Gradgrind’s system appears to dehumanise the pupils and individualism is not encouraged. A pupil who is a success of Gradgrind’s school would be brainwashed, empty of personality but full of unimportant information.
During the lesson about facts in the beginning chapters of Hard Times Gradgrind’s teaching methods are made clear. He uses his control to humiliate a pupil in front of the rest of the class. Sissy is the girl who is randomly picked from the class by Gradgrind who is prepared to brainwash the children with a lesson about facts. The girl’s father works for the circus, this fact does not please Gradgrind and so he covers up this fact with lies ‘“He doctors sick horses, I dare say” “Very well, then. He is a veterinary surgeon”’
It appears that if anyone else were to say something like this it would be lies and fiction, both of which Gradgrind hates. However Gradgrind’s control is so strong that the lies he tells are believed and become facts. The girl’s confidence is undermined further when she is asked to describe a horse. The school’s ideal pupil is asked the same question and produces the perfect response, not the hesitation of Sissy but a list of meaningless and thoughtless facts. Bitzer, who is the school’s vision of perfection appears dull and pale “if he were cut, he would bleed white.” Whereas Sissy who has not yet become fully educated by Gradgrind still appears alive. “She seemed to receive a deeper and more lustrous colour from the sun.” She is also positioned in the classroom so that she receives the most light from the beam of sunshine. This makes her appear special and maybe even heavenly. Dickens uses this idea to highlight the difference between Gradgrind's ideal and Sissy who has not yet given into the dehumanisation.
One lesson we witness in A Kestrel for a Knave also aims to teach the pupils about facts. However this lesson is taught by Farthing who is caring and a more fatherly teacher and this is communicated by his name. Mr Farthing has used his kind personality to gain some respect from the boys in the class. Although the lesson has the same content as the lesson in Hard Times during the lesson it becomes obvious that Farthing’s teaching is different. He manages to involve Billy, who is normally quite shy and lacking motivation, positively in the lesson. Farthing teaches in a more relaxed way and lets the lesson flow as well as welcoming input from the boys. He encourages Billy to participate and makes him feel special as he has something interesting to share. Farthing lets Billy’s thought tumble out and does not cut him short. Billy tells all about his bird, which he has raised and trained, and Farthing seems genuinely interested “ ‘Jesses, how do you spell that?’ ” He writes words on the board, allowing the whole class to learn about Billy’s unusual talent. Billy becomes the teacher for a while and as Farthing is not controlling like Gradgrind he allows this to happen. The lesson becomes full of individuality as Billy shares his unusual hobby and his confidence grows. This would never have happened in a lesson taught by Gradgrind, he would never encourage a pupil to take over his position and would think a pastime like Billy’s ridiculous. The way in which Farthing nurtures Billy’s thoughts reflect the way in which Billy has nurtured Kes. The time and devotion that Billy has shown the bird is matched, although on a smaller level, by the way Farthing waits for Billy to talk and persist to question him gently as if he knows Billy has a lot to share.
Another contrast between the two schools is the way in which Billy and his classmates’ behaviour changes depending on the teacher, whereas Gradgrind’s pupils are always the same. The different methods of teaching present at Billy’s school become obvious when the PE teacher Sugden is introduced. Sugden is a bully and again Hines has highlighted the teacher’s personality with his name, as Sugden is a thug. Billy dislikes PE and does not have a PE kit, as his family cannot afford to buy him one. He arrives late to the lesson as he has been talking to Farthing. Instead of discreetly giving him a kit to wear Sugden mocks Billy in front of the other boys. The way in which Billy is treated provokes him to answer back and be cheeky. Sugden’s verbal bullying brings out the negative aspects of Billy’s personality. Not only does Sugden verbally bully his pupils but as a big man he does not hesitate to physically abuse them too. “He hit Billy twice with the ball, holding it between both hands as though he was murdering him with a boulder.” The whole lesson is a bullying game for Sugden. There is an absence of skills taught and so the lesson consists of a game of football in which Sugden is the captain of one of the teams as well as being the referee. He bullies the opposing team as well as his own teammates if they make mistakes. His attitude is immature and shows no sportsmanship or fairness, two lessons which should always be reinforced in PE lessons. His negative attitude has a clear affect on the boys, who leave the lesson cold and uninspired.
The education system presented by Charles Dickens is extreme and unnecessarily harsh. However the title Hard Times makes it seem like Dickens is writing honestly about a time which lead to harsh methods of education. He highlights the naivety of the people as now teaching methods have improved and young people are encouraged to be themselves and achieve the best that they can. Satire is used by Dickens to emphasize the mistakes of the system. Charles Dickens could of attended a school like the one in Hard Times and so I think he aims to make the problems obvious to people who otherwise might not notice the wrongs in society.
Barry Hines also writes the truth about the education system in his era and I think he also aims to highlight the incorrectness of the organization. However Barry Hines writes more realistically as the book is more recent and therefore easier to relate to. Both authors present systems, which now seem very wrong but at the time they were thought of as acceptable. Both books probably contain memories of the authors’ school days and particularly in A Kestrel for a Knave the scenes seem very believable. I could conclude that neither system would be justifiable now but in their time the schools seemed fair.
