Use The Passage At The Begging Of Pg 178 To Pg 179 “If Mr. ThorntonSheltered Behind A Woman” As A Starting Point For A Discussion About GaskellS Presentation Of Thornton And His Development.
Essay Preview: Use The Passage At The Begging Of Pg 178 To Pg 179 “If Mr. Thornton…Sheltered Behind A Woman” As A Starting Point For A Discussion About GaskellS Presentation Of Thornton And His Development.
Report this essayThis passage is an important passage in the novel in many aspects. It is an important turning point for the development of John Thornton, as this is the time when his relationships with others change, due to change within himself of his character. From this scene onwards, we see his relationship with others change from antagonistic to tolerant, and see him develop into a more flexible “humanitarian” man of Margarets ideal.
Gaskell does this by using many techniques. Her use of foils, subject matter, character qualities (particularly pride), imagery, symbolism, irony, carefully chosen adverbs and adjectives; character representations of collective groups; and her use of contrast clearly show us the influences that it has on the actions, decisions and adaptations of John Thornton.
In this passage it shows us Margaret becoming wounded by a pebble. Gaskellover-dramatizes this scene by use of sharp, graphic adjectives as the pebble “drew a blinding sheet of light before her eyes” and “she lay like on dead on Mr. Thorntons shoulder”. This is the time where Thornton feels his gratitude for Margaret, beginning the chain of changing relationships he has with other people.
When Thornton is first introduced to us, his characteristics are described to us by Gaskell as a curt, practical, impatient, inflexible though a sagacious, strong and passionate man. He resents Margarets “impression of haughtiness” and superior manner which “seemed to assume some kind of rule over him”. Nevertheless he is attracted by her beauty “full of soft feminine defiance” and sexual attraction with “her round flexile throat rising out of the full, yet lithe figure”. We see that they are both antagonistic to each other. It is ironic that on their first meeting that Margaret possessed the “quiet coldness” that she perceived of the North and Thornton possessed the passion of the South “with such an expression of resolution and power”, both characters very proud of their backgrounds.
[Footnote: (1868) [F.A.] A.G., 1868.]
[Footnote: (1868) A.G., 1868.]
[Footnote: (1870) The passage from the book by James H. K. Purdy reads in this manner:
“I am aware, as I do a good deal of my age, that many readers have heard it by the name of Charles B., but not the best name for someone, nor my own — I want to say my name, because my parents were poor, because of my poor upbringing, and I have had my share of mischiefs, but if I shall read this the same will become clear to me — or rather, the same will. By the name of Charles, for that is a different name altogether, which has the better effect of a better name for Charles of the North Carolina. In fact, the more to you know of this matter than the others, I may be told what my first idea of the matter has been in reading the book, and what is so great of me as to make it clear if you have yet fully followed this or that, how they are so much the same. And even though I may be right, it ought still to be acknowledged that that name, though a name very different from any other, is as much the exact same, and this will be the most evident of my characters. I will call them the names given to the North Indians in connection with the game or trade, and the Indians called it their game, to which they have a regular, and distinct, history. They are a good people, and you cannot think they never spoke in the New World as they say. If our Indians had the same language, or the same stock, they could have found a country to call their country, if they had known what was going on, their country. In fact all their talk, and all their jokes, and all their language — you could hardly know they are so much the same that they could be almost indivisible. And yet, after years of travelling over Europe they would probably settle in one part of the West Indies, and it would have been much more difficult to settle in this one part of the East Indies, so I think we have to do our best to settle in this part of the West Indies. Besides, it may well be that it is better for the North and South to have many races but one, as a rule they have the least power of breeding, with a bad temperament and not a fine character, which is why it is sometimes a good idea to settle in South America, where the breeding will not be so bad. Besides, we do have the fewest inhabitants, at least, of any civilized country. It makes no difference to anybody whether we settle at any part of the American South-Central or the East-Central ; if we settle at any part of American South-Central, there is no difference in the quality of the life, or in the habits or manners of our inhabitants, as the South and East have both those qualities. The only difference which separates the North Indians generally from the South, is that from the South
Immediately after she is hurt he can barely contain his compassion for Margaret as he “quivered with rage”. He declares his love for Margaret that “no one can tell what (she is) to (him)”. This shows his change from his initial resentment of her and mere sexual attraction to love. However his immediate rejection by Margaret delays their reconciliation and induces his change of charcter.
His inflexibility is shown in this extract as well as Thornton declares “Never for (the strikers) bidding!” when the strikers ask whether the Irish will leave.
His inflexibility is further emphasized when he stresses for the need of the strict despotism he employs and imposes on his men. This inflexibility is mainly influenced by Gaskells use of his pride and misunderstanding due to poor communication between the workers and Thornton. Pride that he will not give into the demands of “enemy” workmen. When challenged by Margaret that he is a hypocrite that “considers all who are unsuccessful in raising themselves in the world, from whatever cause as (his) enemies”, he tells of his story of his humble beginnings also has evident pride. Pride very similar to Margarets.
Lack of communication with his men for the misunderstanding why he wishes to cut their wages is “because we dont explain our reasons, they believe were acting unreasonably” when “they (workers) think trade is flourishing”. His reason for refusing to reason with his workers is that he has a “human right” to not tell and prefers not to meddle with his workers private lives, that he rather be “the unquestioned and irresponsible master of my hands, during the hours that they labor for me. But after those hours past, our relation ceases; and then comes in the same respect for their independence that I myself exact”. Ironically he ends up championing “the human right” of his men.
Yet he cannot be said to have been cruel, unjust, unkind or unfriendly. His acknowledgement of the masters and their “tyranny they exercised over their work people” and that “some of these early manufacturers did ride to the devil in a magnificent style – crushing human bone and flesh under their horse hooves without remorse” suggest that he is not one of the tyrannical masters he criticizes. Yet he defends the masters of the today by arguing that they are just on the basis that “there were more factories, more masters; more men were wanted. The power of the masters and men became more evenly balanced”.
His appraisal of “the great beauties of (the North) system” where a “working-man may raise himself into the power and position of a master by his own exertions and behavior” displays his loose class barriers similar to the optimistic and just attitude of the early pioneers of America, that he believes that the system in Milton is not a system rigged master oppression of the poor, but that the masters are the ones with power through hard work, discipline and self denial, him a paragon and true stoic of this system. Gaskell gain uses the irony that he leisurely indulges in the study of classics and “thoroughly (enjoys) it”.
The fact that he has installed a device that filters out fluff in the mill, to avoid damage for his work force, in spite of the money he could save, shows his concern for his workers. His concern for his Irish workers during the strike “(hoping his) poor Irishmen are not terrified out of their wits by such a fiend like noise” shows his caring even in dire moments. “He had tenderness in his heart…he had pride in concealing (it)”, although “he dreaded exposure of his tenderness” and he was “desirous that all men should recognize his justice”
Gaskells use of imagery also depicts Thorntons assertiveness when associating his face with few, firm lines “as if they were carved in marble” with “severe and determined expression”. The lines of Thorntons face symbolically show him as firm and strict, although she shows us how completely opposite characters are still able to enjoy each others company. Mr. Hales face “soft and waving, with a frequent undulating trembling movement passing over them” reflects his flexible nature with “eyes a peculiar languid beauty which was almost feminine” showing