Book Anatomy · North and South
North and South: Prose style
17 lenses on prose style for North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 H7 H8 H9 H10 H11 H12 H13 H14 H15 H16 H17
H1. Readability score per chapter. Count
Flesch reading ease for the whole book is about 75 (higher is easier; 60 to 70 is plain English).
Reading ease per chapter, chapter by chapter
H2. Vocabulary range. Count
10,231 different words. On average 51 in every 100 words are new within a 500 word stretch. 4,345 words appear only once.
H3. Signature words: what this author uses far more than others. Count
margaret, frederick, dixon, lennox, bell. See the full lens on the book page.
H4. Adverb and adjective rates. Count
About 12.3 words ending in 'ly' and 7.53 likely adjectives per 1,000 words. (rough estimate from word lists)
'ly' words per 1,000, chapter by chapter
H5. Share of weak verbs such as "was" and "had". Count
'Was', 'were', 'had', 'is' and 'are' make up 3.4% of all words.
H6. Passive voice rate. Count
About 5.6% of sentences use a passive form such as 'was taken'. (rough estimate from word lists)
H7. Variety of sentence openings. Count
The five most common first words start 30% of sentences: i, she, but, he, thornton.
| First word | Sentences |
|---|---|
| i | 1172 |
| she | 616 |
| but | 605 |
| he | 592 |
| thornton | 468 |
| hale | 370 |
| margaret | 358 |
| it | 358 |
| and | 344 |
| the | 332 |
H8. Rhythm: how much sentence length varies. Count
Sentence length varies by 0.91 of its mean on average (higher means a more varied rhythm).
Variation per chapter, chapter by chapter
H9. Similes and metaphors: how many, and of what kind. Both
262 likely similes ('like a', 'as ... as'): 1.43 per 1,000 words. (rough estimate from word lists)
Ch 1, para 19: Her aunt was so much absorbed in asking Mr. Henry Lennox—who had not been able to come to dinner—all sorts of questions about his brother the bridegroom, his …
Ch 1, para 19: Her aunt was so much absorbed in asking Mr. Henry Lennox—who had not been able to come to dinner—all sorts of questions about his brother the bridegroom, his …
Ch 1, para 39: “I am penitent,” he answered. “Only it really sounded like a village in a tale rather than in real life.”
Ch 1, para 40: “And so it is,” replied Margaret, eagerly. “All the other places in England that I have seen seem so hard and prosaic-looking, after the New Forest. Helstone is …
Ch 1, para 58: Mr. Henry Lennox stood leaning against the chimney-piece, amused with the family scene. He was close by his handsome brother; he was the plain one in a singularly …
Ch 1, para 58: Mr. Henry Lennox stood leaning against the chimney-piece, amused with the family scene. He was close by his handsome brother; he was the plain one in a singularly …
The novel uses similes and metaphors extensively, often comparing industrial Milton to harsh natural forces and emotional states to physical sensations. Examples include Bessy as a 'breath of country air' and Margaret's shame as a 'stain'.
Chapters: Ch 8, Ch 11, Ch 19, Ch 22, Ch 38
North and South has both met and made kind o’ friends in this big smoky place. (Ch 8, para 26)
She’s like a breath of country air, somehow. She freshens me up above a bit. (Ch 17, para 76)
The very falsehood that stained her, was a proof how blindly she loved another—this dark, slight, elegant, handsome man—while he himself was rough, and stern, and strongly made. (Ch 38, para 3)
H10. Senses used: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste. Both
Share of sense words. sight 54%, sound 26%, touch 16%, taste 3%, smell 0%. (rough estimate from word lists)
| Sense | Words |
|---|---|
| sight | 1303 |
| sound | 625 |
| touch | 380 |
| taste | 77 |
| smell | 9 |
All five senses appear throughout. Sight dominates (fogs, pale faces, glances). Sound includes dialogue and factory noise. Touch conveys emotion (hand-holding, stone-striking). Smell and taste are minimal but present in descriptions of industrial grime and food.
Chapters: Ch 8, Ch 22, Ch 27, Ch 39, Ch 52
There she stood, very pale and quiet, with her large grave eyes observing everything—up to every present circumstance however small. (Ch 6, para 6)
Little bits, as fly off fro’ the cotton, when they’re carding it, and fill the air till it looks all fine white dust. (Ch 13, para 27)
He shook hands with Margaret. He knew it was the first time their hands had met, though she was perfectly unconscious of the fact. (Ch 20, para 31)
H11. Repetition, lists of three and other patterns. Both
112 lists of three in the pattern 'a, b and c': 0.61 per 1,000 words. (rough estimate from word lists)
Lists of three appear in moral arguments and emotional states. Repetition marks key phrases: 'North and South', 'duty', 'love'. Parallel structures echo in debates between Margaret and Thornton about class and progress.
