Higher English : Themes : Cone Gatherers : Class-Divison

Throughout the novel we are made aware of the distinction between the two classes. This was removed after the war, and the book tries to show this.

The division is between the lower class cone gatherers and LRC's family who live in a mansion

Quotes:

"tiny shed" - emphasises the scale of the cone gatherers hut

"greasy hut" - emphasises the dirt, uncleanliness of the living conditions.

"private fence of silver firs" - "private" suggests the lower class should be kept out, "fence" acts as the barrier between classes, "silver" is used to establish the wealth of the upper class.

"in none of her many rooms" - shows the scale of the mansion. Contrast to "tiny shed"

"it would be replaced" - they can afford to replace things that are completely un-needed

"hardly bigger than a rabbit hutch" - compares the CG's to animals again, link to nature, used to emphasise poor living conditions.
"high above these cone men" - literally she was high above, and also in terms of the social ladder.
"they are our inferiors" - clearly shows that LRC thinks lowly of the cone gatherers.
"drag us down to their level" - she fears of being like them, thinks of their level as much lower than hers. Superiority.
"kennels .. bigger than our hut" - again links the cone gatherers to animals, suggests that the animals owned by LRC are kept in better premises than themselves.
"she could not see this barrier" - LRC appears to be unaware of the different views of the other class, and how this barrier is likely to come down after the war has ended.