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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
46 comments:
Within the chapters 7-12, Mr. M'Choakumchild is one of several newly introduced characters. He is represented as the teacher of Sissy Jupe. His name is so unrealistic for a reason. It represents a caricature name in order to represent his unrealistic and ridiculous personality. For one, the idea that Sissy is oblivious to the fact that Mr. M'Choakumchild is not what he is made out to be. When Sissy and Louisa are discussing the M'Choakumchild's they discuss their personalities and almost the state of mind they're in."'Mr. and Mrs. M'Choakumchild never make any mistakes themselves, I suppose, Sissy?' 'Oh no!' she eagerly returned. 'They know everything!'" (pg.47) In context it seems as if Louisa believes that Sissy's teacher is helping her learn from her own mistakes, rather than the fact to make her look stupid. (as Sissy believes she is..) Not to mention the obliviousness that comes from Sissy when she exclaims that "they know everything!" is simply ridiculous and unrealistic, as provided by the caricature name of Mr. M'Choakumchild. Because though they can be intelligent people this does not mean that they never make mistakes nor know everything.
Stephen Blackpool is a personification of the city of Coketown. When the character was introduced, he was described as having a “hard working head sufficiently spacious,” and “iron grey hair [laying] long and thin,” (p 68). Coketown is an industrial, dirty town whose resources and people sufficiently function. However, it lacks aesthetic appeal and imagination. The use of the words “sufficiently” and “iron” directly refer to the basic, industrial characteristics of Coketown. His name, Blackpool is also a caricature for the town. Blackpool brings images of dirty and unkempt masses and areas, which is exactly what the town is depicted as. Stephen also lives a simple life, and it is mentioned multiple times that he has a remarkably “unlucky” and depressing lifestyle. It lacks inspiration or outlets, just as the work oriented, fact driven, Coketown does.
I agree with Teryn. Although Mr. M'Choakumchild is a briefly mentioned character, his caricature of a name perfectly displays his personality. He represents the popular yet unrealistic and ultimately debilitating tendency of Coketown’s reliance on facts. Sissy Jupe’s clear conflict with him displays a challenge to this belief.
Louisa Gradgrind is a victim of her upbringing. Although she contains the abilities to imagine and wonder, she must constantly suppress them to escape the watchful eye of Mr. and Mrs. Gradgrind. In chapter 8 When Louisa was talking to Sissy Jupe, she began to wonder about her childhood and Ms. Gradgrind reminded her that she must "never wonder". Louisa embodies both the cold, emotionless characteristics of the factual, monotonous world of Mr. Gradgrind as well as the curious, fanciful characteristics of Sissy Jupe. This contrast emphasizes the overall theme of chapters 7-12 that Dickens wants to further expand on. Louisa serves as reinforcement of the relationship between factual evidence and imaginative thought.
I agree with Lindsay's comment about Stephen Blackpool's relationship to the image of Coketown. Blackpool is a "Hand", the lowest job one can have in Coketown. By using a name that represents a body part that does the repetitive actions of a factory worker, he is able to dehumanize an entire group of people. This emphasizes the recurring pattern of neglect and underappreciation the working class in Coketown receive from the wealthy such as Mr. Gradgrind. Dickens introduces a contrast between Mr. Gradgrind and Blackpool based upon their overall integrity despite their economical differences. While Mr. Gradgrind looks down on the poor and accuses them of being "lazy good-for-nothings", Blackpool stays in his awful marriage simply because divorcing his wife would break laws.
While I agree with Katie Kemp's point about Louisa Gradgrind, I believe that it is also important to note that she is not merely a victim of her upbringing, as she does manage to hold on to some of her wonder and awe despite her father. This is best shown through the scene where she convinces her brother to go to the circus with her despite her father's wishes. This proves that she has an indomitable spirit and is a strong character.
