Maria Grazia is the blogger behind Fly High! and a teacher. I’m very excited to have her guest post, as she actually uses North and South as part of her curriculum.  With an academic view of things, here is Maria Grazia:

When Margaret Hale finally decides to marry John Thornton, she must have thought about the risks she was running competing with his proud mother, Mrs Hannah Thornton, in his heart.

Re-reading the book or watching the TV series adaptation, I can never avoid figuring out the dreaded event, pushing myself a step ahead the words “the end .”   By dreaded event, I mean the meeting between Margaret Hale and Hannah Thornton as John’s wife-to-be and mother-in-law to be. Not an enthusiastic one, I guess, with poor embarassed John between them hoping they could get on well together somehow for his sake.

Mrs Gaskell herself decided to close her narration with Margaret joking about Mrs Thornton’s reaction to the news of her engagement with John:

“Hush!”, said Margaret, “or I shall try and show you your mother’s indignant tones as she says, “That woman!”

A bit of anxiety, but no fear, it seems, in those words. Margaret has never been afraid of Mrs Thornton. They are both stubborn , proud, passionate, strong-willed, brave women. Will they ever get on?

Mrs. Thornton is described by Gaskell as “strong and massive…[a] firm, severe, dignified woman” (p. 77). Before she has even met Margaret, Mrs. Thornton dislikes her. She is extremely protective of her son and is deeply offended that “a renegade clergyman’s daughter” dared to treat her son “with a haughty civility which had a strong flavour of contempt in it” (p. 78).

After meeting Margaret, Mrs. Thornton still does not like her, but does appreciate Margaret’s occasional frankness and vitality. Of course, Mrs. Thornton represents old-fashioned values and is challenged by Margaret who is the embodiment of the new and independent woman but part of the reason why Mrs. Thornton dislikes Margaret is that they have similar characters.

The parallelism between the two women is brought about by the author herself when she introduces a flashback of Mrs Thornton’s past experience: a violent attack to a mill, in which she found herself involved in the defence of the mill owner against the rage of his workers. This episode in chapter XV, Masters and Men, anticipates what will happen to Margaret at Marlborough Mill.

‘A strike!’ asked Margaret. ‘What for? What are they going to strike for?’

‘For the mastership and ownership of other people’s property,’ said Mrs. Thornton, with a fierce snort. ‘That is what they always strike for. If my son’s work-people strike, I will only say they are a pack of ungrateful hounds. But I have no doubt they will.’
(…)

‘Does it not make the town very rough?’ asked Margaret.

‘Of course it does. But surely you are not a coward, are you? Milton is not the place for cowards. I have known the time when I have had to thread my way through a crowd of white, angry men, all swearing they would have Makinson’s blood as soon as he ventured to show his nose out of his factory; and he, knowing nothing of it, some one had to go and tell him, or he was a dead man, and it needed to be a woman,–so I went. And when I had got in, I could not get out. It was as much as my life was worth. So I went up to the roof, where there were stones piled ready to drop on the heads of the crowd, if they tried to force the factory doors. And I would have lifted those heavy stones, and dropped them with as good an aim as the best man there, but that I fainted with the heat I had gone through. If you live in Milton, you must learn to have a brave heart, Miss Hale.’

‘I would do my best,’ said Margaret rather pale. ‘I do not know whether I am brave or not till I am tried; but I am afraid I should be a coward.’ (p.116)

She will soon prove herself brave – but also impulsive, imprudent and prejudiced – in the episode of the attack to Marlborough Mill when she will finally shield Mr Thornton against the fury of the mob with her own body (chapter XXII, A Blow and its Consequences)

Mrs Thornton has been embittered by the tragic events in her life (her husband killed himself leaving her and two young children face the consequences of his bankruptcy) .

