The film adheres strictly to 19th-century social realism. There is no evidence of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy within the narrative.

Men dominate the industrial labor sphere while women manage the domestic front. However, women are depicted with significant agency and resilience amidst starvation and instability.

The cast is ethnically homogeneous, reflecting the specific demographic realities of a 19th-century French mining community. It lacks modern intersectional racial diversity.

The story offers a profound critique of industrial capitalism and systemic oppression. It frames the working-class struggle as a desperate reclamation of agency against exploitative institutions.

Physical degradation is presented as a symptom of industrial exploitation. The toll of the mines serves as a metaphor for the systemic crushing of the human body.