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Welcome to the Dickensian World of 19th-Century Coketown, where a fact is a fact, and imagination is the dreaded enemy of progress! This page is for the Advanced Placement Literature students of Mr. Barrows at Centaurus High School to share their ongoing musings on the serialized saga of Charles Dickens's "Hard Times," which first appeared chapter-by-chapter in a Victorian-era magazine.
Coketown on the Cover
Hard Times was serialized in "Household Words" magazine in 1854
Charles Dickens
48 comments:
James Harthouse was presented as a bored man, lacking direction or interest. He has arrived in Coketown to pursue and learn about Gradgrind’s political strategies. Since he was first introduced, he is portrayed as an amiable, appealing, witty man. For example, when he was speaking with Mrs Sparsit, she described him as, “Five-and-thirty, good-looking, good figure, good teeth, good voice, good breeding, well-dressed, dark eyes.” He also, “Placed a chair for [Mr Sparsit], but remained himself carelessly lounging against the table,” depicting a handsome and charming man. He was said to have extensively traveled, yet is still “bored”. He, at this point, truly lacks interest, except for his sudden infatuation with Louisa Bounderby. Because of this, James Harthouse possesses unique characteristics that set him apart from the usual Coketown character. He lack direction, whereas every, “man, woman, and child [in Coketown] has but one ultimate object in life”. He has also traveled abroad, which is extremely rare for a citizen of Coketown to do. He is also an overall likeable person, which could arguably not be said of Gradgrind or Bounderby. Coketown emphasizes facts, whereas Harthouse emphasizes, ultimately nothing.
I agree with Lindsay's statement about James Harthouse's essence and nature. The fact that he is presented this way creates a new feeling to the book. Readers are unaware of exactly what this character will do to the plot of the novel. He is an outsider who is trying to understand Gradgrind's theory on the importance of facts and nothing else. He seems to be searching for something that will create some amusement in his life and his interest in Louise leads to question if this is what may do just that. When he states observations for Louisa like “a beautiful smile” and “a pretty little soft hand,” readers can see how Harthouse is slowly finding something that interests him. The only problem is that she is a married woman and in Coketown, that is something to follow. Harthouse wants some excitement in his life which could end with stirring up the lives in Coketown and the plot of the entire book.
I agree with Lindsay's comment about James Harthouse, and would like to elaborate on him being a very important character. He allows the reader to have something to compare Coketown to so that the contrast between the two are obvious. Harthouse is described as, "[G]ood-looking, good figure, good teeth, good voice, good breeding," by Mrs. Sparsit. While on the other hand, Coketown was described as, "unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage...and a river that ran purple with ill-smelling dye." The juxtapositon of James Hathouse and the setting he is put in aloows the reader the clearly see that Harthouse is different than Coketown and it's inhabitance.
The definition of sowing is to plant (seed) by scattering it on or in the earth. And the definition of reaping is to cut or gather (a crop or harvest). This is significant because at the beginning Dickens is planting his seeds with the introduction of the characters. Louisa was sown by her father with the seeds of fact. She used these facts to decide to marry Bounderby. She does it because she knows it would help Tom get a high position in Bounderby"s bank. We can tell that she did not want to marry Bounderby when she said, "There seems to be nothing there but languid and monotonous smoke. Yet when the night comes, fired bursts out, father!" (ch.16) She's clearly not thrilled to marry Bounderby but she does it anyway cause it will help Tom.
Louisa's life changed a lot throughout the chapters "Father and Daughter" and "Husband and Wife". Just by looking at the chapter titles, we can see that, without reading, something is changing for one of the characters. Louise's father brings up the idea of marrying Mr. Bounderby and Louisa seems to be very puzzled about it. She asks questions such as "father, do you think I love Mr. Bounderby?.... do you ask me to love Mr. Bounderby?.... does My. Bounderby ask me to love him?" These questions raise the idea that Louisa doesn't understand why she is being asked to love a man who is much older than her. Yet, she pushes this confusion aside to ultimately please her father. She doesn't have any facts to show that she does or does not love Mr. Bounderby because she has never experienced love. In a way, it seems that by doing this, she could begin to accept the lifestyle that her father has created.
