If your last name starts with letters A-I (Hard Times p. 218-278)
Look at the titles of each chapter...
Are they significant? Why/why not? What would Dickens choose to title each chapter as such? Is there a significance to not only what they say, but how little they say?
19 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Danielle Andrews
The titles that Charles Dickens uses in the book, either sum up what the chapter is going to be about of the significance of the chapter. He uses very short titles that express so much. For example, the chapter entitled “Very Ridiculous,” sums up the chapter, as it has to do with the ridiculous behavior, as seen in society, of Sissy questioning Mr. Hearthouse. The next chapter, “Very Decided,” sums up the content of the chapter along with having a significant meaning. First, the chapter has to do with decisions characters have to make, whether it is about second guessing Louis and Tom’s upbringing or Mr. Bounberby’s final decision to end his marriage with Louisa. The significant aspect has to do with Mr. Gradgrind doubting his parenting style, which has been a constant theme throughout the book. The following chapter entitled, “Lost,” refers to the multiple characters that are lost in terms of life. Mr. Bounderby just lost his wife, Rachael is worried about Stephen, and Louisa tries to find her true self. The chapter, “Found,” literally has to do with what takes place in the chapter. Mr. Pegler finally sees her son, Mr. Bounderby, much to his surprise. Mr. Bounderby then has to confront his past and everyone truly finds out who Mr. Bounderby was in his past.
The chapter, “The Starlight,” has to do with the fact that after immense amounts of time Rachael and Sissy find Stephen, and he is able to inform the women that he can clear his name in the robbery, symbolizing the starlight, or shinning hope. Tom is referred to as the whelp through a good amount of the book and the next chapter entitled, “Whelp-hunting,” directly sums up the chapter, as most of the characters are looking for Tom, regarding the bank robbery. The second to last chapter, “Philosophical,” has a significant meaning. This chapter has to do with Tom’s family trying to help him escape, ultimately escaping the robbery charges. Philosophy has to do with the rational investigation of truths and principle, which most of the characters lack through most of the book and this chapter allows some of those characters to renew and explore what they have been missing. The last chapter entitled, “Final,” basically has to do with the fact that it is the final chapter. It also has the significant meaning of summing up final actions of the characters, mostly exploring new emotions and admitting to faults so they can move forth with their lives. These final chapters contain titles that just sum up the content of the chapter as well as having a significant meaning to the characters and the themes of the book.
Each chapter in this novel has a very straightforward title that sufficiently sums up each section that accompanies it. To me, it seems like the titles may be a reflection of the fact oriented nature of Gradgrind which he emphasized in the novel. When comparing the chapter titles with what actually occurred in the text, it is clear that the titles are very abbreviated summaries that focus on the facts of what happened. For example, the chapter entitled “Lost” focuses on how Stephen Blackpool has not returned back to Coketown to clear his name despite what Rachael has said. “Lost” is obviously referring to Blackpool and it is simply stating the facts of the situation. Much like Gradgrind, no emotions become involved and no bias effects how the chapters are named. Dickens may have used this technique to emphasize how characters such as Louisa were changing as she altered her personality from robotic (like the chapter titles) to something much more human.
