Margin by Helen Hunt Jackson (1885)

Name: Margin
Author: Helen Hunt Jackson

The novel explores the lives of two women, one a wealthy socialite and the other a poor Native American woman, who form an unlikely friendship despite their vastly different backgrounds. The story delves into themes of class, identity, and the struggles faced by marginalized communities in the late 19th century.

By Helen Hunt Jackson · First published 1885 · Genre: Philosophical Essay, Literary Criticism, Self-Help · 740 words

First lines

Wide-margined pages please us at first sight. We do not stop to ask why. It has passed into an accepted rule that all elegant books must have broad, clear margins to their pages. We as much recognize such margins among the indications of promise in a book, as we do fineness of paper, clearness of type, and beauty of binding. All three of these last, even in perfection, could not make any book beautiful, or sightly, whose pages had been left narrow-margined and crowded. This is no arbitrary decree of custom, no chance preference of an accredited authority. It would be dangerous to set limit to the power of fashion in any thing; and yet it seems almost safe to say that not even fashion itself can ever make a narrow-margined page look other than shabby and mean. This inalienable right of the broad margin to our esteem is significant. It lies deep. The broad margin means something which is not measured by inches, has nothing to do with fashions of shape.

What this Textopian page supports

Margin is listed on Textopian as an essay by Helen Hunt Jackson, dated 1885 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Essay
Author: Helen Hunt Jackson
Date: 1885 CE
Language: English
Genres: Philosophical Essay, Literary Criticism, Self-Help, Cultural Commentary
Length: 740 words
Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Philosophical Essay — The text explores abstract concepts such as freedom, thought, and the importance of having space for reflection, akin to philosophical discourse.
Literary Criticism — The work discusses the aesthetic and functional aspects of book design, particularly margins, which aligns with literary critique.
Self-Help — The text offers advice on life management, emphasizing the need for margin in daily plans and beliefs, similar to self-help literature.
Cultural Commentary — The piece reflects on societal norms and the human condition, providing insights into cultural practices and beliefs.