What does Dickens have to tell us about education in Hard Times and how is this communicated through character, plot and his choice of language?
What does Dickens have to tell us about education in Hard Times and how is this communicated through character, plot and his choice of language? In Hard times we see two versions of the world of education. The first view is that of Thomas Gradgrind's and his "model school". A place where facts are valued and imagination is regarded as unimportant. This is the utilitarian view. The second view is contrasted with the utilitarian view and is that of Mr Sleary's circus. This is a place with much knowledge valuing both imagination and education. A place without the wealth of the Gradgrind's but much in humanity. This is the "fanciful" world. I think Dickens is telling us that there are many different ways of bringing up and educating children. It is about getting the right balance between education and imagination. For example Sissy was brought up by her father and didn't go to school but was quite well educated as she "used to read to him," but her father let her use her imagination as she read the "wrong books" from Gradgrind's point of view. Which were about "Fairies ... and the Hunchback and the Genies." But when she went to Gradgrind's house to live there she was cut off from having an imagination, as so was struggling to learn facts. The reader knows this as Sissy says, " I am - O so stupid!" when really she isn't stupid at all, it is just that she has been forced to be
The purpose of this essay is to describe the characters of Mr. Thomas Gradgrind (Senior) in Hard Times by Charles Dickens, and Mr. Brocklehurst in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bront.
English Literature Coursework - Pre 1900 Prose The purpose of this essay is to describe the characters of Mr. Thomas Gradgrind (Senior) in Hard Times by Charles Dickens, and Mr. Brocklehurst in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Both are important characters, however Gradgrind is more crucial to the plot of Hard Times than Brocklehurst in Jane Eyre, as he appears only in the early chapters. Both authors use their language to show their opinions of the characters, and the societies in which they exist. The authors, especially Dickens, use the very names of the characters to portray their opinion of them. Mr. Brocklehurst is a clergyman, and proprietor of a school for poor children. His doctrine for the education of the children in his school is similar in ways to that of Thomas Gradgrind as it is 'not to accustom them to habits of luxury and indulgence, but to render them hardy, patient, self-denying', which is similar to the factual education of Gradgrind. We first encounter Mr. Brocklehurst when he comes to the house of Mrs. Reed, Jane's aunt, regarding Jane attending his school, Lowood Academy. Jane (who is the narrator) described him as 'a black pillar' with a 'grim face' and his features and all the lines of his frame are said to be 'harsh and prim'. This description, in the same way as that of Gradgrind, gives a clue to the persona of the character, giving an
Hard Times - explore several issues from Dickenss point of view on Victorian Society, including education, marriage, industrialisation, the relationship between the middle class and the working class, and how Dickens uses different methods and techniqu
Hard Times In the novel Hard Times, Dickens reveals the Victorian Society as apathetic, harsh and depressing. Both the environment and characters are shown to be dark, dull and drab. Dickens uses a variety of techniques to show these. I am going to explore several issues from Dickens's point of view on Victorian Society, including education, marriage, industrialisation, the relationship between the middle class and the working class, and how Dickens uses different methods and techniques to present all these. I will refer to chapters one, two, five, eleven and fifteen while discussing all these different aspects. In chapter 2, Murdering the Innocents, the title immediately tells us that someone is going to react in a certain attitude towards someone else. This is an effective way to start the chapter as it gives a hint to the reader about what will happen in the chapter. Dickens is basically trying to show us as the reader how boring and demanding life was at school in Victorian Society in this chapter. He uses phrases like "Girl number twenty unable to define a horse!" and "Bitzer, your definition of a horse" to show how the pupils were being treated by Mr Gradgrind. Mr Gradgrind is described as "dictatorial" and "square" which means that he is a tyrannical person and he likes to order people to do things for him because he thinks he has more power than other people. A
Look carefully at the first four chapters of "Hard Times" by Charles Dickens and explore some of the ways in which Dickens's attitudes are presented.
