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Example research essay topic: Hard Times By Charles Part 2 - 2,520 words

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... this Dickens is emphasising the loss of both nature and religion, through biblical allusions and also references to the seasonal changes in nature, which contrast so strongly with the unnatural citadel. Carl Marx famously said that Religion is the opium of the people, this is clear to see in Coketown, where there is an absence of Christianity and if the members of a religious persuasion had built a chapel there they made it a pious warehouse of red brick, witha bell in a bird cage. Dickens describes the Church as though it were an industrial building, echoing the uniformity of Coketown in its red brick. (Sedgley, 1979) The world of trade, on which Coketown is based, proves inescapable, with the oppression and entrapment of the Hands symbolized by the birdcage. Bernard Show said that in Britain, cash is the sole nexus between man and man (Show, 1990), this is true in Coketown to the extent that even in the one place where they should be able to remove themselves from everyday life it proves impossible due to the constant, standardized reminders. In a world where even the smallest of outlets for enjoyment and escape are refused, it strikes me that the reason for the Hands to get drunk and take opium is a symptom (of removing pleasures such as Marx's religious opium) and not a cause of their appalling conditions, which remain unaltered by their avaricious, rich, self-possessed employers.

The industrialization revolution brought many problems to Victorian England in the 1850 's. Industrial towns such as Manchester and Preston sprung up in northern England. Prosperity came to those who owned the factories or mills, while despair came to the hands, the factory workers. Coketown is one such northern England town and Stephen Blackpool is a typical factory worker of the period in Charles Dickens novel Hard Times.

The novel exemplifies the problems of an industrial town in 1850 England. Dickens describes Coketown A town of red brick, or brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as it matters stood it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage. (Dickens, 1854) He explains the black smoke spewed continuously from the factory chimneys and that the river is polluted by an ill-smelling purplish dye. Josiah Bounderby owns the factory where Stephen Blackpool is employed. Hard Times illustrates the history of class struggles and is re-enforced by the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto. The struggle between the bourgeoisie, the class of modern Capitalists, owners of the means of social production and the employers of wage-labor and the proletariat, the class of modern wage-laborers who, having no means of production of their own, are reduced to selling their labor-power to live. (Dickens, 1854) In Hard Times, Josiah Bounderby and Stephen Blackpool are representative of the bourgeoisie and proletariat classes respectively. Stephen symbolizes the workers of this period, who put in long hours for little pay and lived under horrible conditions.

Josiah on the other hand represents the greedy capitalist, who cares little for his workers. Dickens alludes that the government knows the capacity of work the machines can produce, So many hundred Hands in this Mill; so many hundred horse Steam Power. It is known, to the force of a single pound weight, what the engine will do. The workers are then paid by piecework, where they are paid 'by the piece' rather than earning a fixed hourly wage. Dickens was also interested in factory safety and the negligence of the factory and mine owners. In his original proof sheets of Hard Times, there was a footnote bringing to the attention of the readers a gruesome report on accidents in factories, Ground in the Mill. (Dickens, 1854) There was also an exchange between Stephen and Rachel, his wife, recalling how Rachel's younger sister had suffered when a factory machine tore off her arm.

Both the footnote and exchange were deleted from the final publication. The deplorable working conditions and the low wages were soon to bring trade unions into being. The Communist Manifesto explains that trade unions came into being because with the development of industry the proletariat not only increases in number; it becomes concentrated in masses, its strength grows, and it feels that strength more. (Johnson, 1989) The collisions between the employee and the employer are more characteristic of collisions between classes. During the period in which Hard Times was conceived and written, a topic frequently brought to Dickens attention was that of a bitterly-contested strike. (Smith, 1990) The strike was in the textile-manufacturing town of Preston and was regarded as a test case of power of the trade unions, which after having declined in influence during the 1830 s had made a remarkable recovery in the 1850 s. (Johnson, 1989) In Hard Times Dickens uses a character named Slackenbridge to move the mill workers towards forming a union. He makes an passionate speech about being enslaved by the iron-handed factory owners. Slackenbridge states, the hour is come, when we must rally round one another as One united power, and crumble into dust the oppressors. (Dickens, 1854) This reads more like the words of Karl Marx when he writes about the proletariat taking over the ruling class. (Smith, 1990) Dickens uses Blackpool to voice an opinion against the trade union.

