Jan-Maat's Reviews > North and South

British clash of cultures novel as a church family from the rural south of England resettle in industrial Manchester in the first half of the nineteenth century.

The focus on individual answers - personal charity, the will of the mill owner as opposed to collective answers like legislation or union activity is interesting and reminds me of Mr Micawber from David Copperfield. Who in England can only be a failure but in Australia can become a success. Here the mill workers have to rely on the personal goodness of others, whether the charitable or the mill owner. Reform of the system and of their situation isn't an option.

Early in the novel the mill owner asserts that he will delay making health and safety improvements to his factory for as long as possible because they have been forced on him by Parliament while claiming that he would do it immediately if he had made the decision for himself. There's an assertion there of his rights as free born Briton at the same time of a denial of responsibility towards his employees or neighbouring factories. Fiction as this is, such an anarchic attitude was fairly typical of the period, some physical remains can still be seen in higgledy piggledy layouts of a few British cities.

The solution to the problems of industrial society as presented in this novel as the romance between the industrialist and the daughter of the ex-rural Priest. Village traditions of parochial charity can soothe the edge of capitalism and ease the worried hearts of the middle class readers of Household Words.