Margaret Hale is an inspirational example of bravery, determination, and selflessness. She loses everything that she loves, yet she clings to her duty, to her faith in God, to hope. Margaret is not one to shirk responsability. She’s the strongest in her family and she bears and faces pain and sorrow without ever complaining :

“They could not understand how her heart was aching all the time, with a heavy pressure that no sighs could lift off or relieve, and how constant exertion for her perceptive faculties was the only way to keep herself from crying out with pain. Moreover, if she gave way, who would act” (p. 54)?

Later on, she will suffer silently Mr Thornton’s blame and despise in order to protect her brother Frederick’s secret, she will endure incredible loss (Bessy’s, her mother’s and her father’s deaths) with great dignity. Her journey through the story is incredibly tragic but she never loses her faith nor stops fighting for what she believes in. She won’t be stopped by any stern look from Mrs Thornton in her passionate love for John, don’t you believe so?

In a Freudian, psychoanalytical reading of the story, it is obvious that John has chosen a partner so very similar to his mother, which shows he could be mother-fixated (Oedipus complex) . But that makes everything so terribly sad and unromantic!

Do you think John falls for Margaret because she reminds him his mother?And most of all, do you think Margaret Hale and Mrs Thornton get along well in the end?

~~~~~~~~~~

The finale of Season 2 brings the arrival of Christmas to Downton. Gifts are exchanged; the family even gives the servants gifts. Carson receives a book on the history of England’s finest families and obviously thinks it’s the best. I think Carson is a bit of an adorable dork.

Me too! I also loved seeing them give gifts to the downstairs group. Everything was so thoughtful and it was nice to see.

Oh-and Sybil is off in Ireland with her new husband Tom aka Branson and even though we don’t get to see her this episode, we get news from her that she is pregnant. Lord Grantham still isn’t keen on the idea of Sybil being married to Tom and didn’t attend the wedding, but Cora is thrilled with the news and tries to get Lord Grantham excited about being a grandfather.

Richard gets more and more annoying with each episode. When he asked “Will I never be rid of him” you could see that there was still something there between Matthew and Mary! I also feel bad for Mary-she’s trying to do the right thing, but you can see it’s wearing on her as Richard is hard to be with.

New Year’s comes and goes, but everyone remains tense over Bates’ situation.

Lady Rosamund visits Downton, along with her meddling maid, Shore. A friend of the family, Lord Hepworth, also briefly stays at Downton and begins courting her. He’s a fortune hunter, but Rosumand hasn’t yet decided if she minds. In a rare moment of vulnerability, she confesses to feeling lonely. It looks as if her lonely situation will continue, though, after she catches him with her maid.

I felt so bad for Rosamund. She wants someone to be with and she thought she had someone and he was only interested in her maid. I thought something fishy was up when the maid kept visiting the room claiming that she was talk to Rosamund about Lord Hepworth. Good thing Anna saw through it all!

Thomas has been trying to get back into the good graces of Lord Grantham. O’Brien suggests he “looses” something Grantham loves only to return it to him. Thomas hides Lord Grantham’s beloved dog, Isis, only to discover that the dog got out of the shed he put her in. Thomas runs all over trying to find the dog, since it’s his fault she’s missing, only to discover children in town found the dog and claimed the reward. Lord Grantham, not knowing it was Thomas’ fault, is impressed when he discovers he had been out looking for his dog all day and decides Thomas can have a job at Downton again.

I have to admit, it was fun to see Thomas squirm when his plans when awry! I hated that he kidnapped Isis in the first place, but I’m so glad she made it back safe and sound!

Between this and Thomas’ muddle of the black market affair, he can’t seem to do anything right lately!

Lord Grantham notices the arguments between Mary and Richard and asks Cora why Mary stays with him. She finally  tells him of Mary’s indiscretion with Pamuk. He handles it rather well, considering.

