Eliot defies social norms by portraying Maggie, a female character, as a woman of substantial knowledge. For a woman of Maggie's status and sex to know as much as she did and to have her "fiery" personality is unordinary. Her brother, Tom, maintains male characteristics, but his actions and lack of intellectual stamina pose a problem for him. By reading this paper, you will gain a better understanding of role reversal in Mill on the Floss and how the same themes are present in The Lifted Veil.