Rebecca Blaine Harding Davis fut une auteure et journaliste américaine, considérée comme une pionnière du réalisme littéraire dans la littérature américaine. À travers son écriture, elle aborda délibérément le sort des groupes marginalisés du XIXe siècle, notamment les personnes noires, les femmes, les Amérindiens, les immigrants et la classe ouvrière. Son œuvre visait à susciter un changement social en soulignant leurs difficultés. Un texte influent publié en 1861 l'établit rapidement comme une auteure reconnue, façonnant son héritage littéraire.
Rebecca Harding Davis's classic story illustrates the desperately hard lives of immigrants working in an American industrial town. The language has been updated for modern readers, but the plot and characters are just as she told them. Includes the original version in an appendix and an essay from a modern scholar.
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century industrial America, the story follows Margret Howth, a determined orphan who works as a clerk in a cotton mill. As she navigates the harsh realities faced by industrial workers, the narrative highlights the socio-economic challenges and personal aspirations in a time of inequality. Margret's romantic entanglements with various suitors reflect different societal facets, while the novel critiques the tensions between the working class and the industrial elite. It is notable for its realistic depiction of industrial life and early feminist themes.