When he gets Mary alone, he gently confronts her. After she does a bit of explaining, he does the unthinkable. He tells her not to marry Richard. Her happiness is more important to him than the scandal that will occur. In his words, she should visit her grandmama in New York and bring back an American cowboy.

Mary and a cowboy? That has possibilities…

Go Lord Grantham!! He was so sweet with Mary and I loved that he said he would rather see her happy. I thought it was hilarious when they mentioned Mary meeting an American cowboy-ha! I’m so happy they’re not pressuring Mary into marrying Richard-I think it helps no one really liked him to begin with! I also liked that they maid mention of her grandmother, since we’ll be seeing her in season 3.

When Richard makes his way back to Downton, the showdown happens. Mary tries to keep it civil, but their voices escalate and Matthew comes rushing in. This had to be incredibly painful for the proud Richard, being dumped publicly. He retaliates by telling Matthew that Lavinia thought he didn’t love her. This sends Matthew over the edge and soon, the he and Ricard are rolling around, breaking vases and pummeling the heck out of each other.

Richard leaves the next morning. He tells Mary, “I loved you more than you ever loved me.”

I was so excited that Matthew came rushing in and I think Richard got what he deserved. He was being such a jerk to everyone. I know he said he loved Mary, but I don’t know if he ever really did. He’s going to release Mary’s story, but I wonder if this is the last we’ll see of him-I think he may have more up his sleeves.

Downstairs, Bates’ trial looms over everyone. He has been tried and convicted of murder. This sends everyone into a tailspin, since they all thought he would not be considered guilty. However, there is soon news that his verdict has been changed from hanging to life in prison. While not much, it’ll ensure Bates stays alive causing everyone, especially Anna, much relief.

The set it up so much to make Bates guilty and I still don’t think he is!! O’Brien seemed very interested in everything that happened-I still think she had something to do with everything. And the way Richard protected the scandel from getting out-maybe he was involved as well! I don’t think it was all about protecting the family and Mary-I think he had his own interests there.

Daisy, on the other hand, is starting to feel unappreciated. She finally goes to visit William’s father, and in the sweetest moment, he asks her to be his daughter. Immediately, he starts acting as her father figure, telling her to talk to Mrs. Patmore. She does, and Mrs. Patmore, is agreeable to the idea of her becoming an assistant cook!

Daisy has been bugging me this season with her “but I didn’t love William!” She never saw that she really did care for him until she went and visited his father and saw that she really did love him-maybe not the same way he loved her, but what she did was a good thing. I also liked that she listened to William’s father instead of Rosamund’s meddling maid who kept telling her she should leave and be a cook somewhere else.

The servants ball soon commences, and everyone has a lovely time. Mrs. Patmore dancing with Matthew and Thomas with Violet was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in quite awhile.

And then it happens. What we’ve all been waiting for since Downton Abbey began.

Mary is standing outside and Matthew soon follows her. She has told him about Pamuk and now she asks him if he will forgive her. He says, “I don’t think there’s anything to forgive.” then goes on to make one of the most romantic speeches, getting down on one knee and everything.

This was the most romantic scene ever! I adored Matthew’s speech and how he said that both he and Mary had pasts and that he didn’t have anything to forgive her for. I’m also so happy she told him! And I was squeeing majorly when Matthew proposed! I hope we get a happy ending with these two, but we’ll see what Season 3 has in store for us!!

Mary says yes.

• Northern Light- A continuation of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
• What You Wish For- What happens when a 21st century woman gets plopped into the 1800s?

Enjoy the interview and scroll down to read about the giveaway!

When did you first read North and South?

Not that long ago, only about six months before I began writing the book.

If Mr. Thornton disappeared off the literary page (horror of horrors), what book character would replace him as the one to be fangirled over? Mr. Darcy? Someone else?

