The novel explores a range of themes, including family relationships, social class, gender roles, and the tension between tradition and modernity. At the heart of the story is the relationship between Maggie and her brother Tom, who are raised by their parents at their family's mill on the River Floss.As children, Maggie and Tom are close and affectionate, but as they grow older, their relationship becomes strained. Tom, as the elder sibling and the only son, is favored by their father and receives a better education and more opportunities than Maggie. Maggie, meanwhile, is bright and curious, but her interests and desires are often at odds with the expectations placed on her as a young woman.