Pick a significant quote (type the text into your response) and explain why you picked it.
(Think about: how is it significant to this section of reading?to the novel as whole thus far? is it of particular importance to a specific character, a scene, an issue, etc.)
PLEASE NOTE: You cannot use the same quote as anyone else on the blog!! So if someone already used it, you need to look for a different one!
(Keep in mind, you could probably read further down the page past the text used or before it and still keep your general ideas intact)
39 comments:
Danielle Andrews
“Seen from a distance in such weather, Coketown lay shrouded in a haze of its own, which appeared impervious to the sun’s rays. You only knew the town was there because you knew there could have been no such sulky blotch upon the prospect without a town. A blur of soot and smoke, now confusedly tending this way, now that way, now aspiring to the vault of Heaven, now murkily creeping along the earth, as the wind rose and fell, or changed its quarter: a dense formless jumble, with sheets of cross light in it, that showed nothing but masses of darkness - Coketown in the distance was suggestive of itself, though not a brick of it could be seen,” (106).
This quote describing Coketown is significant, because it represents what happens in the town, the morals of the town, and it also is representative of some of the characters. First and foremost, this quote has an immense amount of dark imagery. Coketown is described as laying in a “haze of its own,” and containing large amounts of “soot and smoke.” When it is said that Coketown lies in its own haze, it is symbolically representing how the people are living in their own dirt and wrong doings. Coketown is also a town that contains many poor people and only a few wealthy people, whom take advantage of the poor. This quote symbolically represents how bad the wealthy treat the poor. This quote also states how Coketown is “impervious to the sun’s rays”, stressing that Coketown is incapable of having physical and ethical beauty.
Coketown has such a disgusting and dirty appearance, that one who looks at Coketown knows that it is “suggestive of itself” because of its horrid appearance. Just by looking at the outside of the city anyone can see that manipulation, poverty and neglect have talking over this city. Coketown in the spectrum of things is a “sulky blotch,” which shows how Coketown is figuratively a place that is a big blob of dirt where “not a brick of it could be seen” through all the dark soot and smoke. This layer of soot and smoke represents how the manufacturing business has overtaken and manipulated the people of the city. One can infer from this passage that the city of Coketown and its dirt and soot layer are representative of Mr. Bounderby and his nature of taking advantage of the poor. In the end, this passage is significant to the story as a whole, to the characters and to the morals of the characters. Ultimately, it represents the lack of morals within the characters, as shown through the layers of soot and smoke, or layers of taking advantage of people and manipulation.
Sarah Kapelner
"Among the fine gentlemen not regularly belonging to the Gradgrind school, there was one of a good family and a better appearance, with a happy turn of humour which had told immensely with the House of Commons on the occasion of his entertaining it with his (and the Board of Directors) view of a railway accident, in which the most careful officers ever known, employed by the most liberal managers ever heard of, assisted by the finest mechanical contrivances ever devised, the whole in action on the best line ever constructed, had killed five people and wounded thirty-two, by a casualty without which the excellence of the whole system would have been positively incomplete. Among the slain was a cow, and among the scattered articles unowned, a widow's cap. And the honourable member had so tickled the House (which has a delicate sense of humour) by putting the cap on the cow, that it became impatient of any serious reference to the Coroner's Inquest, and brought the railway off with Cheers and Laughter” (120).
This quote speaks of an instance at one of Mr. Gradgrind’s political gatherings where one of the guests talked about a tragic railway accident. Both the description of the accident and the manner in which the description was delivered reflect the author’s negative views of industrial society. The gruesome details such as “killed five people” and “among the slain was a cow” support the message of the novel as a whole that industrial life is hurting the “Hands” who have to carry out strenuous labor everyday in the factories in exchange for barley enough pay to support themselves. This quote acts as a subtle cry of anguish from menial workers who had to endure the harsh aspects of factory life. Although this cry comes from the author and not from the factory workers of the Victorian era, the author advocates for them by including this cry in his novel. The lighthearted way at which the guest shared the story, “with a happy turn of humour which had told immensely…entertaining it with his view of a railway accident…”, reflects how little concern the employers of these suffering factory workers have for them. Mr. Bounderby, for example, thinks all factory workers are just lazy and could improve their lives if they wanted to. Moreover, it suggests that it is not only the employers that have little concern for them but also the public as a whole. This became evident when it was stated that the people listening to the story, whether they were factory owners or not, erupted in laughter. “that it became impatient of any serious reference to the Coroner’s Inquest and brought the railway off with Cheers and Laughter.”
The quote also expresses a dislike for industrialism by saying that one of the finest things to have ever come out of industrialism had caused such a great tragedy. “assisted by the finest mechanical contrivances ever devised, the whole in action …had killed five people and wounded thirty-two…” The way the author works casualties into being a natural part of an industrial society also shows that he thinks it is harmful. “…by a casualty without which the excellence of the whole system would have been positively incomplete.” Incorporating casualties into this superb industrial system makes the new technological advantages and machinery of the age seem off putting to the reader. It is possible that the work as a whole is more specifically expressing concern that society is becoming too quickly industrialized for man to handle which was common in the Victorian era. It can be ascertained through this quote and the many other portions of the novel expressing the same idea that the scope of this novel is to make the readers aware of the detrimental effects of an industrial society.
calipGeode Sibbick
"So strange to turn from the chimneys to the birds. So strange to have the road dust on his feet instead of the coal grit.So strange to have lived to this time of life and yet to be beginning like a boy this summer morning. With these musings in his mind, and his bundle under his arm, Stephen took his attentive face along the high road. And the trees arched over him, whisperingthat he left a true and loving heart behind." (160)
Stephen Blackpool is a character within "Hard Times" who gives the reader an almost unique perspective of Victorian life, and acts as a foil to the more aristocratic lives of many of the other characters. The only other characters who share anything close to his station in life are Rachael and Mr. Sleary, and neither of them are explored in such detail. His interactions with the other leading characters throughout the novel are used by Dickens to demonstrate both the extreme class prejudices that are present in Victorian society and the unsolvable paradox that Stephen presents. He is unwilling to join his fellow workers union, and he is also unwelcome to Mr. Bounderby, who considers Stephen to be beneath him.
As such, Stephen chooses to make his way out of Coketown, and the above quote illustrates his confusion at leaving an area that has been his entire world. Dickens uses simple language and comparisons to illustrate symbolically, how disconnected the general populace at the time had become from nature, as well as how settled most of them had become. Stephen, on experiencing the changes from " the chimneys to the birds" (160) and "the road dust under his feet instead of the coal dust" (160) becomes "like a boy" (160) in his lack of knowledge about the outside world. In this regard, Stephen is a typical Hand of Coketown,knowing little of the outside world and all its splendor, having been exposed solely to the world of bricks, soot and machines that is Coketown.
The "true and loving heart" (160) that Stephen leaves behind him is, undoubtedly Rachael, a woman whom Stephen himself has described as an angel. The departure of Stephen in this scene is particularly tragic as he not only leaves all that he has ever known, but also the only person in the world who did not treat him with scorn or indifference. Dickens uses a natural imagery to show what Stephen is going through, that even the trees seem to be reminding him of his pitiable condition.