I think Mr Thornton already comes second to Darcy in most peoples eyes but for me, if not Thornton it would be a tie between Rochester and Darcy.

Are your books available in a print format as well as ebooks?

They are, from Amazon and all good online retailers. Northern Light‘s ISBN is 978-1463575434, and What You Wish For‘s ISBN is 978-1466457188.

It’s a sequel to the book, so you won’t find events that happened in the mini-series referred to. However I realised that many readers wouldn’t have read the book so I did my best to marry the two endings up.

Thankfully the mini-series was fairly faithful to the book but there are a few areas where characterization differed. Thornton for example doesn’t appear to have any kind of temper in the book (and didn’t attack one of his workers, justified or otherwise) while in the book Margaret didn’t dislike him in the beginning, he was just completely outside her field of experience and she was largely indifferent to him. Any offense she gave was mostly unintentional, while in the mini-series she definitely disliked his character and at times wanted to verbally attack him.

There are other small details in the mini-series that don’t directly contradict the book but wouldn’t fit in with the sequel unless I went along with them. Watson being a mill owner for example. In the book his profession is never stated and his part is tiny, he’s mentioned only in passing as Fanny’s intended and for the speculation having been his idea. At the same time it’s never stated that he is not a mill owner, therefore I left that as his profession.

What would be the first thing you’d do if you were transported to the world of North and South like your main character in What You Wish For?

Check that I was rich! I do love period drama and completely understand the romanticism of a simpler time but the reality is that life pretty much sucked for everyone who didn’t have money! Thanks to poor food, dangerous working conditions and poor sanitation leading to illness, life expectancy for the working classes was low. In 1850′s average life expectancy for the working classes in Whitechapel, London was 22, while for the upper classes it was 45 years.

What modern amenities would you miss most?

Oh, this is so hard. High on the list would be the internet; almost all knowledge is just a few mouse clicks away and I would hate to go back to such an ignorant time without that resource.

Next would be mobile phones. I didn’t get my first mobile until I was 20 so I remember how many problems the inability to stay in touch caused. Even just visiting a shopping centre, people had to designate a “meet up” point in case they lost each other. A friends parents once invited me and my sister swimming when I was about 5. We arrived home to find the police there because our Mum thought we’d been abducted!

Finally, the ability to record and play music. I love all types music and that would be the pastime I missed most.

What book, other than your own, would you recommend to readers who loved North and South?

Well obviously if you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre I would recommend those for their dreamy heroes and feisty heroines. I enjoyed most Jane Austen books as well, not just P&P.

Other than that, Georgette Heyer and Charlotte Bingham seem popular among North and South fans.

Georgette Heyer is definitely a good fit for N&S fans.  Do you have any more books in progress?

Three actually. The third vampire book is in the editing stage. A standalone historical novel about a romance between an Earl’s son and a housemaid is nearly finished. I’m also trying a new series about a Muse (as in Greek mythology) and her human charge, but that one has been on the back burner for a while now.

Ms. Winchester is offering ebook copies of both her N&S novels to one lucky winner!  Please fill out this form:

This giveaway closes on February 23rd and is open to all readers with an Amazon Kindle.

~If you’d like to take a look, visit fanfiction.net’s North and South stories or join the C19 forum and peruse The Further Adventures of North and South.~

Recently, something new has begun to occur. North and South fanfiction authors have taken their work and self-published them. More books about John and Margaret? Yes please.

In my searching, I’ve found the following titles:

Do you see where I’m going with this?

