our ) ▁in ▁the ▁earlier ▁anti - Tom ▁novel ▁The ▁Cab in ▁and ▁Par lor ; ▁or , ▁S la ves ▁and ▁Masters ▁by ▁Charles ▁Jacob s ▁Pet erson . ▁ ▁This ▁change ▁in ▁attitude ▁would ▁put ▁The ▁North ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁on ▁a ▁similar ▁line ▁to ▁the ▁works ▁of ▁Charles ▁Dick ens ▁in ▁England , ▁particularly ▁his ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁work ▁Nicholas ▁Nick le by ▁( which ▁featured ▁a ▁similar ▁story line ), ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 4 ▁novel ▁Martin ▁Ch uzz le w it , ▁which ▁also ▁featured ▁critic isms ▁of ▁class ▁society ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Plot ▁▁ ▁The ▁story ▁cent res ▁on ▁the ▁wealth y ▁and ▁prosper ous ▁Har ley ▁family , ▁consisting ▁of : ▁Frank ▁( the ▁father ), ▁Gaz ella ▁( the ▁mother ), ▁and ▁their ▁nine ▁children . ▁After ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁bad ▁invest ments ▁results ▁in ▁bank rupt cy , ▁the ▁Har le ys ▁are ▁forced ▁into ▁dest itution , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁leads ▁to ▁Frank ' s ▁un tim ely ▁death ▁from ▁excess ive ▁drink ing . ▁ ▁Gaz ella ▁continues ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁se am str ess ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁provide ▁for ▁her ▁children , ▁two ▁of ▁which ▁have ▁since ▁left ▁home ▁to ▁live ▁on ▁a ▁plant ation ▁in ▁Mississippi ▁and ▁are ▁now ▁reg aining ▁their ▁wealth . ▁As ▁a ▁working - class ▁woman , ▁Gaz ella ▁suff ers ▁all ▁forms ▁of ▁ab use ▁from ▁those ▁who ▁had ▁once ▁been ▁her ▁equals . ▁The ▁North ▁wanted ▁the