symbolizes the intersection of the sacred and the profane, as Longfoot—both a figure of authority and a former smuggler—uses the space to assert his power and protect his community’s secrets. The location’s mood is heightened by the distant thunder, which foreshadows the stormy dangers to come.
The village church looms in the background as Longfoot emerges from its vestry door, brandishing his flintlock pistol. The church embodies authority and tradition, serving as a backdrop for Longfoot’s role as churchwarden and his duty to protect the community. Its presence underscores the era’s religious and social norms, which the group’s modern attire and mannerisms directly challenge. The church also functions as a potential refuge or threat, depending on Longfoot’s actions, as it is the source of his power and the space from which he can summon further assistance if needed.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Finding themselves in a seemingly old location directly proceeds Longfoot emerging from the church with a Flintlock pistol. Creating immediate tension."
The Doctor reveals time travel truth"Finding themselves in a seemingly old location directly proceeds Longfoot emerging from the church with a Flintlock pistol. Creating immediate tension."
The Doctor reveals time travel truth"Longfoot mentioning only offering sustenance and directions foreshadows the later difficulty the group has finding refuge. They are not initially trusted and are treated with suspicion by the inn keeper."
Doctor secures lodging through Longfoot’s name"Longfoot mentioning only offering sustenance and directions foreshadows the later difficulty the group has finding refuge. They are not initially trusted and are treated with suspicion by the inn keeper."
Strangers in a hostile innThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"LONGFOOT: Hold fast, I say!"
"POLLY: Oh, please. Would you put that gun away?"
"LONGFOOT: Hold thy tongue, lad!"
"DOCTOR: I'm afraid you're going to lose your bet, young man. That gentleman comes from the 17th century."
"BEN: 17th century?"