Through Mary Barton, Gaskell tries to show her readers the problem between class systems, upper, middle and lower classes. In Gaskell's novel, she focuses primarily on the middle and lower classes. Mary Barton, her family and friends belonging to the lower class system and her former lover, Harry Carson, his family and friends belonging to the middle class. The lower class goes through many struggles in this novel, losing loved ones, losing jobs, and losing the basic necessities of life. The middle class, however, only loses one person, Harry Carson. The middle and lower classes do not always agree. An example is shown of how the factory owner and workers have wildly different views on the factory fire. Even if the middle class did not suffer from it, the lower classes most certainly did: “The family music was hungry moans, as the weeks passed” (Gaskell 53). John Barton, being the most bitter towards the rich and whose wealth does not even recognize the lower class, sells some of his few shillings and gives those shillings to his friends who needed them more than he did. This generosity is not present in the middle class. The factory owner, Mr. Carson, who is middle class, believes the fire "was an excellent opportunity to re-equip his factory with first-rate improvements, for which the insurance money would pay widely. However, they were in no hurry to attend to their business” (Gaskell 53). He takes this opportunity to think about himself rather than others, such as how this tragedy has thrown many former workers out of work. The middle and lower classes don't like each other very much and let everyone know it. For example, John Barton, Mary'...... middle of paper ...... and with the common religion that the lower class followed, he would have always held a grudge for the death of his son as well as try to get revenge on Barton or Jem Wilson, which was his previous motive before he heard about forgiveness. The two class systems are now slowly starting to get along. Gaskell mentions that Mr. Carson wishes to share with others that the "Spirit of Christ" can become the "regulating law between the two parties" (335). If faith in God is present in a person's life, then there should be no thoughts of class discrimination in his heart. In Remember the Titans and Mary Barton, indifference seems to have an effect on the less fortunate race or class. However, in both works, when a person or group stands up for what is considered "right" or "just", tolerance or unity begins to form. This result dominates those who are intolerant.