Going into Society
The novel explores the lives of a group of people from different social classes who converge on a fictional town in England. The story revolves around the consequences of their interactions and relationships with each other. It delves into themes such as class, identity, morality, and social hierarchy, offering a commentary on the societal norms of the time.
By Elizabeth Gaskell · First published 1852 · Genre: Social Commentary, Satire, Short Story · 6,180 words
First lines
At one period of its reverses, the House fell into the occupation of a Showman. He was found registered as its occupier, on the parish books of the time when he rented the House, and there was therefore no need of any clue to his name. But, he himself was less easy to be found; for, he had led a wandering life, and settled people had lost sight of him, and people who plumed themselves on being respectable were shy of admitting that they had ever known anything of him. At last, among the marsh lands near the river's level, that lie about Deptford and the neighbouring market-gardens, a Grizzled Personage in velveteen, with a face so cut up by varieties of weather that he looked as if he had been tattooed, was found smoking a pipe at the door of a wooden house on wheels.
What this Textopian page supports
Going into Society is listed on Textopian as a short story by Elizabeth Gaskell, dated 1852 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
- Date: 1852 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Social Commentary, Satire, Short Story, Victorian Literature, Fiction
- Length: 6,180 words
- Structure: 1 section, 91 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Going into Society by Elizabeth Gaskell
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Going into Society?
- How does this short story by Elizabeth Gaskell fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Social Commentary first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Social Commentary — The story critiques societal norms and class distinctions.
- Satire — The narrative employs humor and irony to mock social pretensions.
- Short Story — The work is a brief narrative focusing on a specific incident or character.
- Victorian Literature — The writing style and themes are characteristic of the Victorian era.
Tags
society · class · Victorian · social issues · gender roles · marriage · family · morality · friendship · social status · romance · conflict