George Wilson's Separation Of Social Class

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In this passage, the author Elizabeth Gaskells shows, through the point of view of George Wilson, a millworker, the difference between the working class and the upper high class during the 1840s in England. She criticized the upper class and sympathized the working class. Gaskell uses several specific elements such as point of view, selection of detail, dialogue, and characterization to create a social commentary. Firstly, by writing the passage through the point of view of Wilson, a millworker, Gaskell introduces the separation of the social classes during this time. Social classes were a big deal back in the 1800s. It was either you were rich or you were poor, no in between. As Wilson walked in through the back door of Mr. Carson’s kitchen, …show more content…

As George Wilson walked to Mr. Carson’s house, he saw how people of his own class, the working class, were struggling to maintain their households, “One or two miserable-looking women were setting off on their day’s begging expedition” (Lines 8-9). On the other hand, the upper class had more economic advantages. Arriving to Mr. Carson’s home, Wilson describes the house in a manner that helps differentiate the two social classes, “But in addition to lavish expenditure, there was much taste shown, and many articles chosen for their beauty and elegance adorned his rooms” (Lines 11-13). Gaskell uses the selection of detail to help explain the differences between the rich and the poor, and make social commentary. Elizabeth Gaskell used dialogue to contrast the literary skills between the rich and the poor. She made the lower class look very illiterate compared to the upper class, “No! I put th’ horses up in th’ stables at th’ Spread Eagle, and went mysel’, and got a glass or two by th’ fire” (Lines 50-53). Gaskell made the working class look as if they had never had any education while the upper class did, “Thomas, you must ride to the fishmonger’s, and say missis can’t give above half-a-crown a pound for salmon for Tuesday; she’s grumbling because trade’s so bad”(Lines

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