Paul Loughlin 11Aw GCSE English Coursework-Pre 1914 Prose Look carefully at the first four chapters of "Hard Times" by Charles Dickens and explore some of the ways in which Dickens's attitudes are presented. In this assignment I will be writing about the novel "Hard Times" by Charles Dickens. The novel is set among the industrial smokestacks and factories of Coketown, England. Dickens's was concerned with the miserable lives of the poor and working classes of England during his time. Dickens's uses the novel's characters and stories to expose a massive gap between England's rich and poor and the unfeeling self-interest of the middle and upper classes. Dickens's suggests that England itself is turning into a factory machine, and that the middle class was only concerned with making a profit in the most efficient and practical way possible, through the children in the schools. Even through its not Dickens's most popular novel, it is an important expression of the fundamental values of human existence. In this assignment I will be focusing on Dickens's attitudes and views towards education of the period of which Hard Times was wrote. Hard Times was wrote during the 1800s which education was strict and disciplined. One significant aspect which Dickens uses is the presentation of the teacher and business man of the school. The business Thomas Gradgrind is a pivotal part in
Charles Dickens - A disscussion on "HardTimes".
Hard Times I think that Charles Dickens wrote Hard Times in 1854 for mainly social reasons. At that time there was a lot of class difference as the higher class was extremely rich and the working class was extremely poor. The magazine that his book was published in was aimed at the upper class and I think Dickens wrote his book for them as they were the people who had the power to change the social system at that time. I also think that Dickens wrote the novel partly because of his personal experiences, as he had a hard upbringing. The plot of the book features around a man called Mr.Gradgrind and how he believes children should be educated. He is a particularly serious character and I think that in the first chapter of the book, the readers are supposed to dislike him because of how he argues his points. For instance, he says things like, "Now what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life," which make him sound extremely dictatorial. Dickens has also emphasised Mr.Gradgrind's point by putting a capital letter at the beginning of the words "fact" suggesting that that is his key focus. On the other hand people may argue that, as a benefactor for the local school he has a right to voice his opinions in this way, so that he can have some say in what goes on there. It is clear by what he says that he dislikes anything
Looking at 'Down', consider how Dickens presents the impact that Gradgrind's philosophy has had upon Louisa. What wider moral points is he trying to make?
Looking at 'Down', consider how Dickens presents the impact that Gradgrind's philosophy has had upon Louisa. What wider moral points is he trying to make? Dickens wrote 'Hard Times' in the Victorian era as a criticism of the belief in controlling and filling people with knowledge. The character Louisa in the novel bears several similarities to John Stuart Mill, a real person who was brought up in a similar way to the ficticious Louisa with disasterous effects; he suffered a nervous breakdown at the age of 21. Dickens used "Hard Times" to bring to attention the potential harmful effects that a utilitarian system could have upon people. Dickens describes the dystopia of Coketown but with a kind of irony in that many of the population including Bounderby and Gradgrind believe it to be a utopia. In "Down" the catastophic effects of the system are revealed by Louisa, and Gradgrind realises that his syatem has failed. The novel's satirical style shows Dickens' dislike for labels and categories and other forms of measurement, which illustrates part of the moral message of the book, that love, imagination and "fancy" cannot and should not be suppressed. One example of the way in which Dickens makes us aware of this is in his descriptions, where the narrator sarcastically points out how "good" certain aspects of the Gradgrind philosophy are; "...everything [the house and the various
'How does Dickens present education in particular Gradgrind's philosophy of education in Hard Times?
