Our book choice for October 2014 is Union Street by Pat Barker. Vivid, bawdy and bitter, Pat Barker’s first novel shows the women of Union Street, young and old, meeting the harsh challeges of poverty and survival in a precarious world.
Union Street is a novel by Pat Barker that tells the story of seven working-class women living on Union Street in a northern English town in the 1970s. The novel follows the women as they deal with the challenges of poverty, unemployment, domestic violence, and aging.
The novel begins with the story of Linda, a young girl who is brutally raped. The rape has a profound impact on Linda, and she struggles to come to terms with what happened to her. She becomes withdrawn and depressed, and she eventually leaves home to live in a hostel.
The next woman we meet is Alice, an elderly woman who is facing the prospect of going into a nursing home. Alice is fiercely independent, and she doesn’t want to leave her home. However, her health is declining, and she knows that she can’t live on her own forever.
The other women in the novel include:
- Maureen, a factory worker who is struggling to raise her two children on her own.
- Theresa, a housewife who is trapped in an unhappy marriage.
- Margaret, a single mother who is trying to make ends meet.
- Beryl, a barmaid who is struggling with alcoholism.
- Shirley, a young woman who is pregnant and unmarried.
The women on Union Street are all connected by their shared experiences of poverty, hardship, and loss. They are also connected by their strength and resilience. Despite the challenges they face, they refuse to give up on themselves or their dreams.
The novel is set against the backdrop of the decline of the British industrial economy. The women on Union Street are all affected by the loss of jobs and the changing social landscape. However, they continue to find ways to survive and thrive.
Union Street is a powerful and moving novel about the lives of working-class women. It is a story of resilience, hope, and the power of the human spirit.
In addition to the seven main characters, the novel also features a number of other supporting characters, including the women’s husbands, children, friends, and neighbors. These characters help to flesh out the world of Union Street and to give the reader a deeper understanding of the lives of the women who live there.
The novel is told in a non-linear fashion, with the chapters jumping back and forth in time. This structure allows Barker to explore the different stages of the women’s lives and to show how they have been shaped by their experiences.
The novel is also notable for its use of symbolism. For example, the river that runs through Union Street is often used to represent the passage of time and the changing nature of the community.
Discussion Questions for Union Street
- What are the different ways that the women in Union Street are affected by their working-class status?
- How does the novel explore the relationship between gender and class?
- What are the different ways that the women in Union Street find power and agency?
- How does the novel depict the working-class experience during the 1950s?
- What is the role of religion in the lives of the women in Union Street?
- How does the novel explore the themes of love, loss, and betrayal?
- What is the significance of the title, Union Street?
- How does the novel use setting to create a sense of place?
- What are the different ways that the women in Union Street are portrayed?
- What are the different ways that the novel challenges traditional gender roles?
- How does the novel depict the relationship between the individual and society?
- What is the significance of the ending of the novel?
- How does the novel compare to other works of literature that deal with the working-class experience?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the novel?
- What is your overall impression of the novel?