One of the most interesting characters added to the plot is Stephen Blackpool. While initially he is initially portrayed as a simple but pure character, there is a slow but definite change in his personality. The change occurs when he begins to fall in love. For nearly his entire life, he had been married to an abusive woman whom he didn't love, simply because it was the law. When he begins to fall for another woman, as would be typical for as "unlucky" of a man as he is, he begins to abandon his law-abiding morals and attempts to get a divorce. For the first time he begins to question his place in life, showing that the author believes that love changes people, potentially for the worse.
While I agree with Matt's comment about Louisa, I do think that she is a strong character and not a victim of her upbringing, but she won't leave or disobey her father. This is seen in chapter 12 when Louisa has a chance to elope with Harthouse like Mrs. Sparsit believes she will. This shows that Louisa, even though she disobeyed her father and went to the circus in chapter 4 she is not willing to disobey him in such a serious way as to elope. Showing that she may be a strong character, but is still slightly bound to her father.
Mrs. Sparsit, Josiah Bounderby housekeeper who was born into a high class family with money has since fell on to "hard times" after the death of her husband. Mrs. Sparsit is the opposite of Bounderby. She used to be rich and is now poor while Bounderby used to be poor and is now rich. Which is why there is irony in the fact that she is his housekeeper. She fell and he climbed to get where they are and now Mrs. Sparsit would do anything to get back being high class like she used to be.
I agree with Lindsay, how Stephen Blackpool is a "personification of Coketown". Stephen represents the working class of Coketown, the men who work hard everyday to feed their family. Coketown is shown to be a hard working factory town, where smoke fills the skies, which gives Coketown the look of a dirty, gloomy, and depressive place an "ugly citadel, where Nature was as strongly bricked out as killing airs and gases were bricked in.(pg. 65). This is represented by Stephen Blackpool appearance, he is" a rather stooping man, with a knitted brow, a pondering expression of face,and a hard-looking head sufficiently capacious, on which his iron-grey hair lay long and thin." (Pg. 66). This further more describes Stephan as a factory man, who works very hard at his job.
Chapter 12 is a very significant and mysterious chapter In this part of the novel. It brings up many questions about the old woman, and why she has traveled 40 odd miles to just see Mr. Bounderby. This brings up the question of what type of relationship is/was between this old woman and Mr. Bounderby. She might have been a motivator for Mr. Bounderby while he hit his rough patch in life, this is why she seems so interested in him, how he looks, "was he portly, bold, outspoken, and hearty?"(pg. 82). Asking these types of questions to a random man who works for Mr. Bounderby is a mysterious thing to say. This is why this chapter is all about the readers interpretation.
Stephen Blackpool is an honest & hardworking man who doesn't have any luck on his side and lives a poor life. When Blackpool discusses with Mr. Bounderby about his issues with his wife and the possibility of getting a divorce, Mr. Bounderby is disappointed with Blackpool's thinking. He accuses Blackpool of "Turning into the wrong road" and claims to see "Traces of the turtle soup, and venison, and a gold spoon" involved (pg. 78). Earlier, Mr. Bounderby had claimed Blackpool to be a reasonable "Hand" who didn't expect to be fed on turtle soup and venison on a golden spoon. Right after Mr. Bounderby convinced Blackpool of not getting a divorce, he seems to have changed his mind about Blackpool. Mr. Bounderby is threatened by the very thought of Blackpool gaining contentment and believes Blackpool is becoming unreasonable. While Blackpool is trying to gain some fulfillment by trying to divorce his alcoholic wife, he only wants to marry the one he truly loves and nothing more.
The introduction of Stephen Blackpool is important because he shows how the working class of Coketown lives. The working class is constantly referred to as "Hands", making them seem less like individuals and more like a group. By introducing Stephen, Dickens gives some insight about how the working class is treated. This character also shows how the rich get more than the poor in Coketown. For example when Stephen tries to get a divorce he is told that he cant because there are laws against it. He is also told that if he were rich he could get around the law but since he is poor he can not get a divorce. The lack of say the the poor have (like not being able to get a divorce) makes them less important to the middle class and therefore at times they are ignored. Even though the introduction of Stephen gives more insight into the working classes lives, there is still little attention given to the the working class making them seem less important then the middle class.
