Demos

"Demos" by George Gissing is a book set in Victorian England that shows the clash between different social classes. In the village of Wanley, the well-off Waltham and Eldon families meet the working-class Mutimer family as society changes. The story begins by comparing peaceful Wanley to the growing industrial Belwick. Mrs. Waltham thinks about her family's place as the industrial world moves closer. When Mr. Hubert Eldon, the heir to Wanley Manor, comes back after being gone for a long time, it causes tension because of his family's history and links to the local upper class, stirring up questions about who people are and the advantages they have because of their class. The differences between the social classes and their expectations start to come out, which sets the scene for an investigation into social structure during this time. The issues of social status, money, and relationships start to cause problems, showing a complete look at the organization of society in this historical time.