No one can know whether North and South fanfiction will make it into the traditional publishing world, and I’m not even  sure its fanbase is quite big enough to merit the effort on the part of publishers (Although I do my part. I even made my father watch it. [He liked it!]).

However, walking into a bookstore and seeing a book on the shelf promising more of John Thornton and Margaret Hale, filling in what happened after Mrs. Gaskell’s ending or perhaps sending the story in new directions will continue to be a daydream of mine.

Who knows…..

Sure, he’s sort of a jerk at first…
but you can’t take your eyes off of him!

There’s brooding…
lots and lots of brooding.

Not to mention the piercing stare
of hotness. And cravats.

If that isn’t enough…
the famous TRAIN SCENE!

This, my friends, will seal the deal.
(You will probably squeal. Maybe even drool a bit.)

Before you know it,
you’ll be googling “Richard Armitage”
and rummaging the internet for anything and everything
that might give you a glimpse of the man or
a little more info about him.

You’ll watch every episode of everything in which he has made an appearance… Robin Hood (Gizzy!), Spooks (Lucas!), Vicar of Dibley (Harry and his fuzzy sweaters!) until you know each scene by heart.

You’ll watch video after fan-made video on YouTube.
Many of them featuring this character…

You may even start a blog about the fellow
so that you can make fun of your obsession
while at the same time gush over him!
(It has been known to happen.)

*Sigh*

That’s what Thornton Syndrome can do, folks!
It affects everyone differently, but be warned:
a major fangirly crush is bound to happen!

There’s some good news, though…
if you find yourself engulfed by this epidemic,
just remember you’re not alone!

The best thing about being overcome
by Thornton Syndrome (besides loads of
Richard Armitage entertainment) are the
AMAZING friends you will potentially
make in the RA fan community.

Through my blog and joining fan forums
(which I originally signed up for as a self-help
group or something), I have met so many
clever, creative, funny and friendly ladies.
It has been a blast!

So, thank you, Mr. Thornton…
and keep on brooding!

Visit Nat at The Richard Armitage Fan Blog and watch some of those aforementioned fan-made videos on her youtube page.

Where does your book begin in regards to Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel?

It begins shortly after Mr. Hale’s death, when Aunt Shaw has come to take Margaret back to London. I’ve given a twist to Gaskell’s plot which sends the story in a new direction.

It was my obsession with the heart-wrenching goodbye scene that impelled me to write this story. Actually, it was the miniseries that turned me into a writer, and I know several other authors who can attribute the start of their writing careers to North and South. That’s the power of the miniseries – and of Richard’s amazing acting.

Darcy, Darcy, and Rochester: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, and Toby Stephens. Can you tell what I like to watch? I also adored The King’s Speech.

Of course the miniseries led me to the book, which is now my secular bible. I’ve read most of Cranford (I had to return the book to the library before I was finished!) and I’m very curious to read Mary Barton and Ruth but I haven’t done so yet. I’m so busy writing, my reading time has taken a huge plunge.

What are your thoughts on Henry Lennox? Love him? Hate him? Is he simply misunderstood?

That’s a somewhat complicated question because there are practically two versions of Henry. In Gaskell’s book, Henry Lennox is a nice enough fellow; he just isn’t the one for Margaret. He seems content to follow the rather self-consumed patterns of London society which Margaret doesn’t really enjoy. I give him credit for being attracted to Margaret. He likes her intelligence and her unique spirit, but he doesn’t really understand her.

Both the Henry of the book and the Henry of the adaptation have a tenacious hope that Margaret can be won over, given time. Wrong.

In the miniseries, we’re given a delightful dose of sparring between Thornton and Henry at the Exhibition. This Henry has a venomous bite and we’re given a good opportunity to ‘hate’ the arrogant and jealous competitor for Margaret’s heart. We know who we want to win.

I don’t hate Henry, but he can be a great character for emphasizing what it is that Margaret doesn’t want. I dislike Henry only when he’s being condescending, which seems to be a trait in both versions of the character.

