Through her attention to detail, her repeated comparisons, her changing tone and her dialogues which give the characters the opportunity to express their feelings, Elizabeth Gaskell creates a gap between the poor working class and the rich at the top. class at Mary Barton. Gaskell emphasizes the differences between the two classes by describing the lavish, comfortable and extravagant life enjoyed by the rich and comparing it to the poor and miserable life that the poor must survive. If Gaskell shows the inequality present between the two social classes, she also shows that there are similarities between them. The tone and diction changes midway through the novel to highlight the factors that unite the poor and the rich. At the beginning of the story, John Barton exclaims: "The rich know nothing of the trials of the poor..." (11), demonstrating that in addition to the quantity of material goods that one possesses, what divides the two classes social is the ability to feel and experience difficulties. John Barton views members of the upper class as cold individuals, incapable of feeling pain and sorrow. Gaskell, however, proves Barton wrong and demonstrates that although there are various differences that divide the two social classes, they are unified by their ability to feel emotions and get through difficult times. Gaskell's novel reveals the problematic tension between the two social classes, but also offers a solution to this problem in the form of communication, which would allow both parties to talk about their concerns and worries as well as eliminate misunderstandings. At first, Gaskell creates a divide between social classes by comparing the differences in their residences and lifestyles. The scene where John Bart... middle of paper ... felt sympathy for him. Although Mr. Carson is not "poor", Gaskell uses this word to describe Mr. Carson in order to put him on the same footing as Barton and show that they are not so different. The word "employer", used by Barton, contrasts sharply with the previous title of "master" which he had given to Mr. Carson; the change reveals Barton's change of heart when he realizes that the enemy is not the employer but his inability to communicate with each other. Through Barton and Carson's dialogue, Gaskell shows that while there may be differences between the two social classes, the real problem is their inability to communicate with each other, which leads to misunderstandings, hatred and antagonisms and often tragic consequences. and Macdonald Daly. Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life. London: Penguin Books, 1996. Print.