I agree with Justin's comment in that Louisa is agreeing to marry Bounderby to please her father and so that he can hopefully get a high position at Bounderby's bank. However I think a more appropriate definition for the word "reaping" is that one benefits as a consequence of one's own or other people's actions. Based off this definition, I believe that Mr.Gradgrind is purely arranging this marriage for his own benefit, using Louisa to manipulate Bounderby so that he himself can reap the awards. Which I believe better relates to the "sowing" definition and the statement made that Louisa was sown by her father with the seeds of fact. Both of these titles could imply that Louisa is the seed that was planted by Mr. Gradgrind so that when that seed grew, he could use it as benefit for himself.
I agree with Justin, in which Mr. Gradgrind plants and grows his children into the humans he wants them to be, he does this by not letting his children get distracted by any outside information, and only follow the cold hard facts. This makes Louisa into an item in which he could "sell" to Mr. Bounderby to get into a better position at Mr. Bounderby's bank, " Mr. Bounderby has informed me that he has long watched your progress with particular interest and pleasure,and has long hoped that the time might ultimately arrive when he should offer you his hand in marriage"(pg. 97). Mr. Bounderby has been watching Louisa like a gardener who watches their most favorite plant grow into something in which they love.
In chapter 13 Stephen Blackpool returns to his home to find Rachael, the women he truly loves, caring for his sick wife. Rachael says she has to do this because they were childhood friends and she owes it to Mrs. Blackpool to care for her. This kindness is what further accentuates her similarities to an angel, in Mr. Blackpool's eyes. Rachael tells Mr. Blackpool to go to sleep and that she will care for his wife until three and then she should be okay until the morning. In the middle of the night Mr. Blackpool awakens to see his wife getting ready to drink a deadly amount of medicine. However, he couldn't do anything about it. "All this time, as if a spell were on him, he was motionless and powerless, except to watch her." Mr. Blackpool did nothing to stop his wife, but Rachael did wake up in time to stop Mrs. Blackpool from killing herself. Using these events I predict that Mrs. Blackpool will pass away soon, allowing Mr. Blackpool to further his relationship with Rachael. However, they will not get married because of Rachael. Even though she loves him back, she will not want to get married out of respect to Mrs. Blackpool. Rachael is too kind to disrespect her childhood friend like that.
Through chapter 13-2, Thomas Gradgrind jr. Was brought up a couple of times but only for a short matter. He has now started living the life of an adult, by Mr. Bounderby teaching him the ways of the bank. His mind is Not like when he was younger and used his imagination more than the facts in which he learned in school and from his father. Tom was used to convince Louisa to marry Mr. Bounderby, so that Louisa and Tom will be close again and he could use the marriage against Mr. Bounderby's authority. "I say, Loo! I thought I'd come, and just hint to you what was going on: though I supposed you'd most likely guess, even if you didn't know. I can't stay, because I'm engaged to some fellows tonight. You won't forget how fond you are of me?"(pg. 94). Through this we can still see that Tom still loves his sister very much and still wants to be close, but the only way this could happen is for Louisa and Mr. Bounderby to get married.
I agree with Katie D's comment about how Louisas marriage to Mr. Bounderby is her accepting the lifestyle that her father creates. However, by agreeing to marry him she is bound to a loveless marriage because Mr. Bounderby and Louisa both truely don't love each other. This can be shown by Mr. Bounderby saying, " I'm going, ma'am , ... to marry Mr. Gradgrind daughter." (pg 117). Mr. Bounderby says this multiple times referring to Louisa not by her name but as Mr. Gradgrinds daughter, showing a lack of connection to her as a person, but rather her as the daughter of Mr. Gradgrind. Louisas lack of love can be shown through her questions of, "Do you ask me to love Mr. Bounderby?","Do you think I love Mr. Bounderby." and "Shall I marry him?" (pg. 109). Louisa's agreement to marry Mr. Bounderby to please her father may seem to her like the factual thing to do. However this marriage will most likely cause Louisa to become filled with regret due to her curiosity and the lack of love in the marriage.