'How does Dickens present education in particular Gradgrind's philosophy of education in Hard Times? In the novel Hard Times Dickens uses the theme of education in that time to make a point. Those affected by Gradgrind's system of education proves that Gradgrind's method of education was different in those times. Dickens makes the reader question Gradgrind's method and lets the reader decide if it is incorrect or correct by the evidence Dickens reveals. Charles Dickens creates a character whose system of education is quite different from the modern world. Dickens has created a character, which is not liked by many in attitude and appearance. Gradgrind is described to be 'square.' 'Square wall of a forehead' Dickens has described his character like this for a reason, to make the reader imagine a very dull and square like character. In the first chapter we find Gradgrind being compared with objects or places 'his eyes found commodious cellarage in two dark caves' Gradgrind is not an attractive character to view or listen to. Gradgrind is found to be 'inflexible, dry and dictorial'. Gradgrind also has a way of talking 'at' the students, and uses numbers instead of names, 'Girl number twenty' Gradgrind shows no respect for the students and believes he is superior to them. 'Sissy is not a name.' Here he tells Sissy that her name is ridiculous and that she should change it, 'Call
Hard Times - A Practical Criticism
Hard Times A Practical Criticism Book Two: Reaping Chapter One: Effects in the Bank This paragraph is a descriptive one. It sets the tone for the attitude of Dickens towards the workers, and the factories, which they inhabit. He describes Coketown as a shockingly realistic one and so in doing so further terrifies the reader into forcing them to open their eyes to the devastating world in which they inhabit. This is strange, as although Dickens is seemingly writing proletariat propaganda, his audience is in-fact the nobler classes. Therefore we could be jousted into believing that Dickens is fronting a more revolutionary and extremist movement, as this novel, ad the time of its publication is closely linked to the French revolution- which Dickens confronts in A Tale Of Two Cities- and Britain's own industrial revolution. The emphasis hanging greatly on the latter. However here Dickens uses a masterful array of techniques in which to produce, if anything but concise, a well structured and detailed report upon the aesthetical roles of the workers. Dickens, by starting aesthetically, allows the reader to transform the basic principles in a manner in which to interpret the foundations of his novel. He uses much imagery to entice the reader into the story, and so allows the reader to get involved, which runs very consistently and conveniently with the origins of the story, as the
Explain how the theme of education is presented in Hard Times. What comments do you think Dickens might be making about his own times?
GCSE English Coursework: Explain how the theme of education is presented in Hard Times. What comments do you think Dickens might be making about his own times? Remember to comment on: * The presentation of Gradgrind * The presentation of the classroom * The presentation of the children * The presentation of the teacher, M'Choakumchild and his teaching method In this piece I intend to explain how Dickens is trying to represent education in the Victorian era and how he feels about the style of teaching that is widely used during his times. I also intend to make references to how the representation of Victorian schools by Dickens compares, historically to the actual conditions in a school from the Victorian era. As soon as the book begins we are introduced to a style of teaching that is dependent only on facts. One of the main characters of the novel is Thomas Gradgrind and he is the enforcer of this utilitarian style of education and is described as a man who is very strict. Dickens introduces us to this character with a description of his most central feature: his monotone appearance and attitude. "Stick to facts, sir!" This exclamation suggests that the character likes to shout and sound firm. The short, punchy sentence suggests an assertive and strong character. Dickens also makes Gradgrind seem boring and grating by the gravelly and rough sound of his name and how
How does Dickens shape the reader's impressions of the Gradgrind education system in the first three chapters of Hard Times
How does Dickens shape the reader's impressions of the Gradgrind education system in the first three chapters of Hard Times Hard Times is a powerful use of satire. The satire is aimed at the Victorian school system and some values of the Victorian period. The novel presents us a fictional town called 'Coketown'. It introduces us to a man called Thomas Gradgrind, a satirical character with the basis of a Victorian school master. Dickens wrote this novel to attack the Victorian school system because he did not believe that it was right. He uses satire a great deal in the novel to emphasise how it does not work and why it should change. The satire is directed 'The Gradgrind Philosophy', Thomas Gradgrind's belief system. Gradgrind greatly believes in his 'philosophy' even saying ''this is the principle on which I bring up my own children'' emphasising his believes in it. The Gradgrind philosophy is shown to be authoritarian, bullying and fanatical. He puts forwards these beliefs in an utterly rigid upfront and violent way. This philosophy reduces the children to products, practically de-humanising them. It destroys the children's imaginations, their innocence and their individuality. The system is only interested in measuring and is an exaggerated version on utilitarianism. Utilitarianism originated with the economist Adam Smith and then Jeremy Bentham built on it. Dickens