Mary Barton and Us

I really suck at blogs, which will explain the rest of my post...

Ok so I have ready this novel too many times. At first I really could not stand it. It just bothered me to no end. I was more interested in Hardy and Eliot. I just wanted to be able to care about the story. But I never did. So this time around I decided to read it differently. I decided to read it with the mindset that Mary could have been someone I knew. I know, I know, what the hell am I talking about? Do I even make sense...probably not but it makes sense to me. 
This storyline is something we've all probably seen a million times, especially on Lifetime. Cmon ladies, don't lie. How many times have we heard about the poor little rich girl getting a chance with the rich man's son but still chooses the man who is on her level? ALL THE DAMN TIME. It's one of those love stories that shows the underdog and all that jazz. But if that's what Gaskell was doing then this story would have been pretty lame. And here I went and ruined a very well written story. It's what i do -_-
No to be honest, we could see the story as just that and for a long time I did. I thought it was just one of those easy novels that really meant nothing. But coupling it with all the articles, Norris, and even Silas Marner, I see it as something pretty great. 
Gaskell was able to portray the anxiety of the new industrialized world. Show how it ruined everyone's spirit and how it even effected the rich man. WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN. 
I'm babbling cause i suck at blogs...and at a lot of other things as well. 
We see this fabulous example of the super poor and the seemingly growing rich merging together in this strange love triangle. 
This love story helps show the big differences in the classes, how others are treated, and what the future holds. As depressing as it sounds, I feel like this stuff happens all the time. I mean it never stopped being like this. eh, I digress...

I really liked the relationship Gaskell portrayed with Jem and the others. Here we have a hero amongst the poor. And his opposition in my opinion would have been Mr. Barton. While Mary’s father kills for civil unrest, Jem takes the blame to pacify the people and help out his true love. It’s odd to see the under dog actually come on top now and days.

Gaskell creates hope. Hope that even if you have a Carson on your hands, you can strive for a Canada. (Don’t we all just want to go there now)

Both Eliot and Gaskell show this strange side to hope. A hope that maybe community is helpful and even if the industrialization ruined lives it also gave way to some amazing changes that needed to be address. I know Gaskell wanted Europe to see the con to it all, but she also gave us glimpse of that fairy tale ending everyone strives for.