Most comments are focused on characters but I believe that in chapters 7-12 that the display of vivid imagery of life for the characters within in just as important. At the beginning of chapter 11 is a stunning example of the imagery throughout whether very apparent to the reader or has a deeper meaning with more analysis needed. "A clattering of clogs upon the pavement; a rapid ringing of bells; and all the melancholy mad elephants, polished and oiled up for the day's monotony, were at their heavy exercise again." (pg. 51). This displays not only a use of alliteration, but also the image that Stephen was like an "elephant, polished and oiled up for the day's monotony" when he is waking up and getting ready for work which he would continue his "heavy exercise again". Which gives the image of a hard working man who has a very structured daily routine, and also a very hard worker and good employee as he bends "over his loom, quiet, watchful, and steady." (pg. 51). He is a quiet worker, but a very hard-working one as well.
I agree with Wyatt an Lindsay that Stephen Blackpool is a personification of Coketown, but Coketown cannot be personified by just him because he does want to make his life better. With his want to divorce his wife and be with Rachel we must assume that as he personifies Coketown that "Coketown" has the same want. The other side we have to look at is why Coketown is the way it is. This aspect of the city, in my opinion, is personified by Mr. Bounderby. When Blackpool asks if there is a way with the law that he can get out of his marriage, Bounderby responds saying "it's not for you at all. It costs money. It costs a mint of money" (Ch. 11). Mr. Bounderby essentially says that there is no way out for Stephen and it is the same for Coketown. No matter how much change is wanted there is simply no way for it to happen because the upperclass will grant no help.
I agree with Sami regarding her statement about Stephen Blackpool. He is a character who has everyone and everything against him. Blackpool is a genuinely good man that works hard for is unappreciative wife and his corrupt employer. He works a dead end job as a "hand" which no doubt pays little-to-nothing and has for "A dozen year" . That's sad. Bounderby's persuasion to keep Blackpool from getting a divorce shows Bounderby's power of manipulation and Blackpool's weakness. The fact that Blackpools wife is a ragging alcoholic only justifies his divorce and maintains his integrity.
There is a quote at the beginning of Chapter 11: No Way Out that is significant because it illuminates ideas that are good for the reader to keep in mind while reading this story. The omniscient narrator said, "[N]ot all the calculators of the National Debt can tell me the capacity for good or evil, for love or hatred, for patriotism or discontent, for the decomposition of virtue into vice, or the reverse, at any single moment..."(page 42 in my book). This quote uses several rhetorical devices such as parallel structure (anaphora) and alliteration to emphasize the narrators ideas. The significance of the narrators thought is that they disagree with Mr. Gradgrind about everything needing to be factual. They see that not all knowledge can be gained scientifically through fact and that the brain needs imagination and curiosity to thrive. These are important ideas to keep in mind while reading the story.
Off of how Justin described Mrs. Sparsit, she is even more of the antithesis of Bounderby. Where Bounderby is prideful, Mrs. Sparsit is humble. Mrs. Sparsit is of high birth, whereas Bounderby comes from "the scum of the earth", as he describes himself. Bounderby uses Mrs. Sparsit as a feel-good device, poking at her poor luck to contrast and elevate his own good luck to feed his ego. In pages 59- 61, Bounderby describes Mrs. Sparsit's high standing in context of Jupe's circus backgraound. Bounderby asks Mrs. Sparsit "Why, what do you know about tumblers? At the time when, to have been a tumbler in the mud of the streets, would have been a godsend to me...You were coming out of the Italian Opera, ma'am, in white satin and jewels." (Pg. 59), contrasting Bounderby's childhood to Mrs. Sparsit's, simultaneously lowering Mrs. Sparsit's standing while rasing his own. Mrs. Sparsit does not deny her birth, but does not exalt herself above others as Bounderby does, despite the ways in which Bounderby tries to guilt trip her.