Rachel Kapelner
“Stokers emerged from low underground doorways into factory yards, and sat on steps, and posts and palings, wiping their swarthy visages, and contemplating coals. The whole town seemed to be frying in oil. There was a stifling smell of hot oil everywhere. The steam-engines shone with it, the dresses of the Hands were soiled with it, the mills throughout their many stories oozed and trickled it. The atmosphere of those Fairy Palaces was like the breath of the simoom, and their inhabitants, wasting with heat, toiled languidly in the desert. But no temperature made the melancholy mad elephants more mad or more sane. Their wearisome heads went up and down at the same rate, in hot weather and cold, wet weather and dry, fair weather and foul. The measured motion of their shadows on the walls was the substitute Coketown had to show for the shadows of rustling woods; while, for the summer hum of insects it could offer, all the year round, from the down of Monday to the night of Saturday, the whirr of shafts and wheels” (107-108)
This quote describes Coketown as a character. The fact that “stokers emerged from low underground doorways into factory yards, and sat on steps, and posts and palings, wiping their swarthy visages, and contemplating coals” (106) shows that this town is boring. The Hands have nothing better to contemplate so they contemplate coal. This also shows how Coketown is like a machine. The reference to coal shows how committed this town is to its factories and manufacturing.
Dickens uses imagery to make more references to factories and machines. The whole town was “frying in oil” because it was a hot day in this manufacturing town. The oil is in the factories. There is lots of “oil” in Coketown and it covers everything. Dickens uses strategic word choice when he says “The steam-engines shone with it, the dresses of the Hands were soiled with it, the mill throughout their many stories oozed and trickled it” (107). He says that the oil soiled clothes and that it “oozed and trickled” from the factories to suggest that Coketown is too much like a machine.
Dickens further proves this by saying “Their wearisome heads went up and down at the same rate, in hot weather and cold, wet weather and dry, fair weather and foul” (107). The wearisome heads that go up and down are the machines in the factories. They constantly go up and down in Coketown to emphasize its rigid structure. In order for society to function, everything should be precise, accurate and fool proof, like a machine. This is why Mr. Gradgrind appreciates facts. They are precise, accurate and never change.
The whirr of the machines can be heard all year, “from the down of Monday to the night of Saturday” (108). This is important because it shows how Coketown acts as a machine. It makes output six days a week. Dickens uses this as a social commentary. The Industrial Revolution and the age of manufacturing were thought to be beneficial to society by bringing in wealth. Dickens’ characters show that this is always the case and that having the factories running nonstop can be harmful to the Hands and other members of the lower classes. Dickens uses the "character" of Coketown to show the downsides of a manufacturing society.
"It was but a hurried parting in a common street, yet it was a sacred remembrance to these two common people. Utilitarian economists, skeletons of schoolmasters, Commissioners of Fact, genteel and used-up infidels, gabblers of many little dog's-eared creeds, the poor you will have always with you. Cultivate in them, while there is yet time, the utmost graces of the fancies and affections to adorn their lives so much in need of ornament; or, in the day of your triumph, when romance is utterly driven out of their souls, and they and a bare existence stand face to face, Reality will take a wolfish turn and make an end of you" (158).
I chose this quote mostly because I found the first sentence very romantic and well-phrased. It reminded me of how such little things can mean the world to some people. Besides that, I chose it due to its relevance towards not only Rachael and Stephen, but also towards the struggle of Fact versus Imagination. In the quote, Dickens strives to point out how empty the lives of people are without "fancies" and imagination.
In the first sentence, when he writes, "yet it was a sacred remembrance to these two common people," it severely contrasts with the next sentence which brings up all the lives of the people obsessed with pure facts. The fact of Rachael and Stephen's parting is that it was hurried and casual, yet to them it means much more. People who would take it to mean absolutely nothing, Dickens describes as "skeletons of schoolteachers... genteel and used-up infidels... the poor you will always have with you" (158). By using such description, Dickens suggests that the people with the imagination and sentimentality are better off even though their parting was sad. They still have their memories to hold on to.
I also thought it was bold of Dickens to write "Cultivate in them, while there is yet time, the utmost graces of the fancies and affections to adorn their lives so much in need of ornament" (158). It basically comes out and says that they need to have more feelings and emotions or else they will remain incomplete. That relates to the characters of Mr. Gradgrind, Mrs. Gradgrind, Louisa, and Tom. They all are missing the best part of life- the emotions. They are what make humans human, and right now, they are going against the natural order. Also, that sentence relates to Sissy's character because she is striving to be like these hollow people. According to this quote, she is the lucky one for having a life that is full of intense emotions, no matter what type they are.
Later on, when it reads "when romance is utterly driven out of their souls, and they and a bare existence stand face to face" there is wonderful imagery of a person and their life standing face to face. Dickens suggests that to those Fact-based people, they might be facing nothing but empty space.
Jaime Carens
"'This sir,' said Bounderby, 'is my wife, Mrs. Bounderby-Tom Gradgrind's eldest daughter. Loo, Mr. James Harthouse. Mr. Harthouse has joined your father's muster-roll. If he is not Tom Gradgrind's colleague before long, I believe we shall at least hear of him in connection with one of our neighboring towns. You observe, Mr. Harthouse, that my wife is my junior. I don't know what she saw in me to marry me, but she saw something in me, I suppose, or she wouldn't have married me. She has lots of expensive knowledge, sir,, political and otherwise. If you want to cram for anything, I should be troubled to recommend you to a better advisor than Lou Bounderby'" (124)
This quote is significant because it models Mr. Bounderby's character very well. It shows his prestige in the higher class, as he addresses everyone with titles, explaining their relations and why they are important to know. An example is "Mr. James Harthouse. Mr. Harthouse has joined your father's muster-roll." Instead of allowing Mr. Harthouse to explain who he is, he goes on to brag for him about his fortunate acquaintences. This passage also shows Mr. Bounderby’s arrogance. When Mr. Bounderby says “If he is not Tom Gradgrind's colleague before long,” he is meaning to say that all people of his class are to get along, because they can afford things, while the poor cannot. Mr. Bounderby goes on to say how delightful everyone in their party is, because of their manners and money.
Mr. Bounderby's character also is seen to develop more because one sees him trying to brag about his marriage with Lou, even though they are really made out to be most miserable. The quote: "I don't know what she saw in me to marry me," shows that he wants others to think his wife is the best and that only he deserves such. Mr. Bounderby is fishing for compliments here. He is seen to forge this idea that by making Louisa look good, he will look like the most fortunate man in the world, not just in business, but in his marriage life as well. As the reader can infer though, this is not the case. In this part of the quote: "I suppose, or she wouldn't have married me. She has lots of expensive knowledge", it brings out the idea of a materialistic world. Lousia was always taught the facts. She was taught "wondering" was bad, and that it is always best to just do what she is asked. Her "expensive knowledge" comes to play her downfall because she does not look at Mr. Bounderby as the man he really is, but rather just looks at is as a fortunate relation, one she will benefit from, because he has the security that she needs to survive. If she had not married Mr. Bounderby, she would have suffered from the wrath her father would have given her and in the end, would have been just as miserable. It is too sad that she could not have spent more time with Sissy, or else maybe she could have been able to free herself from her miserable doom.