Bitzer hasn't been mentioned or seen in previous chapters since chapter 4. In chapter 2, Bitzer was in Mr. Gradgrind's class and had successfully defined what a horse was after Sissy wasn't able to. In chapter 4, he is seen bullying Sissy about the horse incident in class. Bitzer makes his return in Book 2: chapter 1. Bitzer is now serving Ms. Sparsit as a porter and a spy. Bitzer seems to have changed by growing into "an extremely clear-headed, cautious, prudent young man"(pg 116). He still shows his respect to authority figures by knuckling his forehead. He also seems to have retained his unkindness as he expresses his view of Thomas Jr., calling him, "a dissipated, extravagant idler". Bitzer has grown up and done well for himself, but there are traces of his younger self within him.
Chapter 16 of Hard Times is by far the most defining chapter in this section. Bounderby converses with his housekeeper Mrs. Sparsit with whom he shares a very awkward relationship with. Reading through the chapter I couldn't help but notice the subtle awkwardness. For example: "I hope Miss Gradgrind may be all you desire, and deserve!", which is a genuinely nice thing to d=say to someone as they begin their new life, but the dialogue before and after this quote just creates an awkward atmosphere. Furthermore, towards the end of chapter 16 Bounderby makes some egocentric, narcissistic remarks about his newly wed wife Louisa Gradgrind. "It has long been my wish to be so. I have watched her bringing-up, and I believe she is worthy of me...I am worthy of her." First off, shes very young so the statement about his wanting to marry her for a long time is creepy. "And I hope every splinter may find as good a husband as my wife has found." That is a bold and cocky statement which only satisfies his ego. I do believe Bounderby does indeed Louisa, but his demeanor and way he expresses himself is odd at the very least. In my opinion Bounderby is socially inept to love anyone other than himself. His social status among the community allows this to be overlooked.
I agree with Katie D’s comment regarding the love relationship between Louisa and Mr. Bounderby. Their relationship is no doubt an awkward one, but so is the entire marriage situation. Louisa’s marriage was not forced, but her father, Mr. Gradgrind implied that she needed to do it. While it was her decision to accept the proposal she was obviously pressured into it. “’Should I marry him?’ repeated Louisa, with great deliberation…’you do not come to the consideration of that question with the previous habits of mind, and habits of life, that belong to many young women.’” Mr. Gradgrind later mentions that he and his wife (Louisa’s mother) married in the same fashion, which partially explains why he wants the marriage. Marrying for love doesn’t seem to be a concept addressed in the book. However, at the end of chapter 16 we do discover Louisa’s reservations about embarking on a honeymoon/business trip with Bounderby.
I agree with Katie D's analysis of Louisa's marriage proposal from Mr. Bounderby in that she accepts not out of love or even thought for herself but to please her father. I would add too that her father pretty much knows she will say yes to his friend's proposal because in his mind she is "not impulsive..not romantic..accustomed to view everything from the strong dispassionate ground of reason and calculation" and I would argue that that "ground of reason and calculation" is the lifestyle he has created for his children. This however, is ironic because his daughter has shown that she is not completely unimpulsive and unromantic and if he saw it from her perspective marrying Mr. Bounderby might not be the most reasonable choice because of their awkward and slightly creepy relationship.
I agree with Alex's comment about love in the marriages in the book, or lack thereof. Another example of this can be seen in Stephen Blackpool's marriage. His wife is a drunk which causes him to develop feelings for his maid Rachael. Blackpool stays in the marriage because it's all he's known. However one night Blackpool comes home to his wife drunk and she nearly drinks poison. He is content to let her but Rachael stops her subsequently making Blackpool fall for her a little more. "I coom home desp’rate. I coom home wi’out a hope, and mad wi’ thinking that when I said a word o’ complaint I was reckoned a unreasonable Hand. I told thee I had had a fright. It were the Poison-bottle on table." (ch 13)
I agree with Maddy's prediction. I agree that Rachael wouldn't marry Blackpool if Mrs. Blackpool died since Rachael wouldn't want to be disrespectful to her friend by marrying Blackpool. Considering Blackpool views her as an angel and Rachael's personality, Rachael has a virtuous purity that wouldn't allow her to marry Blackpool even if she desired to. However, I do have a different prediction about what will happen between Rachael and Blackpool. I predict that Rachael will try to help Blackpool with a predicament just like how she helped Mrs. Blackpool.
