M. Daphne Kutzer, Professor of English at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh thinks "The Tale of Two Bad Mice" is a transitional work in Potter's career and reflects her concerns and questions about the meaning of domesticity, work, and social hierarchies. Changes in Potter's life were reflected in her art, Kutzer notes. In August 1905, Potter not only lost her editor and fiancé Norman Warne but purchased "Hill Top", a working farm in the Lake District that became her home away from London and her artistic retreat. "Two Bad Mice" may be viewed as an allegory in which Potter expresses not only her desire for her own home but her fears about and frustrations with domestic life. While earlier works reflect Potter's interest in broad political and social issues, "Two Bad Mice" demonstrates her interests shifting to local politics and the lives of countrypeople.