Samantha Hubley
"Look how we live, an' wheer we live, an' in what numbers, an' by what chances, and wi' what sameness; and look how the mills is awlus a-goin' and how they never works us no nigher to onny dis'ant object-'ceptin awlus Death. Look how you considers of us, and writes of us, and talks of us, and goes up wi' your deputations to Secretaries o' State 'bout us, and how yo are awlus right, and how we are awlus wrong, and never had'n no reason in us sin ever we were born. Look how this ha' growen an' growen, sir, bigger an' bigger, broader an' broader, harder an' harder, fro year to year, fro generation unto generation. Who can look on 't sir, and fairly tell a man 'tis not a muddle?" (145)
This quote stated by Stephen Blackpool illustrates how seperated the class systems are in Hard Times. Bounderby is so oblivious to the terrors of the lifstyles of the lower class that Stephen has to point them out to him. Stephen writes how the numbers of the lower class continue to grow and the living conditions continue to get worse and that the upper class does not even realize this is happening. Stephen writes how all the people in the lower class are unhappy and how the upper class expects them to get along fine even though they are poor. In the Victorian Age, there was a distinct seperation of social classes. The upper class did not care about the lower class and this is portrayed well in this quote.
This quotoe also describes Stephen's life and Mr. Bounderby's character in the novel. Stephen has been stuck in the factory lifestyle that makes him unhappy and poor. Stephen knew what class he was in and did what he was told and what was expected of him, until this point in the book. Stephen told Bounderby what was wrong with the town and complained to him and when asked to spy on the union created, Stephen "gravely shook his head." (146) Stephen said no because he knew that no matter what was done with the union, the "muddle" that the town is in was going to stay. Stephen tried to tell Bounderby what was going on outside of the upper class, but Bounderby did not want to listen to it. Bouderby had to ask Stephen wha the "muddle" that they were stuck in was multiple times.
This shows how Bounderby does not feel for the lower class. Bounderby is not able to empathize with them and is not able to understand that life is horrible outside of the upper class. Even when told multiple times, Bounderby could not believe what Stephen was saying to him and would not listen. It is amazing to think that during this time, an upper class citizen did not realize how the lower class lived. They did not see the numbers grow and could not grasp the concept of how unhappy and how bad living conditions were. Bounderby rightfully describes the typical upper class citizen and this passage describes living standads as well the relationship between social classes.
"For the first time in her life Louisa had come into of the dwellings of the Coketown Hands;for the first time in her life she was face to face with anything like individuality in connection with them. She knew of their existence by hundreds and thoudands." pg 152
This quote is significant because it describes the first time Louisa experienced being on the other side of town. She had been raised in a priveleged life style and had been taught of the finer things in life. She was steered away from individualism and was taught the "facts." She knew that there were people less fortunate than she but she did not know their true lifestyle. She even goes on to say how she knew more about the insects than the men. Louisa was not aware of the severe differences between Mr.Bounderby's life and Stephen Blackpool's. This is a signal of the divide in society and the extensive gap between the rich and the poor which is typical in Victorian writing. In this example the divide is significant because it outlines the many more hardships Stephen faces compared to Louisa. The divide between the social classes is a common theme so far throughout this novel. Coketown continues to take on a character like role because of the way it effects society and the relations between characters. The chapter is entitled "Fading Away" which could symbolize the fact that Stephen is leaving or fading away from Coketown in search of a more profound life. The gap between the classes continues to play a major role in this novel and Louisa becomes more aware of its prominence towards the end of this section.
Kate Sullivan
Amanda Faherty
Well, considering I wrote my analysis and was about to post it and then realized that someone had just barely beat me to it by using that quote, I will try again. : (
And I know that Kate's quote is kind of part of my quote, I am going to post this because, no offense, but I don't want to write a third analysis of a quote only to have someone else post a response to that quote again. Sorry!
“For the first time in her life Louisa had come into one of the dwellings of the Coketown hands; for the first time in her life she was face to face with anything like individuality in connection with them. […] Something to be worked so much and paid so much, and there ended; something to be infallibly settled by laws of supply and demand; something that blundered against those laws and floundered into difficulty; something that was a little pinched when wheat was dear and overate itself when wheat was cheap; something that increased at such a rate of percentage, and yielded such another percentage of crime and such another percentage of pauperism; something wholesale, of which vast fortunes were made; something that occasionally rose like a sea, and did some harm and waste (chiefly to itself), and fell again; this she knew the Coketown Hands to be. But she had scarcely thought more of separating them into units than of separating the sea itself into its component drops,” (153).
I thought that this quote was the second most important quote in this section because although it does not seem like a lot, or just merely a list, this quote exemplifies the problems in this novel and the problems that the people and society of Coketown will continue to face. Louisa being a member of the upper class and therefore well-educated, seems to be lacking in the knowledge of interaction with the lower class but also knowledge of reality. Not everyone is rich in Coketown, and I believe that Dickens said that they were a lot of workers or hands in Coketown to support the rich. Although Louisa is well-educated, she seems to not understand who these people really are. The last part of the quote is especially important and it says, “But she had scarcely though more of separating them into units than of separating the sea itself into its component drops,” (153). Louisa always thought that the Hands were all the same and they really did not have identities themselves. Each of the Hands were just a part of the group and she never really thought of learning their individual differences and understanding that they ARE people as well and deserved to be treated the same. The class roles are promiently displayed in this quote and continue to have a major influence on the novel.
This situation also applies to life in general. Like most societies, the rich have their typical stereotypes of the poor but really don't understand the life that these people are living. As much as these people don't want to admit that they are spoiled, in reality they are. This applies to me as well. I mean, I live in Southborough and as much as I'd like to say that I understand what is going on in the poorer parts of the U.S. or the country, I really have no clue. I have not lived there or experienced any of the horrifying aspects of their lives. I am guilty of this just as much as Louisa is, of grouping these “not-so-well off people” into one big group and not understanding that they are different people as well. Dickens, although he never knew it, clearly made his point universal throughout the many years of the world and the years to come.
Garrett Klokman
“There’s not a Hand in this town, sir, man, woman, or child, but has one ultimate object in life. That object is to be fed on turtle soup and venison with a gold spoon. Now, they’re not a-going—none of ‘em—ever to be fed on turtle soup and venison with a gold spoon. And now you know the place.”(122). This quote is during the time Bounderby and Harthhouse are meeting for the first time. I picked this quote because it shows what the few rich describe Coketown. Most, if not all, the towns inhabitants work in factories, such as Stephen, and will never enjoy the luxuries the rich enjoy. This quotes depicts how the town is run which is a handful of wealthy people controlling and profiting from the less then satisfactory lives of the poor. This quote also furthers the character Bounderby because it shows although he grew up with the poor he still demeans them as all the other rich do. One would think that since he rose from the poor to the upper class he would be more sympathetic but this is not the case at all.
This quote also symbolizes the class struggle between the rich and the poor. The poor are working hard and dreaming of living a life of luxury. Then on the other side people like Bounderby are trying to suppress them because he doesn’t want his way of life jeopardized. The quote depicts the class system of Coketown and how it will never change because the poor will stay poor and the rich will stay rich.