Nick Inslee is spot-on regarding his views of the city named Coketown. While Blackpool does personify some aspects of the city, such as, his poverty, dirtiness, and gloom the Coketown is much, much more. For starters, Coketown lacks the civil manners of Blackpool. It is a place where people have to claw their way to the top. On the other hand, Blackpool and Coketown are alike in this passage: "Machinery slackened; throbbing feebly like a faint pulse; stopped.... looming heavy in the in the black wet night-their tall chimneys rising up into the air like competing Towers of Babel." (Ch 12) The feeling that passage elicits is much the same feeling I get from Blackpool. Struggling to compete in his black, wet, concrete society.
I agree with Wyatt that chapter 12 is a very significant and mysterious chapter. However I believe that this chapter is less about the old womans personal relation with Mr. Bounderby, and more leaning toward her flawed view of the city. During this chapter, she says that "I come regular, to tramp about the streets, and see the gentlemen." (pg.63) I believe that this shows that she has an admiration for the ways of the city as she comes from the country. She asks these questions in admiration of the way the city runs and Mr. Bounderby for his ability to run it. Because she is an outsider from the country it is understandable that she doesn't understand city function and is curious about the city. It is fair to assume she is not in the best of financial situations which is why she can visit for only a day. Her persistence to visit may show that she has wished to previously live in the city.
I agree with Matt that Stephen Blackpool is a key addition to the plot, and that he is a pure character who is changed by his situations and that love is what's ultimately changing him. However, I disagree that this love is potentially changing him for the worse. His encounter with Mr. Bounderby in asking for a divorce is done humbly. Although Mr. Bounderby scoffs at this idea, Stephen does this out of love and a hope for change, for the better. Stephen works a low end job, is understandably poor, and has an alcoholic for a wife. So it would be hard for his situation to grow worse. The acts he takes through love are not ill-willed and are only focused towards the better. Stephen's acts may not always turn out satisfactory but he is doing them with good intentions and out of love.
I agree with Merritt regarding her comment on the contrast in the way each social class is treated in Coketown. I think it was very insightful to bring up the idea that the rich get more material objects and more say in what goes on in the town than the lower class residents, even if the upper class's opinions or ideas are not for the greater good of the town, just for the greater good of themselves.
One of the more interesting things about Mr. Bounderby is how infectious his personality and lack of humility is, the way that he can influence others to brag about him is quite astounding. "There was a moral infection of clap-trap in him. Strangers, modest enough elsewhere, started up at dinners in Coketown, and boasted, in quite a rampant way, of Bounderby." Bounderby while managing to be talked about also causes Mrs. Sparsit to be well known herself. "It was, for certain, more or less understood by the company that he had heard of Mrs. Sparsit." While Mrs. Sparsit is a personality herself, because if the way she and Bounderby are talked about, as if she is something like his shadow, is parallel to how he is the owner of the house, while she merely runs it.
Thomas Gradgrind Jr. was first introduced early in Hard Times as an accomplice of Louisa's in watching the circus. Throughout chapters 7-12, he is more thoroughly introduced. Tom Jr. is a teenager, who as Bounderby had pointed out earlier, is still too young for apprenticeship and needs more time for education, so is most likely around 15-16 years old. The first words Tom Jr. says are "I am sick of my life, Loo. I hate it altogether, and I hate everybody except you."(Pg.66) showcasing Tom Jr.'s distaste for his fact based life. Tom knows that Bounderby will take him in, and declares "When I go to live with old Bounderby, I'll have my revenge."(pg.68), meaning that Tom Jr. will make up for the factual life his father has put him through during his time with Bounderby. In order to appease Bounderby, who is of similar disposition to Thomas Gradgrind Sr., Tom Jr. will tell Bounderby "'My little sister Loo will be hurt and disappointed...She always used to tell me she was sure you would be easier with me than this.'"(Pg. 69). In this way, Tom Jr. contradicts his declared love of Louisa. Tom Jr. remarked of his hate for everyone save Louisa, but is willing to manipulate Bounderby by using Louisa's image, something that, if he loved Louisa, Tom Jr. would not do. The introduction of Tom Jr. is that of a teenager wanting to escape home, but who is willing to misuse his sister's image in order to get what he wants.
