Final answer:
Maxwell, Norman, and the shabby stranger each have distinct views of the city of Raymond, reflecting their social status and personal experiences, in line with how different characters in literature and art have depicted the myriad realities of urban life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The differing perceptions of the city of Raymond by Maxwell, Norman, and the shabby stranger can highlight the contrasting realities experienced due to one's social standing and personal circumstances within the urban landscape. Maxwell may have seen the city as a place of professional opportunity and societal advancements, similar to the views held by the middle class during the flourishing of the City Beautiful movement that aimed to ameliorate urban living conditions. In contrast, Norman might have viewed Raymond with a critical eye, perhaps identifying with the protagonists created by Dickens and Dostoyevsky, who struggled with the challenges of urban poverty and the dark underbellies of the city. The shabby stranger's outlook would likely lean closer to Flaubert's depiction in Madame Bovary, where disillusionment grows from the unattainable desires fueled by urban materialism and consumerism.
The city as perceived by each character inevitably reflects their individual narratives and life experiences within the broader context of urban culture. By threading their viewpoints together, a multifaceted portrayal of urban life emerges, showcasing how reality differs for each person walking the city streets; from the bustling life witnessed by American realist painters to the solitary quiet observed by McTeague on Sundays, the city holds a myriad of stories all taking place simultaneously, each one colored by the lens of its beholder.