My Henry is very displeased when he discovers Margaret is betrothed to Thornton. I use him to rile both John and Margaret at different places in the book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your bio says, “The author began her own personal romance story with a whirlwind courtship.” I must know, how did you meet your significant other?

Right after graduating from college, I went to visit my older brother in Boston to scope out the job scene there. I got along fabulously with his roommate that week. Four months later, I moved to Boston to start my first job. After several weeks, this roommate finally gathered the courage to ask me out to a movie – with six other friends!

The next weekend we dined alone at a cozy seaside restaurant. He knew then; I needed a bit more convincing. Ten weeks later we were engaged and seven months later we were married a few blocks away from that same seaside restaurant.

Our courtship may not have been that unusual or lightening-quick, but it sure seemed like a whirlwind to me at the tender age of 23! And yes, we were the kind of couple that made others gag with our doe-eyed looks and giddy smiles.

I think that we would see some of that star-struck adoration between John and Margaret when they finally realize their love for each other.

What next?

You can visit Trudy Brasure’s site, A Heart for Milton, to find out more about her book. Then purchase a copy of A Heart for Milton by visiting Amazon. (It’s currently priced at 2.99 for Kindle.)

Before I had watched BBC adaption of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North & South, I was only interested in watching and reading anything that had to do with Jane Austen. I may be wrong since I’m not on an expert on literature or television but it seems to me that Miss Austen is one of the more popular choices for British entertainment (after that I imagine comes Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre—which I also love). So when a friend of mine—who originally got me into Jane Austen—told me that she had found something that was even BETTER than Pride & Prejudice, I was surprised because what’s better than Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet? I’ve watched both versions with Colin Firth and Matthew Whatshisface countless times so I was very smitten with the story and the characters. (And Mr. Darcy<3)

So it took a while for me to try North & South and I was skeptical that it’d change my feelings about Mr. Darcy Jane Austen. But then I watched North & South and ohmygoodness, it was like I stumbled upon a rare treasure. The movie was incredible in all aspects imaginable: the scenery, the acting, the dialogue, the plot twists. Everything was exquisite! I had found my new favorite movie—and Mr. Darcy was kicked off his pedestal.

There are numerous reasons why I tell people to watch North & South. The main reason for me is the love story between Margaret and Thornton—they both come from different societal backgrounds and they circle each other suspiciously at first; they don’t instantly fall in love, and there are plenty of miscommunications throughout the story that had me clutching my head going, WHY WHY WHY. But aside from their swoon-worthy romance, the movie offers a glimpse into the historical period where the Industrial Revolution is gaining momentum in England (and not everyone is pleased about it). North & South also has a more in-depth social commentary about the industrial workers vs. the masters who run the factories. Margaret inadvertently becomes entangled within all the political turmoil so that adds an extra edge of suspense to the story.

There is also a very important scandal involving Margaret’s family that pops up midway into the movie which complicates things even further with Thornton (the drama! Sigh). But what I love most of all (aside from Mr. Thornton) are the relationships between the characters. They all felt very human, and not at all forced; the one that caught my attention the most was between Mr. Thornton and his mother. Mrs. Thornton is an incredibly tough woman and comes off as almost unfeeling but whenever her son is near, her face visibly softens; and when Margaret hurts Mr. Thornton, Mrs. Thornton’s anger for her son’s pain is palpable. What I want to say is that North & South offers exactly what I look for in a novel or movie: a story with substance as well as meaning. The romance is heart-melting for sure, but the story isn’t always cheerful nor is it frivolous…and it has the best ending I’ve ever watched. That kiss at the train station? Omg.

