Industrialism and Fanny Kemble

The Industrial Age was an overwhelming, yet very exciting time for the countries involved. To say it turned people's worlds upside down would be a huge understatement. Essentially, this Age brought about mass efficiency. When people once used horses and coach to get places, they now had trains. Weavers in cotton factories were replaced by steam-powered weavers. Jobs in the country were replaced by jobs in the city. I think you get my point.

When I read Fanny Kemble's letter about travelling on a train for the first time, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Not in a condescending sort of way, but more in a appreciative way. It made me feel so blessed to be living in a time when waiting five seconds for a webpage to load is too long. At the same time, this impatience can be considered a curse by some. I'm of the former opinion, but I'll get into that later. Getting back to Kemble, her comparisons of the train to a horse was pretty funny. While a horse was probably the best thing to compare it to at the time, I highly doubt you'd find someone today comparing a train to an animal. More than likely, we'd compare it to a car or a jet. I like how she personified the train when she said, "She (for they make these curious little fire-horses all mares) consisted of a boiler, a stove, a small platform, a bench, and behind the bench a barrel containing enough water to prevent her being thirsty for fifteen miles,--the whole machine not bigger than a common fire-engine. She goes upon two wheel, which are her feet, and are moved by bright steel legs called pistons. (490)" She goes on to say, "The reins, bit, and bridle of this wonderful beast--a small steel handle, which applies or withdraws the steam from its legs or pistons, so that a child might manage it. The coals, which are its oats, were under the bench, and there was a small glass tube affixed to the boiler, with water in it, which indicates by its fulness or emptiness when the creature wants water... (491)". I couldn't help but think about how wonderful of an explanation this was, especially for someone who's never been on a train. This personification also had me thinking about how we do things similarly today. A lot of people do this to their cars, and especially their boats. They usually refer to them as a "she", and when they're by themselves, will sometimes find that they're talking to the machine. I thought that was kind of interesting. I mean, will we ever grow out of that? Let's hope so.

I pointed out earlier that I was not trying to be condescending when laughing about Kemble's reaction to her train ride. I made sure I said this because there are countless situations in today's world where I would be in her shoes. For example, if I ever were to go on a space excursion in the year 2020, how would I go about describing my experience? What could I possible compare it to? If I compared it to flying in a commercial airliner, I have no doubt that someone reading my letter in the year 2100 will find it humorous. So, to clarify, my laughter was appreciative because I can empathize with Kemble about what she must be feeling.