I agree with Lindsay and Erin's quotes (used in their first posts) that support how Harthouse is different from the other character's and Coketown. It is very clear that Dickens' was trying to contradict Harthouse with his own society. Harthouse is seen as good-looking, and has qualities about himself that make him unique. He also differs from his society's standards due to the fact that he is looking for something to engage him. Most of the people around him know. Also going off of the criticism given by Mrs. Sparsit of Coketown, (mentioned in Erin's quote) everything is the same throughout and there is very little variety.
I agree with Katie D. that Louisa has been put in the strange situation of marrying Mr. Bounderby through not having ever experienced love in the past, but I do believe one of the reasons she decided to marry Mr. Bounderby was to help Tom. Since Tom is learning a lot from Mr. Bounderby as he becomes an adult, Louisa feels that accepting the marriage will be helpful for him. The marriage is clearly not for her own benefit, though. Although she accepts the proposal, she isn't very happy about it. When she accepts she says, "Let it be so. Since Mr. Bounderby likes to take me thus, I am satisfied to accept his proposal," (Chapter 15). Louisa uses "satisfied" as a way to show that she isn't very happy or in love, but doesn't want to refuse the marriage. Louisa is clearly accepting the proposal for the benefit of Tom and her father, but not for herself.
In response to Wyatt's comment "Tom was used to convince Louisa to marry Mr. Bounderby, so that Louisa and Tom will be close again and he could use the marriage against Mr. Bounderby's authority", I disagree with Tom Jr.'s motives for wanting Louisa to marry Mr. Bounderby, and agree that Tom Jr. wants to use the marriage to his advantage. Tom's life has changed by the time he talks to Louisa about the marriage proposal. Tom Jr. has moved to live with Bounderby. As I mentioned in an earlier comment(Chap. 6-12), Tom Jr. told Louisa how he would use her name to lessen Bounderby's anger when Tom Jr. makes a mistake. Now, he comes to Louisa, obviously talking about the proposal, and stating his encouragement of it. Tom Jr. knows that Louisa is unhappy, and will become even more unhappy if she marries Bounderby. Despite this knowledge, he continues to press Louisa to accept the proposal. By manipulating Louisa's feeling of sibling love, Tom Jr. tries to coerce Louisa into the marriage, saying "You are very fond of me, an't you Loo?"(Pg. 125)and reminding her of how they "might be so much ofterner together"(Pg. 125) if Louisa accepts the proposal. Tom Jr. was not used as a means to encourage the proposal, but rather encouraged the proposal as a way to placate Bounderby by being his brother-in-law. And further still, Tom Jr. is not doing this out of brotherly love, but self-interest,
It appears that the marriage of Louisa and Mr. Bounderby is very bland and it seems just as if they are only getting married to make others happy. The marriage is also so very little prioritized that the wedding ceremony is described in a very short paragraph. "So the day came, as all other days come to people who will only stick to reason; and when it came, there were married in the church of the florid wooden legs — that popular order of architecture — Josiah Bounderby Esquire of Coketown, to Louisa eldest daughter of Thomas Gradgrind Esquire of Stone Lodge, M.P. for that borough. And when they were united in holy matrimony, they went home to breakfast at Stone Lodge aforesaid." (pg. 83). The style in which Dickens chose to write this part of the book clearly creates the impression that this may not last. After all, the description of the ceremony and the reception are two very short paragraphs. It is depicted and unimportant, so it seems.
Both the sowing and reaping of seeds are a natural process that occur during the life of a plant. Sowing is the beginning of the plant life, or the rooting of said plant; while reaping is an action that occurs later in the plants life that decides what will happen to it in the next stages of it's life, whether the plant will be eaten, used for supplies, or just cut down. This image can be translated into Hard Times because the characters themselves go through this natural process. They are raised by a parent, but the "reaping" of the characters are to be determined by them and their actions to come; actions to be determined by themselves with little to no outside influence. Louisa was introduced to the world, and she did decide to marry and start a family.
I agree with Alex, the way that Mr. Bounderby talks about Louisa is rather awkward and creepy. He seems to be unable to present his words and feelings about Louisa in a manner that is consistent with social norms. The fact that he has watched Louisa's "bringing-up" creates an atmosphere of a possible stalker, as it were.