“A-HEM.”

*clears throat again*

“I once had a mini orgasm watching the last scene of a 19th-century-period film.”

My male friend (not a boyfriend, just a completely platonic married male friend who dishes with me about my newfound singlehood as a recent divorcee) … was incredulous.

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.”

“What did he do, rip off her corset and ravage her before the closing credits?”

“Um, no. He reached over and held her hand.”

Dead silence.

“He held her hand? Nothing else?”

“Well, then he kissed her, but I had the mini orgasm when he held her hand first.”

My friend couldn’t get his brain around this. Men, of course, do that thing with the visual imagery, but I have my own Big Bang Theory about women. They love a romantic mystery. And “North and South” and its star-crossed lovers Margaret Hale and John Thornton give every girl the thrill ride of longed-for sexual tension, complete with all the innuendo of brooding eyes, nervous glances, fidgety hands, quavering voices … you get the idea.

“He held her hand,” my friend repeated.

“He held her hand,” I affirmed.

Now if you’ve never seen “North and South,” or read the book, for that matter, you may be as flabbergasted at my revelation as my friend was. But here’s the thing: the Margaret-Thornton romance does take hold on the imagination, in more ways than one.

Why is that?

When I first saw the film, I literally shut it off mid-way. For five days. I told myself I wouldn’t finish it. I was furious at Margaret for refusing the first marriage proposal. But then curiosity got the better of me, and I gnashed my teeth through the push-me-pull-you relationship until its blissful consummated ending.

We love this romance, because despite all odds, they pull it off. Despite the cultural clash of Southern propriety with Northern frankness, despite the misunderstandings about something as simple as shaking someone’s hand (I, for one, wanted to clobber Margaret until I read the explanation for that in the book), despite the irony of saving someone’s life from an angry mob and then refusing his marriage proposal the next day, and despite that AWFUL scene in the train station where Thornton thinks Margaret’s brother is her lover … they pull it off.

By the end of the story, she sees that what she mistook for pride and arrogance was a façade for hard-won success in a brutal existence. He sees that what he mistook for haughty vanity was in fact resoluteness and courage of a girl who had lost her home (and later, both parents and brother), and who was just trying to survive unexpected life tragedies.

Both of these characters are survivors in their own right.

Both of these characters are lonely outsiders before the story begins, looking in on society (she, the poor child of a minister, visiting her wealthy cousin’s London life, and he, the orphaned son of a speculator, working to regain the family’s place and honor).

Both of these characters feel love has passed them by.

And by the end of the tale, one character has swapped places with the other in wealth and fortune. But the one thing that would have separated them earlier because of their different places on the social rung now becomes the thing that can bring them together, as Margaret offers to save Marlborough Mills.

So, yes.

When John Thornton in gratitude and love reaches over and takes Margaret Hale’s hand in that train station before planting on her the absolute best kiss I’ve ever seen on film … that’s cause for a mini orgasm.

The Big Bang Theory: Overcome all obstacles, love win out, truth shines brightly … and holding hands sends off fireworks and sparkles and flashing lights and … okay, I’ll stop now.

It’s not hard (pun intended) for a woman’s mind to race to the scene afterwards, although we hit those film credits and the book ends with its last sentence. I can tell you that I, for one, would not be sitting placidly in that train car looking out the window starry-eyed if that delicious man were within 2 inches of my elbow.

But on the other hand, that’s precisely why the Margaret-Thornton romance is the bang we crave. That’s why, when Thornton grabs Margaret’s hand, we shout, “Yes! Yes! Yes! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”

*clears throat*

And if you doubt me, here’s the clip from the last scene of the movie:

~~~~~~~~~~~

Today’s post was written by Heidi Rafferty, a freelance journalist. Thanks to Heidi for stopping by! ]]> http://melaniesmusings.net/the-big-bang-theory-2/feed/ 8 http://melaniesmusings.net/john-thornton-is-better-than-you/ http://melaniesmusings.net/john-thornton-is-better-than-you/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:34 +0000 Melanie http://melaniesmusings.net/?p=1769 Nicole from Word for Teens is here to educate us on the superiority of John Thornton. Anyone who’s a fan of Thornton, Darcy, and Rochester obviously has excellent taste.

John Thornton Is Better Than You

I’m not gonna lie – one of the reasons I love North and South is John Thornton. I mean, the plot is fantastic, and the romance is beautiful, and other characters are fabulous.

But Richard Armitage’s portrayal of Thornton makes my ovaries dance a jig and explode.

And he can hold is own against any of these silly other male romance ideals. Don’t believe me?

Five: John Thornton vs. Edward Cullen

I have no love for Edward Cullen, so Thornton’s already won in my book. But for the sake of this post, I’ll pretend that Edward doesn’t try to control Bella and tell her not to go places and be all angsty and shiz. He also writes her a piano piece and is willing – literally – to die for her.

But Thornton, despite living in a time where women were still considered property for the most part, actually respects Margaret! He sees her as an equal and takes her advice when she offers it, even as he follows the basic rules of chivalry. Edward might write Bella a piano piece, but it’s nothing on Thornton’s intellectual debates with Margaret.

Besides, Richard Armitage looks much better in a top hat than Robert Pattinson.

Four: John Thornton vs. Edward Fairfax Rochester

I love Rochester. I really do. He’s brilliant and snarky and intelligent and brooding and awesome, just like Thornton.

Thankfully, Thornton doesn’t have a wife locked in his attic who tries to set Margaret on fire and steal her wedding dress and kill Thornton while he sleeps…

Both look equally excellent in top hats, though.

Three: John Thornton vs. Nate

I, personally, am in love with Ariel from Lisa Mantchev’s series, but Nate undoubtedly holds his own. He’s a swashbuckling pirate, all seasalt and chivalry, who will do whatever he can to protect Bertie.

And don’t get me wrong – I love me some Nate. But I think I love the clean-cut Thornton even more. Not because he’s clean cut – though men in suits! – but because he can do both dirty work if he needs to and the overall business stuff. Plus, if Margaret was running around swashing a sword, he’d be fighting with her, not trying to stop her from fighting. Yes being treated as equals!

Of course, he’d tend to her when she inevitably got hit in the head.

Also, pirates can’t wear top hats.

Two: John Thornton vs. Ash

Ah, Ash from Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey series is much loved among us young adult literature consumers. He’s brooding and dark, willing to toss himself on a sword if it means saving Meghan’s life. Outside of Meghan, though, he doesn’t seem to care about anything.

And that’s why I like Thornton better. He may be willing to do what he can to help Margaret, but he loves his family and takes care of them; he broods, but he doesn’t have the same alone-boy-who-might-kill-you thing going on that Ash does. He’s brooding, but with the potential to be cuddly.

And he might look better in a top hat.

One: John Thornton vs. Fitzwilliam Darcy

Oh. I might have to tie this one; I do love me some Darcy.

Probably for the same reason I love Thornton.

They both dislike their loves at first, but they both see them as equals; it takes time for them to fall in love; they spar verbally and intellectually; they do what they can to help their respective others’ families.

They also look equally fantastic in top hats.

Who would you put against Thornton? Because I bet you, he would win.

The Hale Household

Mr. Hale- After what he calls “a matter of conscience” Mr. Hale quits the clergy and moves his family to the industrial town of Milton.

Mrs. Hale was raised in a wealthy family but married a clergyman for love.  A kind, well-bred woman, she struggles with understanding her husband’s actions.

Margaret- North and South‘s main character, Margaret Hale is a strong, independent-minded young woman.

Frederick- Margaret’s brother, currently living in Spain

Dixon is technically a servant, yet really a part of the family with very strong opinions.  She’s fiercely devoted to Mrs. Hale.

The Thorntons

John Thornton has built himself from the ground up into a well-respected mill owner.  It doesn’t take him long to fall in love with Margaret.

Mrs. Thornton- Stern and strong-minded, Mrs. Thornton is very proud of Milton.

Fanny- John’s younger sister, Fanny is a young woman with the dreams of visiting London and making a good match.  She has been shielded from her family’s hardships.

The Higgins

Nicholas- A Union leader, Nicholas Higgins fights for a better life for the mill workers.
Bessie- Nicholas’ daughter suffers from a disease caused by breathing the mills’ cotton-filled air.
Mary- Bessie’s younger sister

Milton Townspeople

Anne Latimer- An accomplished young woman, ready for marriage, presumably with eyes on Thornton.
Mr. Watson- Fanny’s fiance
Slickson- Milton mill owner
John Boucher- A mill worker with six children, the strike hits his family hard.

Londoners

The Man Who Defies Categorization

Mr. Bell is a life-long friend of Mr. Hale and also the owner of the land Marlbarough Mills sits on.  An observant, cunning man, instrumental to our main character’s happiness.