I strongly agree with Katie Kemp's first comment. I find it fascinating that even though Louisa is a Gradgrind and was brought up in the manner that she was, she is obviously still a curious child and therefore has no control over her imagination and curiosity. Her curiosity and imagination expands even more when she starts to talk to Sissy, which is ironic since Sissy is the complete opposite of Louisa's father.
In relation to what Sam Said in the above comment, I think that while Tom Jr. may be hypocritical in his love of Louisa she is very protective of him, and is pleased in a way, that he is able to use her name to protect himself from Bounderby. In the first few chapters Louisa claims all responsibility for Tom Jr. and herself being at the circus, and again in chapter eight she attempts to protect him from being reprimanded for her 'faults'. Louisa is continually only talkative and warm with her brother, while even with her parents she is cold and surly. She and Tom Jr. are in a cold fact filled house together, and have bonded in such a way as to liberate themselves in small communal ways to protect each other from the bland world of facts and the people in them. As such I think that the siblings do care about each other, and have banded together to keep themselves safe from their factual lives in stone lodge.
In regards Matt's first comment, I also think that Stephen Blackpool is quite an interesting man. Reader's kind of have to pity him, even in the very beginning of introducing his character the speaker says that "It is said that every life has its roses and thorns; there seemed, however, to have been a misadventure or mistake in Stephen's case, whereby somebody else had become possessed of his roses.."
(pg. 66). I really liked that description because even though it's very sad, it also gives Stephen Blackpool a lot of character, it makes the reader want to know more about who Stephen Blackpool is and what all the problems were in his life.
I agree with Berit's analysis of Louisa, that she is naturally curious despite being reared by the Grandgrinds and I love that her imagination was able to stay imaginative despite her father's approach to schooling. I also think that when Louisa meets Sissy Jupe and becomes friends with her, since her imagination is able to be acknowledged instead of shut down it shows that Dicken's believed that you can't always condition children to be factual, cold, uncreative people, but you especially can't when children socialize with other children and socialization between children is important for a healthy imagination
I agree with Wyatt's comment in that the old woman creates a mysterious tone for chapter 12. Readers only know the fact that she saves her entire years worth of hard earned cash in order to travel to Coketown to admire Mr. Bounderby. Stephen, who speaks to the woman briefly, is too caught up in his own personal problems to question the woman further about her reasons to be in Coketown. Just the fact that she doesn't even have a name adds to this mysterious tone. It seems that Stephen remembers her from somewhere, "He certainly had never seen this woman before. Yet there was a vague rememberance in his mind" (chapter 12). The old woman seems to be remembered somehow, wether it be due to the fact that Stephen had seen her somewhere before or that she reminds him of the others who live in Coketown who admire Mr. Bounderby as well.
Matt and Justin's interpretations of Louisa not being a victim of her upbringing and Sam's connection to the relationship of Louisa and Thomas form a connection in which it shows that Louisa is more pitied, because she is a girl. That is, according to Thomas. "'Oh! You,' said Tom. "you are a girl, Loo, and a girl comes out of it better than a boy does" (pg. 44) in context, Tom compares himself to a mule in which Louisa agrees that it is a pity for both of them to have their father think of them that way. Tom then argues that he has it much worse because he is a boy. Therefore, it is not simply that Louisa can be considered a victim since she is given more pity than her brother. Creating the idea that masculinity is very important to Mr. Gradgrind, which had also been established in the first 6 chapters. He wants to pass down his beliefs about masculinity down to his son in hope that he will believe the same things as his father has raised him to do so.
