Altruism
The essence of Village is the people's altruism. They are willing to use their best qualities, as indicated by their true names, to nourish each other as well as the countless newcomers without asking for anything in return. Indeed, they never have any problems with supplies until a sense of selfishness grows in the villagers; this is also the moment the forest thickens and threatens Matty and Kira.
When Leader indicates that he is not strong enough to use his gift of seeing beyond, Matty says it would be better if Kira were somewhere in the middle, so that Leader would not have to use so much strength to see Kira. Indeed, in the end, both Kira and Leader use what little power they have left to communicate over a short distance because both are already in the forest. The lesson, therefore, is that instead of only one person caring for another and draining their strength it is better if both people care for each other, consequently sharing the duty and reducing the effort necessary for achieving happiness.
At the same time, Matty uses his gift to heal everyone by sacrificing himself. This scene emphasizes that one must do everything in their power to improve the common good, and that the needs of the community are more important than the needs of one. In a world where refugees are rejected because people of rich countries have become too selfish, this message is more important than ever.
Secrets
One of the rules in Village is that there are no secrets. It is remarkable that all villagers had voted in favor of this proposition, but less surprising considering where the foreigners had come from: Communities where they did not just suffer from beatings and hunger, but from a lack of knowledge. In these communities, the government kept information secret, thus being able to control their people.
Moreover, not having secrets increases the level of honesty. As soon as the villagers keep their trades secret, the integrity of the community deteriorates. Secrets are therefore portrayed as a destructive element of society.
Imperfections and Identity
As soon as the trade mart is open, some villagers such as Mentor are eager to trade their deepest self away to receive better looks. Therefore, their focus has shifted from an altruistic to a selfish perspective. Kira, on the other hand, rejects Matty's offer of healing her leg, saying that it is an essential part of her. In her opinion, healing the leg would mean losing her identity, which emphasizes that she is happy with herself. He understands her now, even though in his earlier conversation with Leader, who called Kira lovely, he thought her crooked leg was a weakness.