Chapters: Ch 10, Ch 15, Ch 24, Ch 28, Ch 39
I would rather be a man toiling, suffering—nay, failing and successless—here, than lead a dull prosperous life in the old worn grooves of what you call more aristocratic society down in the South (Ch 10, para 11)
We, the owners of capital, have a right to choose what we will do with it. (Ch 15, para 65)
A man is to me a higher and a completer being than a gentleman. (Ch 20, para 39)
H12. Old words that may trip modern readers. Count
Old forms that may trip a modern reader: nay, thou, thee, thy, art, ere.
| Word | Times |
|---|---|
| nay | 45 |
| thou | 33 |
| thee | 27 |
| thy | 23 |
| art | 8 |
| ere | 6 |
| anon | 6 |
| wilt | 3 |
| whence | 3 |
| thine | 2 |
H13. Showing against telling, with examples. AI
The novel shows character through action and dialogue rather than summary. Margaret's rejection of Thornton is shown through her cold words and averted eyes, not told. Her lie to the inspector is enacted, not explained.
Chapters: Ch 24, Ch 34, Ch 39, Ch 46
There was something of indignation expressed in her countenance, but so kept down and controlled, that it gave her a superb air of disdain. (Ch 34, para 12)
I was not there,” said Margaret, still keeping her expressionless eyes fixed on his face, with the unconscious look of a sleep-walker. (Ch 34, para 16)
I told a lie!” and her face became scarlet. (Ch 46, para 81)
H14. How much description comes before action. Both
Description is woven into action rather than preceding it. When Margaret arrives in Milton, the fog and industrial gloom are shown as she moves through the town, not in a static passage. Emotional states emerge through physical detail.
Chapters: Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 22, Ch 46
There she stood, very pale and quiet, with her large grave eyes observing everything—up to every present circumstance however small. (Ch 6, para 6)
She leant back and shut her eyes, and the tears welled forth, and hung glittering for an instant on the shadowing eyelashes before rolling slowly down her cheeks (Ch 6, para 18)
Instead of a quiet, middle-aged clergyman, a young lady came forward with frank dignity,—a young lady of a different type to most of those he was in the habit of seeing. (Ch 7, para 23)
H15. Filter words such as "saw", "felt", "heard". Count
Filter words ('saw', 'felt', 'heard' and so on): 5.94 per 1,000 words.
| Word | Times |
|---|---|
| thought | 330 |
| seemed | 152 |
| saw | 151 |
| heard | 147 |
| knew | 140 |
| felt | 130 |
| wondered | 17 |
| noticed | 12 |
| watched | 7 |
| realised | 4 |
H16. Shifts in tone. AI
Tone shifts from the social comedy of London drawing rooms to the moral gravity of industrial conflict and death. The riot scene (chapter 22) marks a tonal break into tragedy. The final chapters return to quieter, more intimate tones.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 15, Ch 22, Ch 30, Ch 52
But are all these quite necessary troubles?” asked Margaret, looking up straight at him for an answer. (Ch 1, para 29)
go down this instant, if you are not a coward. Go down and face them like a man. Save these poor strangers, whom you have decoyed here. (Ch 22, para 36)
Oh, my Margaret—my Margaret! no one can tell what you are to me! Dead—cold as you lie there, you are the only woman I ever loved! (Ch 22, para 57)
H17. How the comedy works. AI
Comedy arises from social misunderstanding and class clash. Henry Lennox's earnest courtship contrasts with Margaret's indifference. Mrs. Thornton's maternal jealousy and Fanny's snobbery provide lighter moments amid serious themes.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 3, Ch 9, Ch 12, Ch 20
The only time I saw Miss Hale, she treated me with a haughty civility which had a strong flavour of contempt in it. (Ch 9, para 33)
Despise my son! treat him as her vassal, indeed! Humph! I should like to know where she could find such another! (Ch 9, para 36)
Did yo’ ever see a bulldog? Set a bulldog on hind legs, and dress him up in coat and breeches, and yo’n just getten John Thornton. (Ch 17, para 43)
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