Ruth

"Ruth" by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell is set in the 1800s, and it tells the story of Ruth Hilton, a young woman learning to be a dressmaker, and looks at ideas about being innocent, what society expects, and how hard it was for women when men had all the power. The story follows Ruth's important friendships and how she grows as a person while dealing with difficult times. The book starts by showing Ruth working hard as a dressmaker's helper, where the conditions are tough, but the women support each other as they handle being tired and dreaming of something better. Ruth misses nature while stuck in her sad world, and she thinks back sadly to her home. She has a kind heart, especially when she worries about a boy who almost drowns. This leads her to meet Mr. Bellingham, who is rich and could change Ruth's life, beginning a complicated relationship affected by the rules of their society.