"North and South" is a social novel by English writer Elizabeth Gaskell, published in 1855. The story is set in the fictional industrial town of Milton in the North of England and contrasts the way of life in the industrial North with that in the rural South. The novel follows Margaret Hale, a young woman from rural southern England, who moves to the northern industrial town and encounters the stark realities of industrialization, class conflict, and social upheaval. The novel explores themes of industrialization, class differences, gender roles, and societal change. Margaret's evolving relationships, particularly with the mill owner John Thornton, form the crux of the narrative