Mary Barton

Mary Barton is a Proletarian novel written by Elizabeth Gaskell centered around the lives of average English Mill workers living in Manchester, England during the mid 19th century. As a Proletarian novel, the novel is concerned with the struggles of working class people. The novel is also a work of Realism, as it accurately portrays events within the novel as if they occurred in the reality. Gaskell tried to tell the narrative as realistically as possible to relate it to similar events happening in the same decade that she published her books, making the reader draw parallels from both the novel and real life. The novel is told from a limited third person omniscient point of view, focusing mostly on George Wilson, a mill worker employed by

In the beginning of the passage, Gaskell points out the vast distance between the Carson manor and the city, saying that “Wilson had about two miles to walk before he reached Mr. Carson’s house, which was almost in the country” (lines 1-3). The literal distance between the Carson house and the rest of the city alludes to the Carsons’ metaphorical remoteness from the lives of the lower class citizens. When Wilson walks over to the home, he notices that “One or two miserable-looking women were setting off on their day’s begging expedition” (7). Gaskell includes the detail that it was the “day’s begging expedition” (7). on purpose, as she wanted to imply that the women were accustomed to begging, and it was a daily ritual for them and many others. The two homeless women's poverty stands in stark contrast to the opulence Wilson is presented with when he witnesses the Carson mansion. The Carson manor is “furnished with disregard to expense” (11), showcasing “lavish expenditure” (12) and “articles chosen for their articles chosen for their beauty and elegance” (13). Witnessing the lavish manor of the Carsons after seeing beggars roam the streets just a few miles away further emphasizes the disparity in the lifestyles of the lower class people of the town with the lifestyles of the wealthy Carsons. These contrasting details set up a picture of a sharply divided society, one in which the lives of the common and lower classes have no effect on the wealthy classes, thus isolating each other from each other’s problems. When George Wilson is ushered into the kitchen of the Mr. Carson’s manor, he notices that it was a “kitchen hung round with glistening tins [...]