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 Gaskell's Presentation of Thornton and His Development.

This 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 Margaret’s 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. Gaskell

over-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. Thornton’s 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 Margaret’s “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.

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