To be honest, I never really thought much about the significance of the chapter titles until last week in class when it was brought up. I realized now as I flipped through the titles that they seem to have a pattern. At the beginning the titles really just describe an event that is going to occur in that chapter but as the book progresses each title becomes more simple and yet more complex at the same time. These titles are simple in the last section because they are only one or two words that are common words in our language but this simplicity is what makes them so complex. (If that makes sense). You can take them for just the exact words on the page or you can attempt to comprehend them and find that these simple words are symbolic of much more complicated and twisted themes and morals to Dickens novels. Dickens' chapter titles are very significant especially in this last section of his novel because they symbolize a deeper meaning and conflicts steaming under the surface. Some titles seem to hold more significance than others. “Very Ridiculous” and “Very Decided” focus on the events in the town and how certain people are reacting to them and making their decisions. In these chapters Dickens stays mostly on the surface and does really attempt to delve deeper. Although I think that there is a significance that he titles these chapters in such close proximity because they show two different perspectives on making decisions. “The Starlight” focuses mainly on the symbol of the star that Stephen Blackpool has seen and has helped him keep faith and come to terms with the reality of his life. This is a very “black-and-white” chapter title and this is continued in the chapter “Whelp-hunting” because literally it is about trying to find Tom Gradgrind. Dickens explores a more “colorful” side in the chapter titles of “Lost”, “Found”, “Philosophical”, and “Final”. These chapters were the ones that showed the underlying symbolism and significance. Not only is Stephen Blackpool “Lost” in this chapter but it also signifies the importance of what is means to be “lost”. Louisa is “lost” in her life and Rachael is “lost” without her love. “Found” appears to be about how Bounderby finds his mother and his mother finds him but what the underlying significance of this title is how reality “finds” Bounderby. Because he lied and is not the person he has said that he was, reality seeks to destroy Bounderby and punish him for this. “Philosophical” is different than what it appears to be because of the two philosophical opinions presented fact does not win and the very uneducated Mr. Sleary wins with his fanciful notions. Lastly, “Final” is probably the most significant chapter title because it explains the least. It is actually the complete opposite of what is final. Nothing is final in the lives of the characters of Coketown and nothing is set in stone. Everything is up in the air and it is proven that fact is definitely not final! All in all, Dickens' titles have important significance to the overall understanding of the novel as a whole. There is definitely a significance in the simplicity and how little each chapter titles says in this section because it emphasizes that yet again nothing is set in stone and one must delve below the surface of the obvious words to fully comprehend the themes of the novel.
ps. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to include every single title from the section so sorry that it is ridiculously long.
Miky Branson Very Ridiculous was called very ridiculous because when Harthouse is told that he has to leave, he finds the demand ridiculous, but it is also ridiculous that he cannot resist this demand. Veru decided is because Gradgrind and Bounderby are on opposite sides for who will get Louisa with her and when Louisa does not return to Bounderby, he goes back to being single. Lost is entitled lost basically just because Stephen is away from coketown and he ha not returned in a very long time. Found is called this because Stephens mother is found, and the secret of Stephen's life is found out during this chapter. This shows that the chapter titles are connected with similar titles. The starlight is a very confusing title for this chapter, in the chapter gets found and also dies, which does not really show starlight in any way, maybe the hole which stephen could see out of, starlight could be seen from it. Whelp hunting refers to tom as the whelp and many people are trying to hunt or find him. Philosophical is called this because only the dog returns home so they all think and tell Sissy that her father is dead. Final is obviously called final because it is the end of the novel, Dickens tells what happens to everyone in the story and closes out everyone's lives.
There is definitely significance in the titles of each of Dicken's chapters. Each title accurately depicts the action to take place in that chapter, and does so in the most short-handed manner possible. I think that the titles reflect how Gradgrind is concerned with only facts (at first anyways) and the titels, like Gradgrind, are concise and to-the-point. This partially explains why the titles are so short. Another reason why I think that they are short, however, is to allow readers to perceive their meanings in different ways. Although every title is accurate to the chapter, the shorter the title is, the more the reader is able to interpret what it may or may not mean. I thought that the chapter "Very Decided" was one of Dickens' most clever ones. In the chapter, it is "very decided" that Louisa and Bounderby will no longer be married. Gradgrind admits to raising Louisa solely on fact and saying that this hurt her in the long run. This is ironic because the title is very factual but in the chapter, Gradgrind denounces his teaching of facts alone. Overall, the chapter names are simple and to the point but allow the reader to interpret their meanings in various ways and demonstrate Gradgrind's desire for "pure facts".
The titles play a very significant role in Hardtimes. Dickens would put a lot of care into choosing a chapter title because it is the first thing a reader sees. By making his titles short, it makes the reader wonder about what the title is about. Some of the titles were misleading or had multiple meanings. I know when I saw "Whelp Hunting" I assumed that the people of Coketown would go on massive hunt, rather than Luoisa and her father trying to rescue him. The chapter title "Lost" could be applied to both the dissapperance of Stephen, but also the loss and confusion rachael feels, and her mistrust of everypne around her. By making his title so short and amiguous, Dickens is able to leave the meaning up to the reader's interpretations.
