Anna of the Five Towns is a novel by
Arnold Bennett , first published in 1902 and one of his best-known works. The plot centres on
Anna Tellwright , daughter of a wealthy but miserly and dictatorial father, living in the Potteries area of
Staffordshire , England. Her activities are strictly controlled by the
Methodist church . The novel tells of Anna’s struggle for freedom and independence against her father’s restraints.
Arnold Bennett (27 May 1867 – 27 March 1931) was an English writer, best known for his novels set in the Five Towns which is fictitiously modeled on the pottery towns of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, where he was born. He wrote prolifically, producing novels, plays, essays, and journalism. Bennett’s writing is characterized by detailed, realistic portrayals of everyday life and complex characters. His works are often considered as part of the realism movement in English literature.