Mill on the Floss

The Mill on the Floss is a vivid portrayal of childhood and adolescence in rural England. At its center is Maggie Tulliver, among the most memorable heroines in all of literature. As Maggie approaches adulthood, her passionate, imaginative nature brings her into conflict with the middle-class narrowness of her community and, more poignantly, with her beloved brother Tom. When Maggie forms an affectionate friendship with a neighboring lawyer's son, Tom orders her to end it; when she is innocently caught in a compromising situation, Tom renounces her altogether. The two are finally reconciled -- but at a terrible cost.