The way in which Dickens names the title of his chapters, is an interesting one. He does not use them to convey any subtle theme or message, but simply to describe what will happen in the following chapter. Most often these titles are simple, one or two word phrases that show the pragmatism that is so valued in the novel. As we see with the chapter "Very Decided", Bounderby must decide whether to confront Louisa about her infidelity, or sweep it under the rug. He ends up becoming "Very Decided" in his decision to confront Louisa, and even threatens to send back all of Louisa's property to Gradgrind. In the end he must make good on this promise, as he ends up kicking Louisa out, and resumes his solitary life. This title also refers to Louisa's decision to stand up to her husband, because she realizes that he is one of the main causes of her unhappiness. This also shows that Dickens' titles are multipurpose and refer to a variety of characters and themes with the given chapter. This is just one of the many examples of Charles Dickens' blatant use of chapter titles to summarize their respective chapters.
Paige Hanson Charles Dickens uses his titles to basically sum up each chapter. The titles are extremely straightforward such as: "Husband and Wife," "Mr. James Harthouse," and finally "Final." The chapter titles are significant because they forshadow what is coming up in the next chapter; however, they are often too broad to get any real details out of it. Dickens most likely chose the chapters as such because there is no need to make any complicated title names. Dickens gives the reader a straighforward title and does not find it needed to hide any specific meaning in them. The short titles project a snip-it of what is coming up, and that is it. No significance to what they say other than that.
The titles of the chapters basically indicated what the chapters will literally be about. The title of each chapter is actually states somewhere in the corresponding chapter. "Very rediculous" was about Mr. Harthouse having to leave Coketown for rediculous reasons, "Very Dicided" was Bounderby being decided on the fact that Louisa will no longer be his bride if she does not return to his house, "Lost" was about Stephen being lost, "Found" was about Mrs. Pegler being found by Sparsit, "The Starlight" was about the stars that Stephen looked at to clear his mind and find the answers to getting along, "whelp-hunting" was about Mr. Gradgrind looking for Tom, and "Final" was the final outcome of the character's lives.
The some titles are contradictions to each other, such as "Lost" and "Found". This may be because the chapters are about opposite characters. Lost was about Stephen and Found was about Bounderby and the truth that was found in his up-bringing. Stephen and Bounderby are completely opposites, which could be why the titles are opposite words.
Also, the titles may be short in order for them to apply to many characters. In "Found," the person who is found could be Mrs. Pegler, or what is found could be the fact that Bounderby lied about his whole childhood. There are multiple meanings that could come from that one word, and I think that is what Dickens wanted. Another example is the chapter, "Final." Final could indicate the final chapter in the story or could indicate the final outcome of the characters' lives. Once again, this title can be applied to multiple characters. Long, specific titles could only be applied to one character or one meaning in the chapter.
The titles of these chapters definitly have a strong significant meaning. I realized, however, that as I read on that it was not always the meaning I anticipated. For example in the chapter entitled "Found", I expected that Bounderby would have found Stephen. I would have never expected that it would be Bounderby's mother, Mrs. Pegler, who found him. Another title that was misleading to me was the chapter “Very Ridiculous”. Before reading, I envisioned there to be a lot of funny parts to this chapter, but instead I was met with the seriousness of the situation that Louisa, Sissy, and Harthouse found themselves in. Overall, the titles did give a very good representation of what the overall mood of the chapter was going to be like. When I came upon the chapter “Starlight” I immediately associated that with death. I was correct in that prediction because that is the chapter where Stephen dies. It is if Dickens is giving the reader a taste of what the chapter is going to be like before he or she reads it. His simplicity in the names of the chapters is another thing I noticed. He was able to pretty much summarize the entire chapter just by saying only a few words. The simplicity of the titles of the chapters allows the reader to come up with his or her own theory about what the chapter is going to be about. I know this because it happened to me. It also serves to keep the reader interested in what they are reading. Dickens was very smart in creating these chapter titles and it is a testament to his skill as a writer.