Mrs. Blackpool from killing herself. Using these events I predict that Mrs. Blackpool will pass away soon, allowing Mr. Blackpool to further his relationship with Rachael. However, they will not get married because of Rachael. Even though she loves him back, she will not want to get married out of respect to Mrs. Blackpool. Rachael is too kind to disrespect her childhood friend like that.
I agree with what Maddy said about Rachael, Mrs.Blackpool, and Stephen Blackpool. I completely agree with her point that Dickens foreshadowed Mrs. Blackpool dying soon. The fact that Rachael saved her from killing herself instead of Stephen stopping her really proves that Stephen Blackpool really is utterly smitten with Rachael, but the reader can definitely tell that there's going to be more drama that has to do with that threesome in the later chapters of the book.
Sissy Jupe's life has changed dramatically after her father left. Living in the Stone Lodge, she is forced to go to school and work for Mrs. Gradgrind or be kicked out. However, despite these environmental changes, Sissy's emotional state of mind remains much unchanged. Sissy still "preserve[s] that bottle"(pg. 122), meaning the bottle of nine oils her father asked for before leaving. The bottle shows Sissy's still hopes for her father's return, and that she hasn't started to live in to the factual world of Thomas Gradgrind. Mr. Gradgrind recognizes that Sissy's "continuance at the school any longer would be useless"(Pg. 121) even though she put in much effort to learn there. Among the other characters in these chapters, Sissy had one of the most extreme environmental changes without much emotional change.
According to Dictionary.com, a good definition for sow is to implant, promulgate, or to introduce. This is obviously seen when Mr. Gradgrind and Mrs. Gradgrind make sure that Tom and Louisa are only "introduced" to the facts that they want them to know. This is supported by the fact that whenever Louisa or Tom starts to fancy, it is immediately shut down. Then, reaping means to get a return, response or recompense. This is seen when Tom wants Louisa to marry Mr. Bounderby so that he can get higher up in the bank. Tom wants to reap the rewards from Louisa marrying Mr. Bounderby. In chapter 16, Husband and Wife it is seen that Louisa reluctantly will marry Mr. Bounderby, but she will do it because of Tom. Tom says they will be under the same roof, which encourages her even more to marry. Louisa's reluctance is seen when it says, "She clung to him as she should have clung to some far better nature that day, and was a little shaken in her reserved composure for the first time." She only wants to marry Mr. Bounderby so that she can be close to Tom.
I believe that Stephen Blackpool is anticipating the death of Mrs. Blackpool, and as horrible as it is, he's looking forward to it because it would be his chance to marry Rachael without having to pay a ton of money for a divorce. Of course this will not go through because Rachael will not want to marry Mr. Blackpool because she will not want to betray her friend, especially after helping her as she's dying. The relationship between Mr. Blackpool and Rachael might grow more, but it will not end in marriage.
I agree with Teryn when she said that Mr. Bounderby's marriage is bland and only met to make other people happy. That is the specific reason that they are getting married in the first place. So that she can help Tom get higher in the bank, and also Tom told her that they would be living in the same household if Mr. Bounderby got marries to Louisa.
I agree with Katie H. and Alex about the entire fiasco with Mr. Bounderby and Louisa. Not only is it very creepy how Mr. Bounderby acts with her, but it's also very strange how she handles the whole proposal situation. The way she tells her father that she will accept the proposal is by first asking Mr. Gradgrind "shall I marry him? That is so, father, is it not? You have told me so, father. Have you not?" and after he agrees she says "Let it be so. Since Mr. Bounderby likes to take me thus, I am satisfied to accept his proposal. Tell him, father, as soon as you please, that this was my answer"(pg100). The fact that Louisa is so polite and calm about the proposal is a little bit creepy and really shows the reader that her father and his ways of doing things is really rubbing off on her.
