Project Gutenberg
2003-01-01
Public domain in the USA.
772
Tressell, Robert
1870
1911
Noonan, Robert
Tressall, Robert
Tressel, Robert
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ragged-Trousered_Philanthropists
Iain Tatch
"The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" by Robert Tressell is a novel written during the late 19th century that presents a vivid depiction of working-class life, particularly focusing on those in the building trades in a small English town. The story aims to explore the relationships between the workers and their employers, their social and economic struggles, and their thoughts about poverty and socialism, with a central character, Frank Owen, articulated as a voice for the downtrodden and an advocate for change. The opening of the novel introduces a construction site where a group of workers is engaged in renovations on an old house, referred to as "The Cave." As details about their work, living conditions, and personal interactions unfold during their break, we see the dynamics of camaraderie, tension, and class struggle among them. Through various dialogues, we begin to sense Owen's differing views on politics and social justice as he passionately challenges his fellow workers’ acceptance of their plight, proposing instead that they must confront the system that keeps them in poverty. This setting and the characters established here provide a foundation for discussing broader philosophical debates about economics and social structure that permeate the narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 73.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
en
Working class -- Fiction
England -- Fiction
Political fiction
Social classes -- Fiction
Capitalism -- Fiction
Socialists -- Fiction
Working class families -- Fiction
Labor movement -- Fiction
Social conflict -- Fiction
PR
Text
Category: Novels
Category: British Literature
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