I would like to draw attention to the chapter on the old woman. Does anyone else think it's a little strange that she comes forty miles just to get a look at Mr. Bounderby? If everyone can recall, in the earlier chapters of the novel, Mr. Bounderby says, "My mother? Bolted, ma'am!" I almost feel like this old woman is Mr. Bounderby's mother. Just as Jupe's father left her for her benefit, it's fair to reason that that is the same reason that Mr. Bounderby's mother left him. This can be seen on page 559, and it says, "And how did he look, sir? Was he portly, bold, outspoken, and hearty?" She speaks so highly of a man that she has only seen once a year. She is scared to approach him because Mr. Bounderby hates his mother and she is scared of being rejected. Therefore, in my opinion the old woman, is indeed Mr. Bounderby's mother.
I agree with Katie Kemp's comment on Louisa. She is constantly on the watchful eye of her parents, but the taste of imagination is almost worth the trouble that comes with it. She even says that if Jupe and her got caught talking, the punishment would be worth it. Although, she is suppressed about being fanciful, she doesn't care, that who she really wants to be. She doesn't want to be someone made up just of facts, she wants the freedom to think freely.
It seems to me that throughout the entire book so far and especially in ch 10-11 Dickens uses alcohol as a motif to go along with poverty and suffering, for example Mr. Bounderby's grandmother was a drunk and he suffered a horrible childhood for it. In ch 10 we meet Stephen Blackpool, who is poor and therefore his wife is poor and to cope with being so poor she has become an alcoholic. Her alcoholism juxtaposes Rachel's purity and although Stephen pities his wife's vice he nonetheless wishes he could be away from her and with Rachel; maybe then he would be less miserable.
Also I completely agree with Alexis that the old woman is probably Mr. B's absent mother, come back out of guilt.
In regards to Lindsay's comment on Blackpool being a personification of Coketown, I completely agree. His gritty hard life embodies the factory labors in the "ugly citadel, where Nature was strongly bricked out as killing airs and gases were bricked in". This shows how rough working life truly was.
To speak to Matt and Katie K's earlier dispute on Louisa, I feel that there is a line to walk between the two points of view. While she does have some wonder left that was not emotionally beaten out of her by her father, she is still the recipient of poor parenting.
I believe that although many of the adults in Louisa's life encourage her not to wonder, Sissy Jupe encourages it even if she doesn't mean to. In Chapter 9, Louisa asks Sissy Jupe so many questions because she is curious about what Sissy's life was like before starting school at M'Choakumchild, especially since Sissy Jupe's life is much different from Louisa's. Louisa says to Sissy during their conversation, "Finish by telling me how your father left you, Sissy. Now that I have asked you so much, tell me the end." This is an example of how Louisa does have so much curiosity and wonder. The household she has been raised in has made her more this way and that's why she is so curious about Sissy Jupe's life and wants to hear so many of her stories. I think this will cause some conflict with Mr. and Mrs. Gradgrind later on. Also, does anyone have any idea about how old Louisa, Sissy Jupe, and Tom Jr. are?
Tom Jr. seems to be stuck between his father's ideas on how to live and his sister's. Louisa is beginning to question this strict lifestyle while his father and Mr. Bounderby are constantly reminding him to never wonder. In chapter 9, Louisa asks Sissy Jupe about living with her father. Tom Jr has to constantly remind her to be careul becuase Mr. Bounderby could hear her at any moment. Tom is expected to become an apprentice at Bounderby's bank; requiring him to take part in the dull, colorless society. I think Tom has a chance to go either way, to begin to wonder like his sister or to turn into a replica of his father; or just go insane from being stuck in the middle. If he has to constantly remind his sister about the rules his father has instilled then he could quickly begin to sound just like his father; which we can see is something that he would hate to become.
I agree with Alexis' comment about the old woman. The old woman seems eager to see Mr. Bounderby and asks Stephen Blackpool many questions about Mr. Bounderby, curious to know how he is and how he looks. She takes a 40 mile trip just to see him and travels 40 miles back to her home. She seems to really care for him if she's willing to save up her money just to take a once a year trip to see Mr. Bounderby.