Something interesting that permeates the chapters of Hard Times is both the Fact and the fiction. The comparisons between the hard, cold monotonous facts and such fanciful and whimsical things such as Unicorns. Mrs. Sparsit working in the bank, "considered herself, in some sort, the Bank Fairy. The townspeople who, in their passing and repassing, saw her there, regarded her as the Bank Dragon keeping watch over the treasures of the mine." Here Mrs. Sparsit is described as both being a fairy, and a dragon, both of which are magical creatures who are not factual, and often portrayed in all manner of fanciful artwork and stories. As such I find that it is quite interesting that the woman whom Mr. Bounderby, a fact filled man, finds to be very respectful, is described so. The town as a whole is described as a very factual town, and they thought of Mrs. Sparsit as a Dragon, despite this factual obsession. This suggests that although many of the people of Coketown are overly factual, the whimsies of fiction and non-fact still pervade their minds and their lives, as they do in the book itself.
I agree with Alexis in that Louisa is only marrying Bounderby because she wants to be close to the brother that she cares about. I also think that she is being pressured into it by all of the interested parties, including her brother, her parents who now are getting some personal benefit from the event. Although Louisa doesn't actually want to marry Bounderby, she does so because she has been crushed by the facts which her family has forced upon her since she was little, Tom Jr. is one of the only people she really cares about because of this. She doesn't want to live without him, and so is able to outweigh her reluctantly in marrying Bounderby by the benefit that it will bring to her brother, as well as her moving into the same household as him again.
I agree with Wyatt and Justin. The definition of sowing is to "plant a seed by scattering it on or in the earth." It is the beginning of a process. The process referred to in the book is the raising of Sissy, Tom Jr., and Louisa. Mr. And Mrs. Gradgrind raised Tom Jr. And Louisa from the beginning. They sowed their seeds and raised them to be what they wanted. Sissy began living with Mr. Gradgrind later in her life, however they tried to resow her seeds by changing who she was. They tried to make her like them. That is what the first book is about; the sowing of seeds, which are the children. The second book is called "The Reaping". The definition of reaping is to "cut or gather (a crop or harvest). The reaping that occurs is that Sissy, Tom Jr., and Sissy are reaped from the family. They have grown up, essentially, and are ready to start living separate lives. Sissy is told that she will never be how they want her to be. Mr. M'Choakumchild tells her that she will not mold to the shape they want her to be. However she can continue with her living arrangements. Tom Jr. Is now relatively grown up. When he was younger he strayed from fact to imagination, with Louisa, but now he has grown up and become like his father and Mr. Bounderby. He currently works for Mr. Bounderby so he is bound to become the harvest that his family wants him to be. There are two definitions of reaping. The other one is to "receive a (reward or benefit) as a consequence of one's own or other people's actions." Both the definitions of reaping apply to Louisa. The Gradgrinds raised Louisa to be the stereotypical Coketown child; to live according to fact. Mr. Bounderby watched Louisa being raised (sowed) and when she was old enough (to be reaped) he sought out to marry her. The second definition comes in hand with Mr. Gradgrinds, Louisa's father. He wanted the marriage to occur because he was friends with Mr. Bounderby and it would benefit him if they married. It will benefit Louisa by allowing her a comfortable lifestyle but she will never truly be happy.
I agree with what Sam said about Sissy going through the most environmental change out of all the character. Even with all the change Sissy goes through she still if somehow able to remain hopeful that her father will return. Mr. Gradgrind's attempts to change Sissy into a more factual person instead of a dreamer end up failing. Sissy is unable to to accept the factual life of most of Coketown's people. This shows how not everyone in Coketown is as factual as Mr. Gradgrind wants, and Sissy's inability to accept the facts will most likely create conflict between her and Mr. Gradgrind later on in the book.
I agree with Alex that chapter 16 is a very defining chapter in this section. I agree that the interaction between Bounderby and Mrs.Sparsit is strangely different and awkward. Dickens creation of their encounter is plagued by a small sense of insecurity where neither of the two really know how to react to each other. Mrs. Sparsit appears to be in disapproval but can only come to express how much she hopes for Mr. Bounderby to be as happy as he deserves to be. Dickens even describes a pause in their dialogue as very awkward within their talks. I would say that Bounderby's statements about his love for Louisa are rather out of place or misled, rather than creepy. I do not believe Bounderby is trying to be creepy and is genuinely trying to love someone as he has not yet learned how to do. In my opinion it's rather harsh to say that just because he holds high position, his decisions are overlooked in the community. I believe all he is trying to express is love, which he seemingly does not know how to and is hard for someone who is inexperienced in manners of love.