Haven Jones
"Thus easily did Stephen Blackpool fall into the loneliest of lives, the life of solitude among a familiar crowd. The stranger in the land who looks into ten thousand faces for some answering look and never finds it is in cheering society as compared with him who passes ten averted faces daily that were once the countenances of friends. Such experience was to be Stephen's now, in every waking moment of his life..."(139-140).
I found this quote to be a particularly illustrative and poignant way of describing Stephen Blackpool's situation after he has been outcast from his fellow Hands in Coketown. This quote really dives into the loneliness Stephen is feeling at the time, as he has lost virtually all of his friends and acquaintances. As Dicken's describes, the misery Stephen feels is even worse than that of a man who has never had any friends at all. Stephen has effectively been abandoned by all of society, which further builds on his wretched and downtrodden status in life. I personally started to feel quite bad for Stephen upon reading this passage, as it clearly exhibits the intense sadness, loneliness, and despair he is feeling as the entire world - including those who he works with and interacts with daily, and those who share his struggles - has turned its back on him. Dickens writing is full of pathos (vocab word anyone? not sure if I used it right though..) in this section of the text, and I thought this passage in particular brings the emotions of Stephen to life.
"'You are such a waspish, raspish, ill-conditioned chap, you see,' said Mr. Bounderby, 'that even your own Union, the men who know you best, will have nothing to do with you. I never thought those fellows could be right in anything; but I tell you what! I so far go along with them for a novelty that I'll have nothing to do with you either.'... Stephen glanced at Louisa again, but her eyes were raised to his no more; therefore, with a sigh, and saying, barely above his breath, 'Heaven help us aw in this world!' he departed" (147-148)
This quote first tells us about Mr. Bounderby's relationship with Stephen. By the way Bounderby describes Stephen as a "waspish, raspish, ill-conditioned chap" we see that Bounderby greatly dislikes him. This is, however, not a personal dislike, but one of social status, as Bounderby is a businesses man, whereas Stephen is a working class man. This is elaborated upon by the way in which Bounderby hints about his disdain towards the Unions. He says that he has never agreed with them, as they represent the rights of the working man, those who he is set to break the will of, as with Stephen. The second important point of this quote is that Stephen had a break with the Unions at some point. As the reader, we know that this is because he does not want to rise up with the Union against the factories, but instead maintain the status quo. This shows that he has been ground into his current state by his job, and his terrible marriage, and doesn't wish to disrupt his life, which he sees as delicately balancing on the edge of a precipice. The final key point of this quote is Stephens relationship with Louisa. In the passage we see that he looks to her for support, and that she avoids his gaze. In the following chapter, however, we see that she wants to help him, without openly going against the will of her husband, and decides to give him money to get started in a new town. I predict that his relationship will continue to develop, as Stephen takes the money as a loan, and intends to pay Louisa back.
Mike Strickland
“I mean to say, Mr. Harthouse., that when I first left home and went to old Bounderby’s I was as flat as a warming-pan and I knew no more about life than any oyster does.” (131).
It has been a while since we have heard talk of Mr. Gradgrind and his fact-worshipping. This quote was said by Tom in response to Mr. Harthouse’s questions about Tom’s father. In the first reading assignment we saw how Mr. Gradgrind believes that knowing as many facts as possible will make you successful. Here we see the error in this mantra, as his own son encountered some problems. Tom with his head full of facts and no imagination, did not know how to function in life outside of the school house. The rigorous ‘training program’ that Tom has gone through has not given the skill set required to succeed in the real world. The use of an oyster is two-fold. One, because obviously oysters are not smart at all. The second, because Oysters live in shells, and it would seem as though Tom has been hiding in a ‘shell’ from the very beginning of his life. This shell would of course be the rigid fact based system that Gradgrind has set up. He was “flat as a warming pan” because he did not have any depth to his character he was just a layer of facts waiting to be spit back at rapid speed. This goes to show that the outrageous plan exacted by Gradgrind is just that, outrageous. This is important because we see that Charles Dickens is mocking the educational system by showing that the one thing we rely on to prepare our kids for a successful adult hood is not preparing them at all.
Nick Montimurro
"...you needn't be surprised that Loo married old Bounderby. She never had a lover, and the governor proposed old Bounderby, and she took him." [Harthouse] "..It would not have come off as easily if it hadn't been for me. I persuaded her." [Tom] (130-131)
This quote is from chapter 2 of the second book and Tom and Mr. Harthouse are conversing about many different topics. One topic that Harthouse likes to talk about is Louisa. I thought this quote was interesting because Tom reveals something that the reader probably knew, that Louisa never intended on marrying Bounderby. Throughout the novel it is explained that Louisa is never happy when she is around Bounderby and that she had no choice but to marry him because her father wanted her to. Now we know of a new fact; Louisa's brother Tom also played a role in her marrying Bounderby. Tom's reason for this was that, "I was stuck into old Bounderby's bank"(131), meaning that Tom wanted to marry her because he was so wealthy and that he could give them some money for their financial situation.
Another reason why I chose this quote was because it provokes the thought that Louisa has no feelings for Bounderby whatsoever. We know how much Louisa loves her brother Tom. Bounderby asks Louisa, "is there nothing that will move that face?" Right when he says that Dickens describes, "Yes! By Jupiter, there was something, and here it was, in an unexpected shape. Tom appeared" (126). It is clear that Louisa is unhappy with Bounderby and that she doesn't care for. I found this very interesting and maybe this may have an impact later in the story.
Jeff Rossi
"The whelp went home and went to bed. If he had had any sense of what he had done that night, and had been less of a whelp and more of a brother, he might have turned short on the road, might have gone down to the ill-smelling river that was dyed black, might have gone to bed in it for good and all, and have curtained his head forever with its filthy waters" (133)
I like this quote and completely agree with what Dickens is saying. In the quote he describes the whelp, Tom Gradgrind, as being so bad in the world that he should just end his life by drowning himself. In the previous section Tom talks to Mr. Harthouse about his relationship with his sister and Bounderby and how he screwed his sister over. He tells Mr. Harthouse, " she wouldn't have been as dutiful, and it would not have come of as easily" "if it hadn't been for me"(130) He goes on to say, "I persuaded her" (131) and "she would do anything for me. It was very game of her, wasn't it" (131). Tom asked his sister to marry someone she does not like solely because he wanted to get on Bounderby's good side in the business world which would make Tom more successful, because Mr. Bounderby would favor family (his brother in law). The reason why this is so bad is Tom knows that his sister hates Bounderby. Earlier in the book he sees Bounderby kiss her and she "stood on the same spot. Rubbing her cheek he had kissed with her hankerchief until it was burning red" (21). Tom watches this intense hatrid take place, but still almost forces his sister to marry this man. Tom also shallowly says while talking to Harthouse, "But she don't mind, girls can always get on, somehow"(132). He does not even consider her happiness, but just the fact that she is living and seems pleased with himself for the fact that she is still alive. I do agree with the quote that by Dickens that Tom is an awful person who should drown himself.
Danielle Watkins
“ ‘I know weel that if I was a-lyin’ parisht i’ th’ road, yo’d feel it right to pass me by, as a forrenner and stranger. What I ha’ getn, I mun mak’ th’ best on.’
