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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
slow-paced
informative
sad
medium-paced
charles dickens' is a socialist in the same way that pepsi is coke — identical at a glance, but upon closer inspection...
I enjoyed this Dickens novel, and liked the call to action at the end, although parts of the ending left me a little unsatisfied. Tom was a brat, and I am beyond annoyed about his escape from justice. I can see how the system failed him and it's not _all_ his fault, but even so, he needed to take way more ownership of his poor choices/actions. Louisa was twisted by that system of pure facts too, but we saw redemption and humanization with her! Several of the twists were predictable, but still well written. Due to the shorter length, I didn't get quite as attached to these characters, although Sissy and Rachael are both people I'd want to be friends with in real life.
Took me 36 years to read a Dickens novel. It felt like it took that long. And it did.
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Moral of the story - Sometimes there is no happily ever after.
Favourite characters - Rachael, Sissy Jupe, Jane Gradgrind
Least Favourite character - Mr Bounderby
Favourite character's name - Mr McChoakumchild
Favourite characters - Rachael, Sissy Jupe, Jane Gradgrind
Least Favourite character - Mr Bounderby
Favourite character's name - Mr McChoakumchild
The Good Samaritan was indeed a bad economist. Without becoming overly didactical, Dickens was able to explore in 'Hard Times' the contest between the oppositional conversations of Christian altruism (Louisa and Sissy) and market-driven, utilitarian self-interest (Bounderby and Bitzer). The novel takes its ethical position from the famous parable's narrative of redemptive love. You probably don't need to guess which side of this argument Dickens favors. The story was simple but deep. The characters were rich and dynamic. I was a tad let down by the soft ending, but still carried away by the full measure of Dickens' message of redemption, love and fancy.