1. mary barton as social commenta
... is perhaps why her attitude towards the working man was that much more condescending. In the preface to Mary Barton, Gaskell outlines her reasons for writing the book. Her initial intention seems well enough, to highlight the plight of "careworn men who looked as if doomed to struggle through their lives", although even at this early stage, one detects a slightly patronizing tone, and one ... see poverty, she can write vivid descriptions of poverty, but when writing about the poor as individuals and not as the huddled masses, she fails to remove completely, her middle class blinkers. As...
- Word Count: 1837
- Approx Pages: 7
- Grade Level: Undergraduate