New Things About The Secret River

As I read the first part of The Secret River, I was struck by how the justice and economic system was back then. In particular, the punishments for going against the law back then in 18th century London was striking to me. A good example of this is when Thornhill's friend gets hanged for owing a sum of money, an amount which isn't even that large to make worthy of death. Another aspect of the historical period and people that stood out to me was how the class system functioned. I was surprised to learn about the "freedman" vs the "indentured servant" title and how that difference meant leading completely different lifestyles. While I was aware of the class difference back then and the high population of poverty in London, I was taken aback by how the class structure made it almost impossible for upward social mobility.