Lindsay's annalysis of James Harthouse is spot on. Her last line, "Coketown emphasizes facts, whereas Harthouse emphasizes, ultimately nothing." is the main aspect of why Harthouse is such a different character. He is a character not controlled by "fact" and because of this he brings a new aspect to the book. Because of Harthouse's lack of purpose or goals in life, Mr. Bounderby's description of Coketown is very different from Harthouse. The fact that everyone has a "ultimate object in life" and Harthouse's is simply to no longer be bored is very differnt. I also believe it is rather ironic that Harthouse does choose to travel to Coketown while looking for excitement; because of its emphasis of fact, Coketown is rather boring.
Bryan's mention of irony in the title of the Books is exactly right. The irony that the books are labeled by ideals of utilitarianism yet the book clearly shows that there is more harm than help is very interesting. The first book clearly showed that there is an attempt of a metaphorical planting of seeds in the minds of characters in a book toward what a citizen should be and think like. For example, Mr. Gradgrinds emphasis of fact in school. This "planting of seeds" directly reflects the title of the first book "sowing". This connection between the first book and its title gives a clear expectation that as the second book is titled "reaping" there will be a collection of benefits from the "seed planting" in the previous chapter.
I agree with Sami S. that Rachel will try to help Blackpool like she helped his wife, because it seems like it would just be in her nature to do so.
I would like to elaborate on Wilson's response to Justin's comment. I support the idea that Louisa is exclusively marrying Mr. Bounderby to please her father, as he has presented her with facts that justify her marriage to a man so much older than her. In chapter 15 He says, "a large proportion of of these marriages are contracted between parties of very unequal ages, and the elder of these contracting parties is... the bridegroom." While I believe Louisa is capable of love and passion, it remains absent from her marriage because a lifetime of forcibly suppressing her emotions has removed her from all forms of intimate human contact. Gradgrind encourages his daughter to marry Bounderby based upon his own best interests rather than Louisa's further emphasizing the inhabitants of Coketown's inability to exemplify normal human emotion. Through this contrast Dicken's is again able to emphasize the mechanical qualities of Coketown and its residents.
While I agree with Berit's and Maddy's prediction regarding the future of Mrs. Blackpool, I do not believe that her assertion that Rachael saved Mrs. Blackpool out of mere respect or camaraderie for her. Instead I would postulate that Rachael saved her to help alleviate the guilt that she felt towards the burgeoning relationship between her and Stephen. I also believe that Rachael has a very steady conscience, and would not want to base a future relationship on a death that she could have prevented. Finally, she also wanted to prevent the harm that Stephen would feel by not being able to save his wife. In this way, Stephen believes she has saved his soul, even causing him to say, "Thou changest me from bad to good. Thou mak'st me humbly wishfo' to be more like thee, and fearfo' to lose thee when this life is ower, and a' the muddle cleared awa'. Thou'rt an Angel". Clearly this act can be seen as furthering the feelings between the two to the next level, while continuing to cause said feelings to be taboo.
The chapter Father and daught indicates a significant change in Lousia. Not only through her marriage, but from child to adult. Raising a kid only through facts is not a good thing to do to a child. If you poison what you sow you will reap poisoned friuts. Louisia is becoming the facts that she was raised by, seen most evidently by Sissy who witnessed "From that moment she was impassive, proud, and cold-held Sissy at a distance- changed to her altogather." Up until then Lousia and Sissy had been friends, but I think that that friendship has come to and end, esspesially since having to leave Sissy wasn't even factored into weather or not Lousia should marry Mr.Bounderby.
I agree with Katie D’s analysis of Louisa’s situation. She was completely perplexed when Gradgrind asked this of her, yet nevertheless agreed. As Justin proved, Louisa possessed no interest in marrying this significantly older man aside from her father’s wishes. This displays the lack of control Louisa has in her own life. As an extension of this, this also reveals her lack of intuition and decision making skills as a result of her fact-oriented education and childhood. Louisa’s ultimately forced marriage exposes the idea that a fact driven world can lead to intellectual oppression.