the two titles that i thought were the most and least revealing were "lost" and "found." "lost" clearly refers to the disappearance of stephen blackpool. however, it also reminds the reader of louisa's inner turmoil. "found" is a reference to the reappearance of stephen. it is also a reference to bounderby being found out as somewhat of a fraud. i think dickens used such concise titles to keep the reader guessing, but also to emphasize the recurring theme of facts over emotion. one can look at the titles as simply a one-word description of the events, or as a clue to the emotions of the characters.
In Hard Times, the chapter titles effectivly summarize the contents of the chapter, with very few words. This concise approach is extremely parallel to the personality of Mr. Gradgrind, as he focus on facts only. In the chapter titles, the reader can understand the general direction of the events in the story, even its less then 3 words. Titles like "Lost" is about the fact the Blackpool still has not returned to Coketown. He is in fact "Lost," as so concisly indicated in the title. The titles have a great effect on the story as a whole. The conciseness of the chapter titles force the reader to really focus on the contents of the chapter instead of overanalyzing a title that could have had multiple interpretations.
Charles Dickens, like many authors, uses the titles of the chapters in Hard Times to forshaddow what is about to happen in a particular section of the novel. Furthermore, Dicken's uses short titles, consisting of few words, to draw the reader in. These short titles cause the reader to question what will happen in the following section of the book.
For example, the first chapter in Book the Third is "Another Thing Needed". Instinctly, the reader is led to question what exactly the "other thing needed" is. Upon reading, this chapter emphasizes Gradgrind's misunderstanding that fact alone is all one needs to survive. He realizes that humans need more than fact alone, contradicting his previous beliefs. He admits that life require more than fact, especially after Louisa confronts him about it, but he does not know what exactly life calls for.
Another chapter that has significance to Hard Times as a whole is Found. This chapter can be interpreted both literally and upon further analyzation (sp?..that looks bizarre). In this chapter, Mrs. Pegler finally sees her son, Bounderby. This chapter also as significance in that we as readers find out about Bounderby's life. The story that he tells of his upbringing is a lie; his story of rags to riches is illegitimate. In fact, through this chapter we are informed that Bounderby is a deceitful fraud that made up a story to disguise the way he treated his mother.
The last chapter, Final, is perhaps one of the most significant chapters in Hard Times. What is ultimatelty discussed in the chpater is far from final, making the title rather ironic. Nothing is concluded about the lives of the people in Coketown.
The titles of theses last chapters of Hard Times capture the overall themes of the novel as well has depicting what specifically happens within each chapter.
Charles Dickens, like many authors, uses the titles of the chapters in Hard Times to forshaddow what is about to happen in a particular section of the novel. Furthermore, Dicken's uses short titles, consisting of few words, to draw the reader in. These short titles cause the reader to question what will happen in the following section of the book.
For example, the first chapter in Book the Third is "Another Thing Needed". Instinctly, the reader is led to question what exactly the "other thing needed" is. Upon reading, this chapter emphasizes Gradgrind's misunderstanding that fact alone is all one needs to survive. He realizes that humans need more than fact alone, contradicting his previous beliefs. He admits that life require more than fact, especially after Louisa confronts him about it, but he does not know what exactly life calls for.
Another chapter that has significance to Hard Times as a whole is Found. This chapter can be interpreted both literally and upon further analyzation (sp?..that looks bizarre). In this chapter, Mrs. Pegler finally sees her son, Bounderby. This chapter also as significance in that we as readers find out about Bounderby's life. The story that he tells of his upbringing is a lie; his story of rags to riches is illegitimate. In fact, through this chapter we are informed that Bounderby is a deceitful fraud that made up a story to disguise the way he treated his mother.
The last chapter, Final, is perhaps one of the most significant chapters in Hard Times. What is ultimatelty discussed in the chpater is far from final, making the title rather ironic. Nothing is concluded about the lives of the people in Coketown.
