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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
Oh, Dickens. What am I going to do with you?
It was a well crafted book from start to finish, full of subtle irony. In fact, I almost missed the irony of the entire ending. The characters were beautiful, diverse, perplexing, infuriating, and dynamic.
Even though some may call it a bleak book, I really enjoyed it. One of the themes Dickens explores, put into simple terms is Fact vs. Fiction. The leading figures in the industrial Coketown are all about fact, figure, and reason. In a sense, they are empiricists. One of these men (Gradgrind) endeavors to raise his two oldest children in a strict, rigid environment, suppressing all emotion and imagination. As Tom and Louisa become adults, their lives fall apart in two very different ways.
Dickens doesn't miss the opportunity to shed light on the social issues at hand. The working class people, although misjudged and mistreated, are usually the most sensible ones, even for lack of proper education.
The female characters in this book were fantastic!
I particularly liked the character of Louisa, who plays a prominent role in the book. She has been raised to suppress her emotions. She learns how to emulate the machine her father wants her to be, but she had to fight her inner spirit for years in order to do it. It leaves her empty and depressed, deciding that life is short and meaningless. She is described as a philosopher and deep thinker, remarkably full of self-possession.
Cecelia Jupe was also striking although she played a much smaller role. In contrast to Louisa's excellence at education, Sissy seems to stumble in her education because of her common sense and compassionate, simple mind. She is idealistic and as she grows older, instead of becoming disillusioned by the world she is moved with compassion to help people. There is a remarkable scene where she confronts a worldly, knowledgeable, man of rank and he is intimidated by her.
And then there is Rachael. She is the quiet, loyal, compassionate companion to the man she can never marry. She makes sacrifices for him without complaining and defends him when he is falsely accused.
None of these women really get what they want. But they all persevered and I was not left with the impression that they were unhappy. (In fact, it is pretty clearly stated that Sissy is happy).
It is also interesting to note that many of the characters find themselves in circumstances they can't change. Stephen has a wife who is a burden to him. Rachael cannot marry the man she loves. Louisa ends up in a loveless marriage. Sissy's father abandons her. And yet it seems like the one character who had the opportunity to better himself, leave his childhood behind, and achieve something is the one who falls the most.
It was a well crafted book from start to finish, full of subtle irony. In fact, I almost missed the irony of the entire ending. The characters were beautiful, diverse, perplexing, infuriating, and dynamic.
Even though some may call it a bleak book, I really enjoyed it. One of the themes Dickens explores, put into simple terms is Fact vs. Fiction. The leading figures in the industrial Coketown are all about fact, figure, and reason. In a sense, they are empiricists. One of these men (Gradgrind) endeavors to raise his two oldest children in a strict, rigid environment, suppressing all emotion and imagination. As Tom and Louisa become adults, their lives fall apart in two very different ways.
Dickens doesn't miss the opportunity to shed light on the social issues at hand. The working class people, although misjudged and mistreated, are usually the most sensible ones, even for lack of proper education.
The female characters in this book were fantastic!
I particularly liked the character of Louisa, who plays a prominent role in the book. She has been raised to suppress her emotions. She learns how to emulate the machine her father wants her to be, but she had to fight her inner spirit for years in order to do it. It leaves her empty and depressed, deciding that life is short and meaningless. She is described as a philosopher and deep thinker, remarkably full of self-possession.
Cecelia Jupe was also striking although she played a much smaller role. In contrast to Louisa's excellence at education, Sissy seems to stumble in her education because of her common sense and compassionate, simple mind. She is idealistic and as she grows older, instead of becoming disillusioned by the world she is moved with compassion to help people. There is a remarkable scene where she confronts a worldly, knowledgeable, man of rank and he is intimidated by her.
And then there is Rachael. She is the quiet, loyal, compassionate companion to the man she can never marry. She makes sacrifices for him without complaining and defends him when he is falsely accused.
None of these women really get what they want. But they all persevered and I was not left with the impression that they were unhappy. (In fact, it is pretty clearly stated that Sissy is happy).
It is also interesting to note that many of the characters find themselves in circumstances they can't change. Stephen has a wife who is a burden to him. Rachael cannot marry the man she loves. Louisa ends up in a loveless marriage. Sissy's father abandons her. And yet it seems like the one character who had the opportunity to better himself, leave his childhood behind, and achieve something is the one who falls the most.
3.5 stars. There were bits I absolutely loved, but I know Dickens can do better than this.
I didn't think I would like it, but it was surprisingly enjoyable. Dickens was really unsubtle in his opinions but I think it worked well for the novel. The only thing missing from this story and the industrial Coketown is the extreme plight of the working class in the urban landscape.
this is what victorian people had to explain utilitarianism because they didn't have the good place on netflix
Dickens will probably never be my favourite writer, but this book did hold some great aspects and it was relatively easy to get through (compared to say, oliver twist, which i dragged through last year).
I enjoyed reading this book but I definitely didn't love it. Hard Times provided an almost dystopian look at what would happen if people managed to purge themselves of emotion.
The first chapter of this book really captured my attention, the rest however fell a little flat. I didn't really feel anything for the characters, or understand what was happening at times. That could be because Dickens tends to be quite wordy, or that I didn't give this book the attention it deserved as I was so sporadic while reading.
One of my favorite Dickens novels--and,what a coincidence,the shortest! He definitely has an axe to grind in this, what with naming teachers "Gradgrind" and whatnot, but when I first read it in 8th grade or so, I was in full support of his attack on rote teaching and defense of the noble poor. And once I love a book, it's hard to ever re-evaluate, because of the impact it had at the time.
I read up until 50% then skimmed to the end since you can pretty much tell where everything was going.
Okay, I've decided to quit on page 98. It's a good book and it talks about a lot of important societal issues from the industrial revolution, some of which are still relevant today...but I'm honestly not enjoying myself, so whatever. I give up. I have better things to do and books I'll enjoy to read.