Mistress and Maid: A Household Story

"Mistress and Maid: A Household Story" by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik, is a story that takes place in the 1800s and looks at what happens inside a home with three older sisters—Miss Leaf, Selina, and Hilary—and their new helper, Elizabeth Hand. The story looks at the problems and relationships of these different people as they deal with their places in the house, showing ideas about politeness, learning, and growing up in a simple home setting. When the book begins, Elizabeth Hand, a young girl who is 15, starts her job in the Leaf house. The sisters, mostly Hilary, think about whether they did the right thing by hiring a servant, remembering what it was like before and the problems of sharing their home with someone new. Elizabeth is shy and the sisters aren't sure what to expect. This starts the story and suggests that there will be chances to get better and become friends even though they are from different social groups. The first part of the book shows how the characters are good and bad, like how Selina tries to control everything while Hilary tries to help, making people wonder how Elizabeth will grow and become part of this family.