Mr. Thornton felt that in this influx no one was speaking to Margaret, and was restless under this apparent neglect. But he never went near her himself; he did not look at her. Only, he knew what she was doing — or not doing — better than anyone else in the room. Margaret was so unconscious of herself, and so much amused by watching other people, that she never thought whether she was left unnoticed or not.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the complexity of unspoken feelings and awareness in social situations.
In this excerpt from Elizabeth Gaskell, Mr. Thornton observes Margaret with a sense of affection and concern, noting how she is oblivious to the attention she is not receiving from him and others. His restlessness stems from a mix of admiration for her carefree nature and frustration over his own hesitance to engage with her directly. This passage illustrates the intricate dynamics of unexpressed feelings, social awareness, and the disconnect between personal emotions and outward actions.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about the nature of love and unexpressed sentiments in relationships.
Neither loss of father, nor loss of mother, dear as she was to Mr Thornton, could have poisoned the remembrance of the weeks, the days, the hours, when a walk of two miles, every step of which was pleasant, as it brought him nearer and nearer to her, took him to her sweet presence - every step of which was rich, as each recurring moment that bore him away from her made him recal some fresh grace in her demeanour, or pleasant pungency in her character.
It is the first changes among familiar things that make such a mystery of time to the young; afterwards we lose the sense of the mysterious. I take changes in all I see as a matter of course. The instability of all human things is familiar to me, to you it is new and oppressive." (Mr. Bell)
Loyalty and obedience to wisdom and justice are fine; but it is still finer to defy arbitrary power, unjustly and cruelly used--not on behalf of ourselves, but on behalf of others more helpless.
Thinking has, many a time, made me sad, darling; but doing never did in all my life....My precept is, do something, my sister, do good if you can; but at any rate, do something.
Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that furnace he would fight his way out into the serenity of middle age,-all the richer and more human for having known this great passion.
How was it that he haunted her imagination so persistently? What could it be? Why did she care for what he thought, in spite of all her pride in spite of herself? She believed that she could have borne the sense of Almighty displeasure, because He knew all, and could read her penitence, and hear her cries for help in time to come. But Mr.Thornton-why did she tremble, and hide her face in the pillow? What strong feeling had overtaking her at last?
I've had your tears with mine, and you've had mine with yours. I think that's more intimate even than a kiss.
Most of the time in married life is taken up by talk.
Better friends than lovers. Sugar can't you see? You need you and I really need me.
No matter how much you know a human being, you don't know him enough.
A woman has to be twice as good as a man to go half as far.
The only bond worth anything between human beings is their humanness.
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