Bestsellers are known for not only their literary merit at the
time of publication, but for the unique qualities that make them
timeless pieces of work. Ellen Glasgow's Vein of Iron marked an
important transition in literary history. Previous to its
publication in 1935, most Southern writers focused on the ways
and traditions of plantation life in the Old South. The
overwhelming success of Maragaret Mitchell's Gone With The
Wind can be attributed partly to the setting. The novel opens
with the young southern belle, Scarlett, sitting in the "cool
shade of the porch of Tara, her father's plantation" (Mitchell,
5). This scene depicts typical plantation life in 1861 with
nostalga and appealed to many who wanted to return to a similar
way of life. These ideals, however, were quickly dying out and
were being replaced by more industrial and progressive ways.
Glasgow recognized this change in mind set, even in the old
fashion town of Richmond, Virginia. Through her writing,
Glasgow provided the necessary jump into the changing times.
For three main reasons, Glasgow's Vein of Iron became a popular
and necessary bestseller. First, the early ninteen-hundreds
needed someone to give a fresh view of the world. Her new look
at society and humanity put a stop to the repeated and stale
works of the Old South. Second, Glasgow empahsizes religion in
a way that is unique for the early 1900's. While making
religion an important part of life for the Fincastle family,
there is no hesitation to question the strict adherence to faith
and the value of the overall effect of religion. Finally,
Glasgow enjoyed the success of a bestseller because she played
the part of a "social historian" (Rubin). She wrote a novel
that is not only entertaining, but one that descriptively and
colorfully documents "the inhabitants of the state of Virginia
in transition form the Civil War to the New Deal" (Rubin).
Thus, the novel becomes a historical and social commentary on
the early twentieth century. These three characteristics
combined are what made Vein of Iron a bestseller.
Southern literary works of the 1800's were predominantly
from the view of or about the planter aristocrasy. Not much
attention was paid to the middle and poor classes of society.
Even though she grew up in a wealthy family, Glasgow was aware
of and had much contact with the middle class. She felt
uncomfortable as a child, even with her many brothers and
sisters, and often blamed these feelings on the restricted and
demanding social structure which her parents were part of. She
loved reading in her father's vast library, but was bored with
reading about the same society structure all the time that
focused on the wealthy male who had power over both land and
people.
Vein of Iron centers around the Fincastles, a large
family with not much money but an honorable reputation. They
live in a modest home set in the Valley of Virginia between The
Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains. Unlike Gone With the Wind,
which focuses on the wealthy O'Hara family and their upper class
friends, Vein of Iron revolves around a middle class family and
also has a mix of characters on other social levels. Toby
Waters, "the idiot," and his mother are the outcasts of Ironside,
the town where the Fincastles live (Glasgow, 4). The two live
in a "hovel perched on the rim of a ravine" and are the targets
of much hatred and resentment from the town (Glasgow, 4).
Glasgow uses their situation to address the issues of poverty,
child abuse, social rejection, and alcoholism. Toby, constantly
teased by children at school, is afraid to go home because his
mother beats him and sells her "petticoats for moonshine to the
people on Lightnin' Ridge" (Glasgow, 4). There is little detail of upper class life in this novel, which is opposite from the trend in the 1930's. Most writers wrote about life from the perspective of the upper class and thought it taboo to give the readers too much detail about life in poverty or the emotions of the middle and lower class.
Glasgow emphasizes religion in the lives of the
Fincastle family. Ironside was founded by a preacher and Ada's
father is the current preacher of the small town. However,
religion is constantly on the minds and in the hearts of
everyone; it is the window through which they view the world.
This slightly odd, due to the fact that Glasgow's "rebellion
against convention was rooted in her childhood rejection of her
father's 'iron vein of Presbyterianism'" (Wilson). Growing up,
Glasgow resented the strict rules that were placed on her
reguarding religion. Vein of Iron, however, deals with the
presence of religion as a helpful and soothing aspect of life,
but one that can also be questioned. The positive side of
religion is portrayed mostly by Ada's Grandmother. When upset
and physically weakened by Ada's decisions reguarding the man
she loves, Grandmother is left to "sit alone," with no one to
talk to or discuss her feelings with (Glasgow, 158). Naturally,
the old woman turns her head upward and repeats "The Lord has
never failed me. I am in the hands of the Lord" (Glasgow, 158).
With this verbal repetition of faith, her "equilibrium was
restored, faith balanced itself on its throne, [and] a fresh
infusion of energy surged through her veins" (Galsgow, 158).
These passages lift up religion, but the value of religion is
also questioned. Speaking with Mr. Black, her minister, Ada
realizes that she does not trust him. He is described, in a
negative tone, as having eyes that are "dark and piercing" and
a nose that is "long and bony," curved in a beak (Glasgow, 6).
As a young girl, still dripping with innocence, Ada describes
his "sacred calling" as a "scheme of salvtion" that depended on
misery (Glasgow, 8). While this passage contrasts to the
positive image of religion above, the two passages together are
representative of how Glasgow gives voice to the modern ways of
questioning, but does not forget the old ways of blind
acceptance.
Known for her colorful descriptions of the land and
people, Glasgow was known also as a social historian. She
effectively documented the changing South. The first pages of
Vein of Iron, are completely dedicated to describing the land
and the feel of the atmosphere of the Virginia mountains. She
obviously wants the reader to smell the fresh air and grass, so
as to get the complete feel of her novel and the life in the
area.