I agree with what Sam said about Sissy having one of the most dramatic envirmental changes and one of the least evident emotiona changes. I think that this must be inpart from the fact that Sissy hasn't lost sight of why she's doing this. Sissy keeps her bottle perserved because the only reason she's learning all these facts, the only reason she's living with Mr.Gradgrind, is to impress her own father. There's an old saying that if you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything. Luosia didn't have any reason to do anything, no love or passion or motivation, so she just does what she's told, by her husband, brother, father, but Sissy stands for her love of her father, and it's for that that Sissy does not change.
All statements about James Harthouse's character are accurate. I agree that he has come to Coketown strictly out of boredom. Unlike many of the characters presented so far, he isn't hardened by the cruel factory life of Coketown. It is possible at this point that Dicken's introduced Harthouse to the plot solely to highlight a contrast between the outside world and Coketown. With that being said, other aspects of Harthouse's character are also relevant. His name, like many other characters could be described as a caricature. The "hart" in Harthouse could symbolize his ability to feel true emotion and love, or foreshadow his true motives for visiting Coketown such as filling his boredom with a romantic relationship with Louisa. He stands as a foreshadowing of events to follow and possibly a spiritual awakening in Louisa.
I agree with Alexis' first post because the first book's title of "sowing" is very fitting for the reasons she mentioned. It seems like the first book is mainly about ideas and thoughts, like the Gradgrinds not allowing their children to think of new ideas and "plant thoughts". Also many ideas happen, like the thought of Bounderby and Louisa getting married and what it would be like after.This is all the sowing. In book 2, being that it's a year in the future, all of the events and thoughts planted in book 1 are unfolding and the results are coming in.
One character that I believe is being under-analyzed is Mrs. Sparsit. Dickens has spent a good amount of time establishing her as an almost tragic character who has fallen from the pinnacle of society with the death of her husband. We can also see that she has developed a very close and personal relationship with Mr. Bounderby. It is even suggested that she might have developed somewhat romantic feelings towards him, as shown by the adverse reaction she has towards his wedding, and that he might reciprocate these feelings, as shown by the hesitance with which he told her.
The Blackpool family and Rachael are interesting because they're so different, yet still like each other. Rachael is an almost saint like character. She is depicted, in the beginning of chapter thirteen, as having light shining off of her face into the darkness with the quote "She turned her head, and the light of her face shone in upon the midnight of his mind". While this isn't exactly literal darkness, Rachael appears to emit light. In contrast, the blackpool family is different. In fact their very name has the word "black" in it: the opposite of light. Also, Mrs. Blackpool is a drug addict who is passed out being cared for by Rachael in chapter 13.
I think these chapters were almost humorously ironic. Well in particular when Stephen could'nt bring him self to save his wife because she was causing his life so much more misery than he needed and Rachel could. The fact that Rachel was able to save Mrs.Blackpool is a huge testament to her character because had Rachel let her die she couldve easily been with Stephen. "Dream or reality, he had no voice, nor had he power to stir. If this be real, and her allotted time be not yet come, wake, Rachael, wake!" This is what Stephen was thinking when his wife was about to commit suicide. He wanted his "mistress" to wake up and take care of the situation. This situation in a way shows Rachel's and Stephens true characters and how tht contrast.
I agree with Wilson's first comment about Mr. Gradgrind's true reasoning behind him wanting his daughter, Louisa, to marry Mr. Boundarby. I don't think that Gradgrind really cares about his daughters happiness, rather reaping the benefits of her marriage. When Louisa says, "There seems to be nothing there but languid and monotonous smoke. Yet when the night comes, fired bursts out, father!" it becomes clear that she doesn't want to marry Boundarby, but her father doesn't seem to care. I also think that this behavior sheds some more light on the character of Mr. Gradgrind. He is looking more and more like a heartless person due to his belief in cold, hard facts and his lack of allowance of his children pursuing different lifestyles than the one he raised them in. Gradgrind seems to be exactly how he is portrayed, and there is nothing different under the surface.
In response to Julia I agree with her to a certain extent. I feel like Rachel is too good of a person and will care for Mrs.Blackpool however I don't know if Stephen would try to help along the demise of his wife. Stephen not being able to help his wife when she was going to kill her self,to me, implied that he might even be willing to rush her death if it meant he could be with Rachel.
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