I agree with Matt, that Stephen Blackpool seems like a pretty basic character up until the reader learns of him falling in love. I also agree that it's very interesting how much he seems to care for the law when talking to Mr. Bounderby, but suddenly starts to not care as much about the law when he realizes that he is in love and wants to change who he is with for the rest of his life since his current marriage is to a woman who is constantly drunk, and there is no love left in that relationship despite Blackpool's patience.
It seems as though Sissy is Louisa's way into what a "true" childhood was. Sissy grew up reading fairy tales and fictional stories and Louisa had none of that. Mr. Gradgrind said that Sissy should not have grown up reading that nonsense so it is obvious that Louisa never had the chance to. Although Mr. Gradgrind believes in only facts it is clear that for a full childhood fiction must be introduced which is what makes Louisa so curious. Louisa grew up under Mr. Gradgrind's rules which makes Sissy an example of what her childhood could have been like.
In regards to Alexis's comment about the old woman being Mr. Boundarby's mother, I agree and would like to expand on the idea. It makes sense that she would be his mother because it is rare that there are completely random characters in literary works. She may have some other significant role in the story that is unknown thus far, but I think that if she were Bounderby's mother, it would fit into the story well. When she says, "Now, if I am obliged to go back without a glimpse of him - I only want a glimpse - well!" It demonstrates how specific her reason for being in town is, and I am intrigued to continue reading to discover what her purpose in the plot is.
I agree with Julia's comment about how Sissy encourages Louisa's curiosity without meaning to. When Louisa and Sissy are talking in Chapter 9, Louisa can't help but ask her questions about Sissy's childhood. Even though Louisa was raised to only think about facts, it's natural for her to be curious, because all kids are. Also Louisa's curiosity with Sissy's childhood shows her want to go against how she was raised. This curiosity has created some conflict between her and Mr. Gradgrind (Louisa's curiosity with the circus) and will most likely create a much larger conflict later on in the book.
Another thing that I would like to add about the old woman is that she is very different from most of the people of Coketown. She is very happy and optimistic, I think that lots of people coming into Coketown might see Coketown in a different light than those who live in Coketown, or how the narrorator explains Coketown. On page 52 "The lights in the great factories, which looked, when they were illuminated, like Fairy palaces- or the travelers by the expres train said so-..." The dreary outlook we see from the narrorator and from the charactors native to Coketown could be less from the atmosphere of the town, and reflect more on how the people who live their see it. We know that Coketown has a Circus visit at least sometime, and it always has a theatre. The theatre people I know are not normally close minded and factual. There must be some shining, creative side of Coketown we've yet to really see.
Commentting on what Mettit said about Sissy bringing out curiosity in Louisa, I would like to add that it seems that Louisa brings out more facts in Sissy. During their conversation Louisa was correcting and adding facts to what Sissy was saying. Seeing Lousia talk using facts in this manner brought out to us how her upbringing effected her. By correcting Sissy's mistakes, Louisa is enforcing the need to be both to have the right facts to use, and to be correct when using these facts.
Stephen Blackpool introduced an interesting dilemma in these chapters. He loves Rachel yet refuses to stray from his marital promises that make him extremely unhappy. This dilemma to me is a very intriguing one. Is it better to stay true to ones morals and live a miserable life of regret and yearning and honesty? Or is it better to live a life of betrayal happiness and love? "Stephen looked older, but he had had a hard life. It is said that every life has its roses and thorns; there seemed, however, to have been a misadventure or mistake in Stephen’s case, whereby somebody else had become possessed of his roses, and he had become possessed of the same somebody else’s thorns in addition to his own." This quote is perfect for Stephens situation. He is extremely unfortunate in his circumstances and his own goodness prevents him from being truly happy, and I find this fact extremely intriguing.
I agree with Sami 100%! Stephen is truly just trying to find contentment, and I feel like Mr. Bounderby is perhaps jealous that Blackpool has an oppertunity to be happy while the methods that he lives by make it nearly impossible. I think this could possibly be due to sado-massocihistic behavioral tendencies. Which he seems to portray frequently.
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