‘Stephen Blackpool,” said the chairman, rising, “think on ‘t agen. Think on ‘t once agen, lad, afore thou’rt shunned by aw owd friends’ ” (138).
I think this quote is significant because of the irony of it. Stephen, talking at a union rally, thinks that if he “was a-lyin’ parisht i’ th’ road, [his fellow workers would] feel it right to pass [him] by”. The chairman contradicts him and tells him to “think on’t agen”. He claims that they are all friends and when Stephen looks out into the crowd, he realizes no one is angry with him and he believes this. Although no one resents him, Stephen would be considered “a forrenner and stranger” because he is later shunned by everyone but Rachael. I found this quote to be important because of the fact that Stephen’s fellow workers are caught in the moment and agree with the chairman that they would help Stephen, but never live up to this statement. So, Stephen is left walking on his own, resilient as usual, only to be condemned by Mr. Bounderby later on. I also think this quote shows how admirable Stephen really is because perhaps he believes the people because they are “owd friends”, even though they end up avoiding him. He sees the positive side of everything and this is a commendable quality of his. I also think it is important that Rachael stays with him despite the circumstances. She could be a symbol of the “friends” Stephen has and his positive outlook because she proves that he does have someone to rely on. Even the most unexpected people come to comfort and help him, such as Mrs. Pegler and Louisa. Although the statement in the quote is ironic when applying to all the workers, it is true when referring to Rachael and the others, who try to help Stephen.
Beau Yurkevicius
"Not that it was altogether so important to her as it was to me," continued Tom coolly, " because my liberty and comfort, and perhaps my getting on, depended on it, and she had no other lover, and staying at home was like staying in jail - especially when I was gone. It wasn't as if she gave up another lover for old Bounderby, but still it was a good thing in her" (131).
This quote is very significant to the story as a whole and to the outcome of Tom and Louisa's characters. It shows how Tom used the devotion his sister has toward him in order to manipulate Bounderby and Louisa in order to obtain what he wanted. When living with Bounderby as a young lad, he often mentioned Louisa in order to cause Bounderby to ease up on himself. By convincing Louisa to marry Bounderby, Tom now has more slack to do as he wishes when it comes to the work Bounderby assigns him. The quote shows Tom's personality and how little he actually cares for his sister and her happiness.
This quote also shows the lack of courage that Louisa has as she just goes along with what her brother tells her to do. Marriage is usually a huge decision in life and she thought little of it as she only listened to what her brother said and went along with it. Now she is stuck with a man that she has little, if any, feelings for and she will be forever miserable in this relationship as Tom can continue on with his life at the expense of Louisa.
Michael Nee
"He was not so honest, he was not so manly, he was not so good-humoured; he substituted cunning for their simplicity, and passion for their safe solid sense. An Ill made, high-shouldered man, with lowering brows, and his features crushed into an habitually sour expression, he contrasted most unfavourably, even in his mongrel dress, with the great body of his hearers in their plain working-clothes"(134).
I chose this description of Slackbridge as being important because he is the man rallying the workers to unionize against bunbury. Being described as a humourless and cunning man, he is a natural born leader. The working conditions of the hands are pathetic and their pay hardly is worth the grit in their work. However, Stephen Blackpool still does not think that unionizing is the answer to their actions, leading him into a loose-loose, catch-22 situation, where if he leaves the union he is outcasted by his fellow workers, and to join the union would mean to possibly being blacklisted.
The decription of Slackbridge also gives insight to the simplicity of the hands. It is quoted as saying "he substituted cunning for their simplicity, and passion for their safe, solid sense"(134). Their ignorance to the world around them is all the more reason to unionize. Stephen Blackpool being afraid to take a stand represents his passiveness in everyday life whether it is at work, or with his love interest Rachael, leaving him the only option to leave town to find work.
Allison Molinaro
This page seems to be very popular but thankfully everyone has posted just about every other quote on this page excpet the one I want to talk about!
"I persuaded her,' he said, with an edifying air of superiority. 'I was stuck into old Bounderby's Bank (where I never wanted to be), and I knew I should get into scrapres there if she put old Bounderby's pipe out so, I told her my wishes, and she came into them." (131)
This quote is one of the first times the reader has insight to Tom's character and his motives. This quote shows that Tom is simply using his sister in order to get money. Tom and Louisa have an extremely close relationship but it is very low of Louisa to marry Bounderby just so that she and her brother will be well off for the rest of their lives. Tom has no actual skills in life therefore he is unable to get a job which is why he finds this alternative. The first line of this quote when Tom is talking to Mr. Harthouse shows that Tom thinks he is better than everyone else and shouws that he has complete control of his sister and manipulated her into getting married. His manipulation is also showed towards the end of our reading when he tells Stephen he can help him find a job. THe way he goes about telling Stephen his plan is sketchy and doesn't seem sincere. Tom definetely finds pride in his control over his sister, he pretty much brags to Mr. Harthouse when he says, "I told her my wishes, and she came into them" he thinks that he is clever and should be respected by everyone becuase he was able to convince his sister into doing this. This is one of the first times we see Tom's true motives in the story and so far I don't like him at all and i'm sure that more problems will arise because of Tom.
Lane Southard
“This, again, was among the fictions of Coketown. Any capitalist there who had made sixty thousand pounds out of sixpence always professed to wonder why the sixty thousand nearest Hands didn’t each make sixty thousand pounds out of sixpence, and more or less reproached them every one for not accomplishing the little feat. What I did you can do? Why don’t you go and do it?” (113-114)
The quote given by the narrator is an exemplification of the distance between the lower and upper class that has been the main theme throughout the novel. The arrogance shown from the capitalist view as they believe that since they have been able to make a successful living then everybody should be like them. They show no sympathy with the poor as they feel like it is their fault they are not rich and are not as successful as the capitalists. This idea increases the feeling of superiority the high class feels over the lower class as the ability to make tremendous amounts without hard work is seen as the divider between the two social distinctions. Towards the end it is said that the making of thousands of dollars is a small accomplishment showing what the aristocrats take for granted. The working class of the Victorian age know that it is work that brings in enough money just to get by and that is self is no little feat.
The other interesting part of the quote is that “Hands” is capitalized. I first thought how pronouns for God are capitalized and while I don’t believe that Dickens is relating the lower class to the religious figure but is showing that the truly stronger class is the lower as they develop their lives from work rather than being lazy from an aristocratic life.
I would also like to say that my word verification was "barph" i don't know how to respond.
My quote is the shortest of those I've seen, and yet when I read it I almost laughed aloud at the sheer brilliance of the comparison between man and element: "Mr. Bounderby, who was always something more or less like a Wind, finding something in his way here, began to blow at it directly." (142). Could Bounderby's character be any better described than when related to a wind? First of all, he's a complete blowhard, tooting his own horn about how he brought himself out of poverty. The amount of hot air flying from his face is proportional to that of the cold Noreastern Blizzard, but with less effect. Indeed, like a wind, he makes little effect on anyone. Everyone can feel the wind, but can it topple a boulder or change the course of a river? Stephen Blackpool in this case is the river or the stone; Bounderby's bluster have no impact on his contentions concerning the state of his fellow man. From then on, Bounderby is often compared to a moving air current: "The wind began to get boisterous" (142), "... said Mr. Bounderby, by this time blowing a hurricane" (146), etc. The comparison just tickles my literary fancy. I don't know I get excited when so much is said in so few words.
