Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Victorian birth of high-stakes testing. Not literally. I think this is my least favorite of the pile of Dickens that I've read. It's so short it's like reading him writing for semaphore.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
i didn't really know what was going on most of the time, but at least there were dialogue tags (looking at you, pride and prejudice). i feel like i would have loved this book if i lived in the time it was written, but it was a lot easier to read and to keep track of the characters than i had expected.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Boooooooo
It shows all sorts of problems that were really happening in that time. No wonder people at that area liked reading it.
“ ‘She keeps the bottle that he sent her for, to this hour; and she will believe in his [her father’s] affection to the last moment of her life; said Mr Gradgrind. ‘It theemth to prethent two thingth to a perthon, don't it, Thquire?' said Mr Sleary, musing as he looked down into the depths of his brandy and water: one, that there ith a love in the world, not all Thelf-interetht after all, but thomething very different; t'other, that it hath a way of ith own of calculating or not calculating, whith thomehow or another ith at leatht ath hard to give a name to, ath the wayth of the dogth ith!'
This was my second Dickens following A Christmas Carol, and several stuttering attempts at A Tale of Two Cities. I really enjoyed it! I didn’t expect Dickens’ writing to be so clear and witty, so clearly I was not acquainted with him.
“You give it mouth enough, you do; but give it mouth in your own building at least; remonstrated E. W. B, with stern irony. Don't give it mouth in this building, till you're called upon. You have got some building of your own, I dare say, now?'Perhaps so,’ replied Mr Bounderby, rattling his money and laughing. Then give it mouth in your own building, will you, if you
please?' said Childers. 'Because this isn't a strong building, and too much of you might bring it down!'”
This is primarily a tale of industrial society that has run down its people and its land for the sake of production and the greater wealth of the wealthy. A subject Dickens undoubtably made his life’s work of exposing.
The principle characters in this drama that drive the action are both men of wealth and industry: Bounderby and Gradgrind.
Gradgrind has done everything his power to prevent his son and daughter from falling prey to imagination and fantasy, which has ultimately meant depriving them of the ability to dream and hope.
“[Louisa:]You have trained me so well, that I never dreamed a child’s dream. You have dealt so wisely with me, father, from my cradle to this hour, that I never had a child's belief or a child's fear.”
Bounderby has set himself up with pretentious boasting in his humble beginnings, and takes a dark view of any working classes aspiring to better treatment.
The catalyst for these two men’s flaws being exposed lie in 3 children: Louisa (Loo) and Thomas Gradgrind, and Cecilia (Sissy Jupe).
I did not see a redemptive arc coming in this story, but come it did (to some characters). Still thinking about all of the different vignettes of life in the dark and smoky Coketown.
“Removing her eyes from him, she sat so long looking silently towards the town, that he said, at length: 'Are you consulting the chimneys of the Coketown works, Louisa?' ‘There seems to be nothing there, but languid and monotonous smoke. Yet when the night comes, Fire bursts out, father!'
she answered, turning quickly. Of course I know that, Louisa. I do not see the application of the remark.' To do him justice he did not, at all. She passed it away with a slight motion of her hand, and concentrating her attention upon him again, said, Father, I have often thought that life is very short.' - This was so distinctly one of his subjects that he interposed:
It is short, no doubt, my dear. Still, the average duration of human life is proved to have increased of late years. The calculations of various life assurance and annuity offices, among other figures which cannot go wrong, have established the fact.
'I speak of my own life, father.’ ‘O indeed? Still,' said Mr Gradgrind, I need not point out to you, Louisa, that it is governed by the laws which govern lives
in the aggregate.’ ‘While it lasts, I would wish to do the little I can, and the little I am fit for. What does it matter!' (99)
This was my second Dickens following A Christmas Carol, and several stuttering attempts at A Tale of Two Cities. I really enjoyed it! I didn’t expect Dickens’ writing to be so clear and witty, so clearly I was not acquainted with him.
“You give it mouth enough, you do; but give it mouth in your own building at least; remonstrated E. W. B, with stern irony. Don't give it mouth in this building, till you're called upon. You have got some building of your own, I dare say, now?'Perhaps so,’ replied Mr Bounderby, rattling his money and laughing. Then give it mouth in your own building, will you, if you
please?' said Childers. 'Because this isn't a strong building, and too much of you might bring it down!'”
This is primarily a tale of industrial society that has run down its people and its land for the sake of production and the greater wealth of the wealthy. A subject Dickens undoubtably made his life’s work of exposing.
The principle characters in this drama that drive the action are both men of wealth and industry: Bounderby and Gradgrind.
Gradgrind has done everything his power to prevent his son and daughter from falling prey to imagination and fantasy, which has ultimately meant depriving them of the ability to dream and hope.
“[Louisa:]You have trained me so well, that I never dreamed a child’s dream. You have dealt so wisely with me, father, from my cradle to this hour, that I never had a child's belief or a child's fear.”
Bounderby has set himself up with pretentious boasting in his humble beginnings, and takes a dark view of any working classes aspiring to better treatment.
The catalyst for these two men’s flaws being exposed lie in 3 children: Louisa (Loo) and Thomas Gradgrind, and Cecilia (Sissy Jupe).
I did not see a redemptive arc coming in this story, but come it did (to some characters). Still thinking about all of the different vignettes of life in the dark and smoky Coketown.
“Removing her eyes from him, she sat so long looking silently towards the town, that he said, at length: 'Are you consulting the chimneys of the Coketown works, Louisa?' ‘There seems to be nothing there, but languid and monotonous smoke. Yet when the night comes, Fire bursts out, father!'
she answered, turning quickly. Of course I know that, Louisa. I do not see the application of the remark.' To do him justice he did not, at all. She passed it away with a slight motion of her hand, and concentrating her attention upon him again, said, Father, I have often thought that life is very short.' - This was so distinctly one of his subjects that he interposed:
It is short, no doubt, my dear. Still, the average duration of human life is proved to have increased of late years. The calculations of various life assurance and annuity offices, among other figures which cannot go wrong, have established the fact.
'I speak of my own life, father.’ ‘O indeed? Still,' said Mr Gradgrind, I need not point out to you, Louisa, that it is governed by the laws which govern lives
in the aggregate.’ ‘While it lasts, I would wish to do the little I can, and the little I am fit for. What does it matter!' (99)
I wondered about Hard Times because I see now and then readers praise this book as one of Dickens' best. To me, Hard Times was too much of a reaction to be very highly ranked in the Dickens bibliography. Dickens had fierce disagreements against the philosophy of utilitarianism, and he set out immediately to express them with fire. That is fine, but the problem is (maybe Dickens didn't care though) that Hard Times was denied the craftman's fine treatment and richly developing storylines which polish and strengthen his other novels. Another effect of Hard Times being as much of a polemic as it is a novel is that the characters were more intensely polarized. The characters representing utilitarian thought were detestable with not a hint of a single redeeming quality. The worker folk were as simple, as honest, and as good-hearted as anyone could be imagined to be. This gave the characterization a forced quality which hurt its credulity. The reader could understand them and what they stood for with fair ease but could not believe in them. Somehow, these negatives don't weigh down the book too much. I found it enjoyable and rattled through it smoothly. That's when one realizes...Dickens on a so-called off day is still better than most writers at their best.