He is singled out and booed because he would not join the union. Blackpool believes the union will do more harm than good and because of his beliefs his follow workers shun him. Dickens shows the ruthlessness of Bounderby by firing Blackpool even after he is summoned to the owner's home to explain about the Combination (union). Blackpool tells Bounderby of how bad the working conditions are in the mill and the living conditions in Coketown, but yet the workers are still faithful and always keep the mill producing.

Bounderby states his reasons for the firing Blackpool as that you are one of those chaps who have always got a grievance. That even your own Union, the men who know you best, will have nothing to do with you and with that he goes on to state, Ill have nothing to do with you either (Dickens, 1854) and he dismisses Blackpool. Stephen could do nothing but leave town because if he did not work for Bounderby he would be able to work for any other factory owner in town. The unions force the factory owners in districts to group together. It was the plan of the union leaders in Victorian England to select a particular town and a particular factory to call a strike against them, in this way they hoped to have the firms succumb to their demands.

The factory or mill owners joined together in the districts where a strike would be called and instantly closed the door of the unstuck plants. By the exchange at the public house, where the union meeting was held, and the meeting between Stephen and Bounderby, it is unclear what Dickens views are towards unions. While he shows Bounderby, the owner of the mill, as a greedy capitalist he also portrays Slackenbridge as a demagogue who would exploit the workers for his own gratification of power. There is some insight as to what Dickens believes in the article he wrote, On Strike from Household Words. He writes about the exchange with Mr. Snapper on the train to Preston, he proposes a man may be both friend to Masters and Hands when talking about whom to befriend during a strike.

When pressed for a more concise answer Dickens states, I believe that into the relations between employers and employed, as into all relations of this life, there must be something of a feeling and sentiment; something of a mutual explanation, forbearance, and consideration; something which is not found in Mr. Mcculloch's dictionary, and is not exactly saleable in figures; otherwise those relations are wrong and rotten at the core and will never bear sound fruit. (Johnson, 1989) The article further goes on to state about an ongoing conflict between Master and Hand, that a person above suspicion from both sides would be able to settle the dispute, for Dickens saw nothing but certain ruin to both in the continuance or frequent revival of this breach. And from the ever widening circle of their decay, what drop in the social ocean shall be free! (Dickens, 1854) Dickens has a more exact view of the educational system as he states, I don't like that sort of school - and I have seen a great many of these latter times - where the bright childish imagination is utterly discouraged, ... where I have never seen among pupils, whether boys or girls, anything but little parrots and small calculating machines. (Dickens, 1854) It seems even though Dickens is a realist he still believes children should be taught the arts. Hard Times opening scene is a classroom where the someone is speaking, Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts.

Facts alone are wanted in life. (Dickens, 1854) These opening lines are in direct contrast to what Dickens believes, but it was the established teachings during this period. Dickens brings out in Hard Times that the schoolmaster, Mr. Mchoakumchild, along with another 140 schoolmasters had been taught everything there is to know. They all had the same principles, the same knowledge on all subjects, as if they were taught in a factory rather than a classroom. (Shaw, 1990) Dickens goes so far as to state that if Mr.

Mchoakumchild had learnt a little less, how infinitely better he might have taught much more! (Dickens, 1854) Thomas Gradgrind is the governor where Mr. Mchoakumchild instructs, and he totally believes in the teaching of facts only. The teachings during this period were void poetry, fairy tales, or song. Simple extracts, relating to Natural History, Elementary Science, Religion, &c. have taken the place of Dramatic Scenes, Sentimental Poetry, and Parliamentary Orations. (Dickens, ///) Dickens in early satirical writings brings forth statistical research about the state of infant education among middle classes of London. It was found that in children only three miles from London ignorance prevailed.