Steph "Quote-Buster" Bacon
miky Branson
"I assure you I attach not the least importance to any opinions. The result of the varieties of boredom I have undergone is a conviction( unless conviction is too industrious of a word for the lazy sentiment I entertain on the subject) that any set of ideas will do just as much good as any other set, and justas much harm as any other set."(125) This quote is about Harthouse describing his philosophy on ideas. He feels that all ideas will do the same amout of good and bad to him, iT doesn't matter what set of ideas he chooses to believe because he thinks that they are all the same when it comes down to it. Everyone has a different set of ideas and they believe what thy want to believe. I thought this quote was interesting because at the beginning of the book, Gradgrind was seeming like he was sort of powerful and had some control over people with his idea of the fact that everyone should just learn facts, but then Harthouse comes in and says that leArning from Gradgrind is something to do because he is bored, and his philosophy shows that Gradgrind is wrong. Everyone should learn what they want to learn and any ideas that are put into their head will only be put there by choice.
Mike A
“‘Now, would you believe that, although they have put this mark upon him, he is such a slave to them still that he’s afraid to open his lips about them?’”(142).
This quote from Bounderby speaks to the character of Stephen Blackpool, and the lower class as a whole. Blackpool is the poorest of the poor and now his fellow workers have turned against him and refuse to even acknowledge his presence. He is being shunned for not agreeing to be a part of their workers union so Stephen is almost completely isolated from society. Under normal circumstances, it would be assumed that a person in Stephen’s position would be yearning to get back at the people who turned their backs on him. Yet, Stephen is given this opportunity by Bounderby and he remains loyal to his former co-workers and friends. Bounderby wishes to know what exactly happened in the secret union meeting and why Stephen was thrown out. But here we see the loyalty that Blackpool still has for his fellow workers. He does not sell out to the aristocratic pressure that Bounderby puts on the poor man. His allegiance will always remain with those who suffer the way that he suffers and he will not turn his back on them as they do to him. Through this, he is characterized as being one of the most moral characters in the story despite his social status.
Kevin Guay
"When I was your age, young Tom," said Bounderby, "I was punctual or I got no dinner."
"When you were my age," returned Tom, "you hadn't a wrong balance to get right, and hadn't to dress afterwards."
"Nevermind that now," said Bounderby.
"Well, then," grumbled Tom. "Don't begin with me." (127).
This passage from the story really attests to the characters of Bounderby and Tom Gradgrind. It is clear that their relationship is beginning to deteriorate from what it was in the beginning of the story. At first Tom looked forward to working with Mr. Bounderby at the bank. Tom viewed Mr. Bounderby as a well-respected man. Now, however, after working with him for a year, Tom can finally begin to see that he is not all that he is cut out to be. Based on the attitude at dinner, one can speculate that Tom is getting fed up with Mr. Bounderby and his personality. And because Tom is a caring person, I also feel that he is getting fed up Mr. Bounderby's lack of compassion for the poorer classes of society. Tom is a good man who cannot be poisoned by Mr. Bounderby.
This quote can also help the reader predict what will happen later in the story. Based on the conversation between Mr. Bounderby and Tom, I feel that as time goes on Tom will begin to distance himself from the banker and his business. I also think that because of their deteriorating relationship, Tom will try to break up the marriage between Mr. Bounderby and his sister, Louisa. Being the loving brother that he is, Tom does not want to see his sister unhappy, and she is certainly unhappy with Mr. Bounderby. This passage has sparked my interest in the relationship between Mr. Bounderby and Tom, and I cannot wait to see how it develops later on in the story.
Paige Hanson
"The wonder was, it was there at all. It had been ruined so often that it was amazing how it had borne so many shocks... They were ruined when they were required to send labouring children to school; they were ruined when inspectors were appointed to look into their works; they were ruined when such inspectors considered it doubtful whether they were quite justified in chopping people up with their machinery; they were utterly undone when it was hinted that oerhaps they need not always make uite so much smoke... The streets were hot and dusty on the summer day, and the sun was so bright that it even shone through the heavy vapour drooping over Coketown, and could not be looked at steadily" (106).
This quote is from the beginning of Book 2. Coketown is being described in great detail in the first few pages. Coketown is looked as more of a character rather than a setting in the passage above. The emphasis in this quote is the repition that everything is "ruined." Dickens repeats this phrase over and over in this small passage to show the brutal conditions of Coketown. The beginning starts off with a question of how anything can survive or be brought into such a community with poor conditions when everything gets ruined. The people of Coketown are ruined by almost every routine they are expected to fufill. I included the last part because it ties together the conditions in Coketown. Not only is the town known for its harsh moral code, the place itself is disgusting. The soot and smoke takes over the town completely and makes it such a bad place to reside. The description included in the passage makes it easy to imagine what the town looks like and how people act. Coketown is an important part in understanding "Hard Times." With background on the town it makes it easier to picture how these people are expected to act and how they were taught to act. Living in such a dirty and hopeless town these characteristics are expeted to rub off on the townspeople.
"Her features were handsome, but their natural play was so locked up that it seemed impossible to guess at their genuine expression. Utterly indifferent, perfectly self-reliant, never at a loss, and yet never at her ease, with her figure in company with them there, and her mind apparently quite alone-it was of not use "going in" yet awhile to comprehend this girl, for she baffled all penetration."(123)
This quote, which is the first description description of Louisa Bounderby after her marraige, is interesting because it shows the stark changes which marraige to bounderby has introduced to Louisa. Dickens writes that Louisa, who seemed to be a suppressed romantic before her marraige, is still handsome, but her "natural play" is locked up to the point where you cant interpret her emotion. This description might be saying that wwhile Louisa's physical appearance might not have changed in the one year since her marriage, but her youthful innocence (natural play) might have been destroyed by Bounderby's oppresive presence.
Dickens also writes that she is "utterly indifferent" and "self-reliant" leading one to believe that her marriage is not exactly one which is dependent on Bounderby, also indicating that she is lonely. It seems to me from this passage that she is married to Bounderby regretfully and that she has become introverted where in the beginning of the book she could rely on Sissy or Tom for intellectual stimulation.
Sam Fountians
Shannon Temlak
“Come!” said his host. “If you’re in the complimentary line, you’ll get on here, for you’ll meet with no competition. I have never been in the way of learning compliments myself, and I don’t profess to understand the art of paying ‘em. In fact, despise ‘em. But your brining-up was different from mine; mine was a real thing, by George! You’re a gentleman, and I don’t pretend to be one. I am Josiah Bounderby of Coketown, and that’s enough for me. However, though I am not influenced by manners and station, Loo Boundergby may be. She hadn’t my advantages – disadvantages you would call ‘em, but I call ‘em advantages – so you’ll not waste your power, I dare say” (124).
