Chapter 15, Chapter 16, and Chapter 17 Summary

John Barton has been very depressed ever since his trip to London. He becomes a Chartist, the most extremely radical group fighting for workers rights. While the weavers are on strike, the managers hire strikebreakers to do the work. That leads to the workers beating up the strikebreakers. Mary Barton is still pining after Jem, who seems to have given up on her. Jem, however, has been waiting for Harry Carson, and finally stops him in the street. He says he is a friend of Mary's, and demands to know Harry's intentions. Harry tries to brush him off and tells him that his intentions are none of Jem's business. Harry pushes Jem until Jem reveals that he is also a lover of Mary's, but still refuses to answer him. Harry strikes Jem, and a policeman comes and...