# Farewell explained — North and South

> Chapter companion for North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.

## What happens

The Hale family departs from Helstone, their beloved home, and travels to London en route to Milton-Northern. The chapter captures the emotional weight of leaving, with Margaret struggling to comfort her grieving father and mother. A brief sighting of Henry Lennox in London stirs memories of Helstone, while the family's sense of displacement and sorrow deepens as they face an uncertain future.

## Themes in this chapter

### Family and Loyalty

Margaret's unwavering support for her father, despite her own grief, underscores the theme of familial duty and loyalty in times of crisis.

### Duty and Sacrifice

The Hales' departure from Helstone represents a painful sacrifice driven by Mr. Hale's moral convictions, with Margaret bearing the emotional burden of the move.

## Character check-ins

### Margaret Hale

Margaret is deeply sorrowful about leaving Helstone, struggling to support her father while hiding her own tears. She recalls poachers and the beauty of Helstone, and feels a pang of nostalgia upon glimpsing Henry Lennox in London.

### Mr. Hale

Mr. Hale is visibly depressed and restless, unable to eat after a long walk to say goodbye to parishioners. He expresses regret and doubts about their move, but Margaret reassures him of his integrity.

### Mrs. Hale

Mrs. Hale cries most of the day and shows childlike interest in London's shops during their stopover. She is emotionally fragile and relies on Dixon for support.

### Dixon

Dixon expresses her grief through crossness and irritability, particularly toward Mr. Hale, whom she blames for their upheaval.

### Henry Lennox

Henry Lennox is glimpsed briefly in London by Mrs. Hale and Margaret, evoking memories of Helstone and a past bright morning for Margaret.

### Charlotte

Charlotte, the servant at Helstone, helps Margaret with the packing and is kind to her. Margaret promises to write to her after they leave.

## Key lines

> It is bad to believe you in error. It would be infinitely worse to have known you a hypocrite.

Margaret tells her father that it is painful to think he was mistaken, but it would be far worse to discover he had been dishonest.

_Margaret defends her father's integrity, affirming that his moral sincerity is more important than being right._

> Railroad time inexorably wrenched them away from lovely, beloved Helstone, the next morning.

The strict schedule of the railway forced them to leave their cherished home of Helstone without delay.

_The phrase emphasizes the harsh, unyielding nature of industrial progress as it separates the family from their past._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/north_and_south_se/chapters/vi-farewell
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/north_and_south_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/north_and_south_se/chapters