Although the nature of family relationships was undergoing change in the 19th century, the immediate family remained the dominant form of existence in the Victorian house. "Around 80% of all people lived in nuclear families in this period, and a further 10% lived with members of their extended family." During this time, for most individuals, "daily life and survival still depended upon the family." (5)

     Home and the family were an escape from society, but there was no escape from the inherent obligation of performing one's duty for the benefit one's family. Most of the time, we think of the fathers in the family as being the providers, of whose responsibility the burden of providing for the family falls upon. That no matter what, the father feels the obligation to provide for his family so strongly, that he will do anything to ensure their nourishment. For example, In North and South, the lower-class struggle and suffer, working long shifts to maintain the basic survival need of food for their families.(3) This is made evident with Nicholas Higgins and Boucher. Boucher passionately feels the need and responsibility for his family as being their provider, that he goes against the union and resorts to savagery during the riot against Mr. Thorton.

     If the main father figure was gone or did not fulfill his role it was up to the children to ensure survival of their family. Children in both the middle-class and lower class worked to help acquire funds for their families. For working-class families, "survival rather than upward mobility remained the primary goal".(5) As a result, children left school at fourteen to pursue their true role in life of labor.(6) There is no question that in the Victorian Period, children did not forget their family obligations. This is evident with Mr. Thorton in North and South, with Tess in Tess of the D’urbervilles, and Mary Garth in Middlemarch.

    Mary Garth does not live with her parents, she lives in Mr. Featherstone's house as part of her occupation. This allows Mary the opportunity to earn and save her own wages. When Fred Vincy fails to pay back the money he has borrowed from Mr. Garth, the Garth family must sacrifice a great sum of their money. Mary feels an innate obligation and without hesitation, puts forth all her savings so that her family can pay Fred Vincy's debt. The character of Mary Garth shows us an example that was prevalent during the Victorian Period, where children felt they had a duty to better their family. This is evident in Middlemarch as stated, “Poor child! I wish she could stay at home with us, Susan, said Caleb, looking plaintively at his wife. “Mary would not be happy without doing her duty” said Mrs. Garth, magisterially, conscious of having done her own.” (2)

     The situation of older children was far different than that of their younger siblings .There was a long-held belief in the expectation that older children would contribute to the family income. Over "80% of all 14yr olds and 90% of all 15yr olds worked in four censuses" during the Victorian Period.(5) The percentage at work increased between 1871 and 1881, despite the expansion of educational opportunities. (6) It is from the group of younger workers, from 14 to 19yrs, that provided a crucial part of the family's wages as the parents aged.(6) These young workers earned close to adult wages and tended to remain at home at least until the age of 20, possibly even after marriage. (5)

     In Tess of the D' Urbervilles, Tess fullfills her family obligation and helps out in the best of her abilities. As stated in the novel, “However, Tess became humanely beneficient towards the small ones, and to help them as much as possible she used, as soon as she left school, to lend a hand at haymaking or harvesting on neighbouring farms; or, by preference, at milking or butter-making processes, which she had learnt when her father had owned cows; and being deft-fingered it was a kind of work in which she excelled”  Furthermore, that “Everyday seemed to throw upon her young shoulders more of the family burdens, and that Tess should be the representative of the Durbyfields at the D’Urberville mansion came as a thing of course.”(4)

     The individual may have gone home to escape society and find rescue, both physical and emotional through their family, but many times they were the ones who rescued their families. With the rise of industrial work and the changing economy, family security was not certain. If the father was not around or failed to provide for his family, it was up to the children to maintain their family. There was no escape from family obligations because the children inherently had a sense of performing their duty. Older children helped in raising their younger siblings and contributing to the family income. Parents grew increasingly dependent on their children's wages as they aged. (5) Yet these children became more independent as they grew older. This helped ensure the survival and shape the evolution of the family during the Victorian Period.

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 This family room was furnished by Omar F. Najera

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