Question

How did helen describe city and slum life in the novel the story of life

Answer 1

For Helen, the lakes, woods, fields and meadows of the country were there to endure forever. She could discern the differences between the cities and the country quite keenly. It was more than noticing just a mere difference between walking on city streets and country roads. The rumble and roar of the city smote the nerves of her face and the ceaseless tramp of the unseen multitude was fretful to her along with the discordant cacophony of noises. The grinding of the heavy wagons on hard pavements and the continuous clanging of machinery characterised city life. In the country, one could only see nature's handiwork and the soul was not saddened by the cruel struggle for mere existence that went on in the city. The hideous, sunless tenements on the narrow, dirty streets of the poor were contrasted with the fine houses of the rich who grew strong and beautiful. The poor grew ugly, withered and cringing, their children were scantily clad and underfed, inhabiting the grimy alleys and growing up to be painfully diffident. People seemed to be bent out of shape in these squalid quarters, their struggle for existence turning up nothing more than a few crumbs for livelihood. In the countryside, one could see the splendour of the woods and have a simple, honest living in the gold of nature's beauty. Children could grow stately as noble trees and their thoughts become pure and sweet as wayside flowers. There was a joy in feeling the soft, springy earth turn under one's feet on the grassy roads that led to the ferny brooks where Helen would dip her fingers in the cataract of rippling notes. She could clamber over a stone wall into green field and tumble, roll or climb in the gladdening greenery.