Ella Zajonc

English Western Lit and Comp

Section 2

02-17-22

Margaret’s Kindness

In her North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell uses Margaret’s kind nature and status as the

protagonist to encourage her readers to act in a similarly kind and generous manner. Margaret

witnesses the poverty of the Bouchers and Higgins and instantly helps them: “How was she ever

to go away into comfort and forget that man’s voice, with the tone of unutterable agony, telling

more by far than his words of what he had to suffer? She took out her purse…she put what she

had into Bessy’s hand without speaking” (Gaskell 155). As the protagonist, Margaret holds

much influence over readers, and with Margaret’s demonstration of selflessness and goodwill

Gaskell encourages readers to emulate Margaret’s behavior.

Bessy’s Christ-like Outlook and Example

In her North and South, Gaskell uses her character Bessy to promote faith in God during

suffering and hard circumstances. Though Bessy is dying slowly and painfully she still enjoys

hearing the Bible read, and she draws hope from God’s promises: “Read me – not a sermon

chapter, but a story chapter…Read about the New Heavens, and the New Earth” (Gaskell 199).

By bestowing Christ-like faith and other spiritual qualities upon Bessy, Gaskell makes her an

example of a proper faith-filled response to hardship.

 My Delicious Muffin

My chocolate chip muffin, fresh out of the oven and still fragrant with the scents of

chocolate and vanilla, sits on a napkin, nestled snugly in a slightly moist forest green cupcake

wrapper. Golden brown and bumpy with chocolate chips, the top of my muffin emits spiraling

tendrils of steam. As I unwrap it, I feel the soft, crunchy outer layer of the muffin while its heat

soaks into my fingers. I take a bite and enjoy the taste of the slightly melted chocolate chips and

the barely detectable tang of my secret ingredient: almond extract.