Not so different from our reality.

[Angie]

Isn't it remarkable that the novel, which is from the Victorian era, depicts issues that we are still dealing with nowadays even though our society has become more open-minded?

[Annemarie]

That's funny you mention this. I'm teaching Gothic Literature this semester (which features Victorian era lit almost exclusively) and we start by talking about the problems the Victorians faced and they are practically identical to the problems we are having in this country now. Population boom, global economy woes, a hyper-connected populace, and a struggle to identify themselves as "british" when abroad. I feel like we have the same identity crisis here.