I picked this quote because it successfully conveys Mr. Bounderby’s pompous attitude. The man’s arrogance bleeds through the text when he asserts that he does not give compliments: “I don’t profess to the art of paying ‘em” (124). It is clear that, despite his own practices, Mr. Bounderby is willing to accept compliments from others. These particular words of Mr. Bounderby reflect his ideology regarding his position in society. By essentially taking care of himself, Mr. Bounderby feels as though he desires to receive complements and that he is justified in doing so. As seen previously in the novel, Mr. Bounderby is quite proud of how he has made something of himself from scratch. He comes off as pompous when speaking to Mr. Harthouse, specifically when he says, “I am Josiah Bounderby of Coketown, and that’s enough for me” (124). Mr. Harthouse becomes more and more aware of Mr. Bounderby’s unwillingness to accept his own personal faults and failure to come to the realization that he is not the best in every way.
At this point of the novel, Mr. Bounderby is just getting to know Mr. Harthouse. It only seems natural, that upon meeting someone new, Mr. Bounderby would deem it necessary to prove himself to him or her. As repeatedly conveyed thus far in the novel, Mr. Bounderby is quite proud of his bringing-up, and will use any opportunity he has to make reference to his success in climbing the social ladder. Modesty is clearly not a quality on Mr. Bounderby’s mind when he is becoming acquainted with Mr. Harthouse. For example, Mr. Bounderby states, “[Louisa] hadn’t my advantages – disadvantages you would call ‘em, but I call ‘em disadvantages” (124). Rather than admitting that he was not as fortunate as Louisa had been during childhood, Mr. Bounderby sticks to his practice of self-praise. Mr. Harthouse, as a result, does not obtain the most positive first impression of Mr. Bounderby. The arrogance of Mr. Bounderby serves to lead Mr. Harthouse, at least in part, to become more intrigued in what Louisa has to say. It seems obvious that Mr. Harthouse grows fonder of Louisa over the course of his first interaction with her. The relationship of Mr. Harthouse and Louisa is a compelling one this point in the novel; Mr. Harthouse appears to be romantically interested in Louisa, despite the fact that she is already married to Mr. Bounderby. If Mr. Bounderby had been more warm-hearted during his introduction to Mr. Harthouse, it is quite possible that Mr. Harthouse would not have taken as much notice of Louisa. I am interested to see how Mr. Harthouse will interact with Louisa over the course of the latter half of the novel and if Mr. Bounderby will have any effect on their relationship.
This is a quote is a description of the employees' reaction after Slackbridge's furious rant.
"There was some applause and some crying of Shame upon the man, but the greater part of the audience were quiet. They looked at Stephen's worn face, rendered more pathetic by the homely emotions it evinced, and in the kindness of their nature, they were more sorry than indignant." (137)
The crowd's weak reaction to Slackbridge's speech really shows how obnoxious Slackbridge is. Slackbridge's words are reckless are intended to encourage unrest and turmoil. The crowd was not moved by his words, however, since they gave attention to Stephen's "homely emotions" over Slackbridge's indignant speech. Their lack of adherence to Slackbrige makes his forceful words meaningless. Through this quote we can see that Charles Dickens does not favor instigating tension between two forces, since he sheds such a negative light on the conflict-stirring Slackbridge.
Megan Kasetty
“‘What I know, I know, and what you know, you know. I have no more to say about it’” (147).
When Stephen Blackpool expressed his concern about not being able to find work anywhere else, Bounderby responded with this quote. This response perfectly highlights Bounderby’s narrow mindedness and ignorance. It not only shows the lack of compassion he has for Stephen’s disheartening situation but also his apathy towards understanding the situation of the poor. By saying “What I know, I know”, Bounderby shows that he has no desire to expand his knowledge. It is ironic that someone with an overwhelming passion for facts and knowledge can refuse to learn about a large aspect of society.
This ignorant outlook on life has been illustrated throughout the entire novel. There is a large divide between the rich and the poor, as the rich have no intentions of helping those who need support. Both social classes stay within distinct boundaries with no attempts of understanding one another better or combining their different ways of thinking (facts vs. imagination). This quote is important because it supports a main idea that there will be a lasting divide between the rich and the poor due to deeply rooted social boundaries that people are unwilling to break down.
Sarah Dahlstrom
"A beautiful smile. Mr. James Harthouse might not have thought so much of it but that he had wondered so long at her impassive fave. SHe put out her hand-a pretty little soft hand-and her fingers closed upon her brother's as if she would have carried them to her lips." (126)
I chose this quote because it really captures the only essense in which Louisa feels emotion. By the way Harthouse describes it, Louisa shows a whole different essense when her brother is present. Previously, Louisa had trouble expressing herself. SHe felt as though she was deprived of her childhood, being brough up solely on the basis of facts. As Tom comes in, Louisa is able to express her happiness, let her feelings loose, as a huge smily appears across her face. Although, at this point, Louisa still hasn't developed her ability to feel, nonetheless express her emotions, it is important to note that Tom grants her slightly with that ability. Further in this portion of the reading, Louisa is not drawn towards Mr. Harthouse initially. He describes an Italian motto that does not seem to favor him. "What will be, will be. It's the only thruth going!" This does not appeal to Louisa as it, like she had always been brought up by, relates to fact. However, as the story continues, Louisa develops intimacies with Harthouse, which, I am assuming, will cause tirbulance regarding the Bounderby family.
Cara D'Amico
"'Oh,' returned Tom, with a contemptuous patronage,'she's a regular girl. A girl can get on anywhere. She has settled down to the life, and she don't mind. It does just as well as another. BEsides, Loo is a girl, she's not a common sort of girl. She can shut herself up within herself, and think-as I have her sit and watch the fire-for an hour at a stretch'" (131).
Here Tom is trying to justify why it was okay that Louisa married bounderby just for Tom's sake. It goes to show just how ungrateful and unnaprecitive Tom is. Also, his view that "a girl can get on anywhere" reflects the image that many people had of women at the time. Tom figures that any marriage for Louisa would do because he thought all a girl wanted was a husband and nothing more. It is interesting how Tom does notice how Louisa is a divided person, or at least his subconcious does. He says that Luoisa is just a "regular girl", but he also says that "she's not a common sort of girl". It highlights how Louisa tries to cover her emotions and remain impassive, but that she really has a strong personality as we have seen earlier in the book. This is symbolic of how the people of coketown feel the same unrest as Louisa.
Esther Tai
"'Sir...if yo was t'tak' a hundred Slackbridges--as as there is, an' aw the number ten times towd--an' was t'sew 'em up in separate sacks, an' sink 'em in the deepest ocean as we were made ere ever dry land coom to be, yo'd leave the muddle just wheer 'tis. Micheevous strangers!...'Tis not wi' them 't commences...'tis hopeless and useless to dream o' takin' t hem fro' t heir trade, 'stead o' takin' their trade fro' them'" (146).
