Explore Dickens presentation of education in Hard Times Essay

Explore two presentation of schooling in Hard Times and comment on how this reflects a fiendian vision of Utilitarianism Dickens presents The Victorian education ashes in Hard Times in a fundamentally negative way, Dickens expresses the supposition that having an imaginative aspect to our education is essential. He does this through satirising the education system and mocking the characters. Through fall out the novel, it is a purpose of Dickens being sarcastic towards the education system.Dickens opens the novel with a satirical commentary of Thomas Gradgrind and his utile educational methods as he teaches the room full of students Facts alone be precious in life (9) Dickens satirises Gradgrinds commitment to an education comprised tho of facts as Gradgrind exaggerates that facts are the solo essential thing in life. Fancy (14) symbolises imagination and wonder compared to facts.Dickens emphasise Fact more(prenominal) than he does with Fancy he does this by repeating fa ct itself, sounds more forceful. Gradgrinds view on education is his children are to never imagine or wonder. Gradgrind rejects the concept of partiality or imagination design has nothing to contribute to understanding only things that can be measured are important. Gradgrinds judge rant on fancy You dont walk upon flowers in fact (14) to the students underlines that fancy is boastful and it should be facts (14) In his satirical description of Gradgrind, Dickens aim is of what he experienced in the industrial England during his time when education varied vastly, according to location, gender, and class, meaning that Dickens view on Utilitarianism is shown in a satirical way, and his beliefs stood out throughout the novel, this indicates how the education system was controlled. Dickens uses characters names to continue his satire of the utilitarian education system prevalent in Victorian Britain.Mr Gradgrind breaks into the word Grind as a means to crush, signifying his method o f grinding down the students individuality and any imagination they may have entered the school with. Mr MChoakumchild, breaks into me, choke, child Dickens exaggerates with the name as we dont think the new teacher is literally choking the children in his care, that this Fact-obsessed creature will only choke imagination and feelings out of them. If he had only learnt a little less, how infinitely better be he might have taught much more (15) This highlights that the utilitarianism system would function much better, if it were not so strung on facts. If Mr. MChoakumchild had learnt less and been dish ups involved with his students more and would have taught far better. This is criticizing the way the system works. Dickens is suggesting that in the utilitarianism system, suggesting that ramming facts into students might not be the most effective way of teaching them. Not everything can be reduced to facts alone. Mr Gradgrind and Mr Bounderby are the main representations of utilit arianism and followers of the system.In Louisas proposed marriage to Bounderby, Dickens shows us a disastrous final result of Gradgrinds system that denied everything but facts. You have been accustomed to consider every other question, simply as one of tangible Fact (97) This illustrates that Gradgrind, who is incapable of expressing his emotions effectively toward Louisa, edges her into a marriage with Bounderby by stating various facts and statistics to her. Louisa is indecisive to communicate her feelings towards him she returned, without any visible emotion (96) David Lodges How Successful Was Hard Times? (1981) argues that Gradgrinds ideology in his system is questionable, Lodge explains that it is a primary index of what is wrong with his system Mr Bounderby is also a character with utilitarian beliefs, doubtlessly one of the major characters that has a firm belief in the system, you may force him to swallow boiling fat, but you shall never suppress force him to suppress t he facts of his life (23) He signifies the very essence of his ruthless principles that only has room for facts and statistics.Hard Times outlines that a utilitarian go up to life is unsuccessful and costs those who follow their imaginations become robotic and inadequate to the system. Imagination and heart is found in the circus where Mr Bounderby and Mr Gradgrind despise No four-year-old people have circus masters or succeed circus lectures about circuses (23) Gradgrind implies that circuses are not like a practical schoolroom. Dickens represents emasculate Jupe as an influential character of the novel who presents the value of a warm heart and embodies feelings and emotions.She is seen as a pad failure of Gradgrinds system. However Dickens and the reader judge her as a success. The young impoverished girl mocked by the teacher and presented as the dumb girl in the start of the novel, gradually turns out to be the most key character in the whole novel. Since the foundational significance of fact and the removal of fancy that Gradgrinds education obliges, sissy Jupe will never succeed. Nevertheless, in spite of the education, Sissy becomes a young woman who is able to maintain her own principles and beliefs.The contrasting descriptions of Sissy and Bitzer are shown in their appearance. For example Sissy is described as radiant and warm dark eyed and dark haired (11) referring to her as someone who is the seem of vitality. However Bitzer is portrayed as what little colour he ever possessed (11) and His cold eye would hardly have been eyes (11)) Demonstrating that he is cold and emotionless with no heart and all calculation. Dickens uses Bitzer to demonstrate that other students are influenced by him, showing that he is a follower of Gradgrinds system, whereas Sissy is the foreigner to the system.The Utilitarian education system relates to the industrial town Coketown which consists of factories and large streets like one other people equally like one another (27) The town is linked to a painted font of a savage (27) that is described as barbaric and uncultured, the children are being deprived from the ill-smelling dye (27) Dickens suggests the society that the children/workers are living in is unsanitary Jail (28) indicating that they have no escape from their problems.The utilitarian system stamps out all imagination in the pupils and prepares them perfectly for the life of drudgery. Dickens describes as their lot as hands in Coketowns factories. Education presented in Hard Times is shown as satirical in Dickensian vision of Utilitarianism. This is because Dickens is able to create a fool out of the system cunningly. Furthermore it is certain that what Dickens has presented is humorous and convincing with making the utilitarian ideology seem tight through the novel. I find David Lodges argument towards Dickens opinion as broad(a) and potent.