The people in the two towns are very different. Candleford considers itself more upper class and looks down on the poor. There are many good people though, one is the head of the Post Office Dorcas Lane, who tries to help people. She knows their business from getting their mail and telegrams and tries to be a helper with their problems. There are a couple of legal proceedings in this episode. One involves Caroline,a woman from Lark Rise which is a town with poorer people. Caroline is a drunk & fat with about 6 kids. She comes across with no sense of responsibility toward her children. In regard to her drinking she said in Debtor's Court "it makes me happy and when my children see me happy they are happy too". The Court did not accept her excuses but, she pleaded ignorance to owing a beer debt.
Mr Timmins knows how she is and told her son to hide the money he makes because his mother does not pay her debts and will end up in jail, yet he testified for her "good" character how well she is raising her kids and feeding them. In the course of the previous episode it shows Caroline goes to Mrs. Timmins looking for food. Mrs Timmins told her she had to take responsibility for her children and feed them. It appeared this was a habit of Caroline.
I hated the reasoning and excuses for this fat drunk. In the end the Court did what it could, She did not go to jail, was put on probation with a an amount she has to pay back to the beer company.
The Court also told the beer representative he could see the woman had no money to buy beer on a regular basis and the company took advantage of her.
Being poor cannot justify being a drunk. Children get neglected and "poor" or "lonely" is some times an acceptable excuse in this episode for some people and in society.
Mr Timmins knows how she is and told her son to hide the money he makes because his mother does not pay her debts and will end up in jail, yet he testified for her "good" character how well she is raising her kids and feeding them. In the course of the previous episode it shows Caroline goes to Mrs. Timmins looking for food. Mrs Timmins told her she had to take responsibility for her children and feed them. It appeared this was a habit of Caroline.
I hated the reasoning and excuses for this fat drunk. In the end the Court did what it could, She did not go to jail, was put on probation with a an amount she has to pay back to the beer company.
The Court also told the beer representative he could see the woman had no money to buy beer on a regular basis and the company took advantage of her.
Being poor cannot justify being a drunk. Children get neglected and "poor" or "lonely" is some times an acceptable excuse in this episode for some people and in society.
