Thornton is a self-made man, born and bred in Milton. His father died when he was young, leaving his family poor and Thornton to pick up the slack. He is now an incredibly wealthy and successful mill owner, with a handsome reputation amongst other Milton businessmen. However, his self-made status ensures that he possesses little patience or compassion for his poor workers. He is self-righteous in his belief that everyone is responsible for themselves, and deems that if his workers are suffering, it is due to their own accord. Thornton is rigid and unwavering in his beliefs, with little time for anything except money- making. That is, until Margaret arrives to Milton. Her strong opinions vex Thornton, and their alliances with the North and South respectively ensure they constantly antagonise each other. Like Margaret, Thornton holds similar prejudices against the South, so if Margaret assumes all Northerners are uncultured, rough and ill-mannered, Thornton deems those in the South to be lazy, soft and prissy. However, Thornton’s immense pride is softened by Margaret, who he falls passionately in love with. Her influence drives him to recognise the responsibilities he has toward his men, with his style of authority becoming less autocratic and more equalising.