(Sometimes I wish that guy could just talk normally…) Anyway, this quote stood out to me while I was reading because it showed how the rich are dealing with the “problem” of the lower class. They view their problems as the trivial whining of those whose main object is to be “fed on turtle soup and venison with a gold spoon” (122), when in reality these are a people barely able to make ends meet. The rich deal with this “problem” with a severe and deliberate lack of sympathy for the poor, because they do not want to think of them as actual people just like them. This would cause all of their actions towards them up to this point to have been incorrect behavior towards actual human beings, and in sympathizing with them, they would have to acknowledge that their situation is truly grave. This would require them to acknowledge their mistakes and, furthermore, require them to do something about their situation as a problem of human treatment. This quote shows the upper class’s lack of willingness to solve the problem as a problem of the treatment of people, because they have always viewed the lower class as workers for their every whim to support their life of luxury, or as “machines without loves and likes” whom they “[reproach] for their want o’ sitch humanly feelin’s in their dealin’s with [them]” (147). However, instead they think of the working class as simply a pack of barking dogs that will quiet if you scare them off well enough. This is not dealing with them in a realistic fashion. Through the dehumanization of the poor, the upper class manage to deal with them as just a “problem”, just like the Jews in the Holocaust were just a “Question” of what to do with them. Stephen’s point is that this is useless because people’s suffering will not be solved by scaring them, and the true core of the problem will not go away if they try to take on the “instigators” of the problem, because the true instigators are themselves. The reality of the situation will have to be faced eventually, and the working class will work as hard as they can to make the upper class face the fact that they are not just a “problem” that needs to be taken care of, but people of equal worth and needs. This talk as a whole is a commentary on the equality of the people of the time, the separation between the upper classes, and the classes individually dealt with the problem at hand. It said a lot about their psyches, which on both ends were counterproductive. Stephen shows a potential voice and solution the problem, if only he could present himself better.
Kelsey Mullin
"The bank offered no violence to the wholesome monotomy of the town. It was another red brick house, with black outside shutters, green inside blinds, a black street hoor-handle full stop. It was a size larger than Mr. Bounderby's house, as other houses were from a size to half-a-dozen sizes smaller; in all other particulars it was strictly according to pattern" (108).
This quote is significant for a few reasons. One that stood out to me was how it describes the houses in Coketown as being exactly alike, which reitterates the overall feeling of the town. Everyone is obsessed with facts and knowledge so it makes sense that all their houses are exactly the same. There are no crazy looking houses because no one in Coketown believes in crazy ideas, dreams, or "fancies". This quote is used when talking about Mrs. Sparsit's job as the "Bank Dragon" of the town. This building blends in with its surroundings because all the buildings look the same. Mrs. Sparsit herself is certainly a woman of fact and is very serious, so she is trusted to watch over the town's treasures. This quote is also important because it mirror's the lives/personalities of most of the people in the town, for example Mr. Gradgrind. The monotony of Mr. Gradgrind's fact-based life is just like the monotony of the brick bank building. Every aspect of life in Coketown is guided by a belief in the importance of fact and strict guildelines, even in the architecture of the town.
Now this gentleman had a younger brother of still better appearance than himself, who had tried life as a cornet of dragoons, and found it a bore; and had afterwards tried it in the train of an english ministr abroad, and found it a bore; and had then gone yachting about the world, and got bored everywhere (120).
I chose this quote partly because everyone stole my others, but also because it made me laugh a little. This quote shows the ridiculous life styles of the rich and how absurd they are. also I think it clearly defines the social classes. This character has enough wealth to travel the world, while members within coketown society have little money. A big issue consistent within the book is social classes. The few wealthy members of society seem to control the whole town. The fact that the wealthy have enough money to travel, yet they all live in a disgusting dirty town is funny.
That was caitlynn
"But no temperature made the melancholy mad elephants more mad or more sane. Their wearisome heads went up and down at the same rate, in hot weather and cold, wet weather and dry, faor weather and foul. The measured motion of their shadows on the walls was the substitute of Coketown had to show for the shadows of rustling woods; while, for the summer hum of insects, it could offer, all the year round from the dawn of Monday to the night of Saturday, the whirr of shafts and wheels" (107-108).
I chose this quote because it really emphasizes the societal trend of only doing what is expected of you, based on your social status. Just as the "elephants" keep moving, not making any progress or change, just simply moving and continuing on, the people of Coketown never really strive to be anything more than they're expected to be. The quote refers to how, despite warm wather which is supposed to make people happy and cheerful, people in Coketown aren't even affected and they just keep toiling along in the boring and disgusting city. This quote really highlights the toilsome nature of the people of Coketown and shows how they dont strive to be anything more than they are expected to be.
Sammy McHugh
"'Why you see,' replied Bounderby, 'it suits my disposition to have a full understanding with a man, particularly with a public man, when I make his acquaintance.'" (122)
This shows how Mr. Bounderby is strictly a businessman. He likes "'to have a full understanding'" of what kind of people he is dealing with before he gets into a relationship with them. He only knows how to deal with people in business-like situations because he never learned how to actually relate to other people. He doesn't care about his emotions, only how people do business.
The quote also relates to the time period because people's lives were consumed by industry. The upper class builds relationships based on wealth and status just as Bounderby does with James. The lower class is grouped together by the amount of money they make which is little to none. They live in similar areas and, therefore, base their relations on things they have in common. Usually, during this time period the things that people had in common was how much money they made. Their lives are strictly business (or the lack thereof) and no emotion.
Hannah Cassidy
"There was little enough in him to brighten her face, for he was a sullen young fellow, and ungracious in his manner even to her. So much the greater must have been the solitude of her heart, and her need of someone on whom to bestow it. 'So much the more is this whelp [Tom] the only creature she has ever cared for,' thought Mr. James Harthouse, turning it over and over. 'So much the more. So much the more'" (127).
This quote hightlights Louisa's very close relationship with her brother and also her miserable marriage with Mr. Bounderby. Louisa and Tom, from childhood, had had a uniquely close relationship as brother and sister. This quote, and also when it is said that, "[Lousia] put out her hand...and her fingers closed upon her brother's as if she would have carried them to her lips" (126), put emphasis on that relationship. They both had a very tough childhood, being raised by Mr. Gradgrind with his fact-based beliefs; they always only had each other while growing up. And still while they're older, they remain close. Louisa especially attaches herself to Tom, because she leads such a miserable existence.
This quote also shows how unhappy Louisa is. She reluctantly married Mr. Bounderby, and as a result, she is not content with him whatsoever. The quote states how unappealing Tom Gradgrind is; however, (yo Ms. Philbin, check out my use of a semi-colon and however!) Louisa hates her life and her husband so much that she keeps herself close to Tom. It is said, "So much the greater must have been the solitude of her heart, and her need of someone on whom to bestow it" (127). Because Louisa and Mr. Bounderby are very unhappy with each other, they remain distant and Louisa is consequently very lonely. Thus, she needs Tom to not feel so alone. This quote summarizes Louisa's lamentable life and also her and Tom's relationship.
"From Mr. Bounderby i have received every acknowledgement of my social station, and every recognition of my family descent that I could possibly expect." (112)
After reading last week and basically looking for a reason to dislike Bounderby, it has beecome a trend in my reading.
This quote by Mrs. Sparsit is an example of Bounderby's obsession with social class. Mrs. Sparsit points out that Bounderby continually reminds her of her low social staus. This quote perfectly exemplifies the egotism of Bounderby.
This quote also is an example of the characteristics of the Victorian Era and the fact that women must abide by men during this time period. Mrs. Sparsit, one of these women, has come to realize she is not only in a lower position because of her lack of wealth, but also because she is a woman.
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