His writings showed that the children believed that Jack the Giant-killer, Jack and the Bean-stalk, Jack and Eleven Brothers, and Jack and Jill were real life people. The children in these areas aspired to grow up like them and slay giants or dragons and ride off with the princess. This was presented at a Conference of Statisticians where the members immediately called for storing the minds of children with nothing but facts and figures; which the process the President forcibly remarked, had made them (the section) the men they were. (Sedgley, 1979) When Hard Times was first published the scholars of Victorian England did not believe that such an educational system existed in England. In the review of the novel by Patricia E.

Johnson, Hard Times and the Structure of Industrialism: The Novel as Factory. is stated that that Mr. Dickens launches forth his protest, for we are not aware of such a system being in operation anywhere in England. They believed that there might have been too great a part of the studies dedicated to mythology, literature, and history. In almost every school in the kingdom passages of our finest poets are learned by heart; and Shakespeare and Walter Scott were among the Penates. (Johnson, 1989) It was their opinion that schools such as the one that Gradgrind governed were in the minority. Now in the opening lines of Hard Times, we find ourselves introduced to a set of hard uncouth personages, of whose existence as a class no one is aware, who are engaged in cutting and paring young souls after their own ugly pattern, and refusing them all other nourishment but facts and figures. (Johnson, 1989) It seems by the reviewers comments he was unaware of Dickens feelings towards the educational system of that period.

She assumed by the title that Dickens, could be entrusted with this delicate task, and would give us a true idea of the relations of master and workman, both as they are and as they might be. (Johnson, 1989) Conclusion: Hard Times is an extremely brilliant novel in portraying the industrial revolution, Victorian era and the real types of characters that lived during those times. Bounderby ended up being pitied by the reader not because of the rough childhood he claimed to have had, but because everything he tried to believe backfired and left him a wealthy, emotionless, and lonely character. Although the industrial revolution did result in much wealth for some, it was also an emotionless and lonely time. In my opinion, Charles Dickens Hard Times is a brilliant and complex novel that tackles many social issues that are highly relevant in these times, almost 150 years after its publication.

Hard Times is often referred to as Dickens Industrial Novel as it deals with the social effects of the Industrial Revolution upon both the working class and middle class in 19 th century England. Many of the same social problems exist in todays Information Age, both as a hangover from the Industrial Revolution and as a result of the current Information Revolution. Dickens has a wonderful satirical talent and constantly provides light relief from his heavy subject matter by mocking his most loathsome characters and highlighting the idiocy of certain types of people, such as those who place a lot of importance on breeding and manners, and those who ascribe more importance to the creation of wealth than the preservation of human life. Apart from the effects of the Industrial Revolution, already referred to, the novel deals with the number of important issues: education, fact versus fiction, city versus country, working class versus middle class, parents versus children, work versus leisure, and money versus poverty. Dickens examines these topics through a number of well-developed characters, some loathsome to the reader, such as the industrialist Mr. Bounderby, and others adored by the reader, such as the factory hand Stephen Blackpool.

While Hard Times covers heavy ground thematically, it provides sufficient humor and entertainment to satisfy the majority of readers. It was a highly important book when it was first published, and it remains so today. Anyone with even the slightest interest in the world around us and the human condition should read this brilliant novel. Words: 4916 Bibliography: Dickens, Charles. Hard Times.

Household Words, 1854 Barnard, Robert. Imagery and Theme in Hard Times. Hard Times- By Dickens. Ed. George Ford and Sylvere Monod. 2 nd ed.

New York: Norton, 1990; Shaw, Bernard. Hard Times. Hard Times- By Dickens. Ed. George Ford and Sylvere Monod. 2 nd ed. New York: Norton, 1990; Johnson, Patricia E.

Hard Times and the Structure of Industrialism: The Novel as Factory Studies in the Novel, 21 (1989); Sedgley, Anne. Hard Times: Facts or Fantasy. Critical Review, 16 (1979) Smith, Grahame. O reason not the need: King Lear, Hard Times, and Utilitarian Values.

Dickensian 86, 3 (Autumn 1990).


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