The titles of theses last chapters of Hard Times capture the overall themes of the novel as well has depicting what specifically happens within each chapter.
The chapter titles of Hard Times are basically a story of their own. The significance of these titles is that they could tell a story of their own. Dickens uses creative symbols in his works along with these titles to get his message or theme across. They represent not only what goes on in that chapter, but they sum up the theme as well. The too most important titles I believe are the "Lost" and "Found" ones. This order of sequence gives the reader a clue of what is going to happen in the chapter before it actually happens. It also gives an insight to the characters in that chapter. The reader knows how they are going to change before they actually change. The thing is, as simple as the titles are, their meaning is so much more complex. Dickens wrote a story about specific people and events, but the titles give a more general idea of what is going on, especially during this time period. The titles of a piece of literature are often very important and I think it is imperative for an author to chose wisely, and I believe Dickens did a very good job in doing so, especially because they add so much to his message.
Before we talked about it in class, I never paid any attention to the titles of the chapters. Now that I have paid attention though, I can tell that Dickens named these chapters with a purpose.
Dickens uses the names of the chapters to give a brief (extremely brief) overview of a theme or topic that will be addressed in the chapter. It is not necessary to give an elaborate, in depth name for a chapter because it is understood that the reader will actually be reading the chapter and will find out what exactly the sometimes cryptic titles mean.
The chapter "Very Decided" refers to the quick decisions made by both Mrs. Sparsit and Bounderby to tell Bounderby of Louisa's "affair" with Harthouse and to abandon Louisa respectively. Without reading any of the chapter, a reader is able to surmise that decisions will be made because of the straight forward title.
From the name of the chapter "Whelp Hunting" I inferred that a search for Tom will take place, because he has previously been referred to as the whelp. A search for Tom is exactly what occurs during the chapter, as Tom's friends and family are on a hunt for him regarding the bank robbery.
The chapter "Found" addresses both the finding of Stephen Blackpool as well the finding of Bounderby's mother, Mrs. Pegler. Not only does Bounderby's mother appear, but his lies "find" him and create turmoil for Bounderby.
The titles in Hard Times summarize what each chapter will be about. The chapters also sometimes represent larger themes of the story. For example, in the chapter "Lost", Stephen is literally missing; however, at this point in the story many characters are figuratively lost. Louisa is lost because of her lack of feeling and emotion. Rachael is lost without Stephen. Also, Gradgrind is lost due to his realization that he raised Louisa poorly. The chapter "Found" is simply about Bounderby being found out. We finally find out that he had been lying the entire time about his "rags to riches" story. Thirdly, the last chapter is titled "Final". This chapter basically sums up the entire story, and it explains what will happen to the characters in the future. Each of the titles are no more than one or two words. This briefness of the titles is interesting because for the most part, the title summarizes the entire chapter perfectly and completely. The titles are very straightforward and clear. The short titles also allow for the reader to predict what is going to happen in that chapter. Sometimes, even though the titles are so simple, they can appear to mean something different; however, after the chapter is read, one can see how the title clearly relates to the chapter. Dickens' use of short titles in his novel gives the reader insight to what is about to happen. Also, if all the titles were to be put together, they would give a concise summary of the story.
Yes, the titles of each chapter are significant because not only do they explain the main purpose of each chapter, but they also help readers infer the hidden meanings behind the chapter. He keeps them very minimalistic so they can be interpreted in a number of different ways; if they were more specific they might not be as adaptable to both the literal and metaphorical meanings. Also, the chapters tend to come in pairs. The chapter entitled "Very Ridiculous" is followed by "Very Decided," which shows the different emotions that the characters are experiencing. In "Very Ridiculous," Harthouse is feeling ashamed not only over his dismissal by Louisa, but also by his obvious attraction for Sissy, the girl who put it upon herself to dismiss him. Overall, he felt Very Ridiculous. "Very Decided" is almost the opposite; instead of the characters being confused and frustrated like Harthouse, Gradgrind and Bounderby are very sure of their decisions and feel no regrets about their current actions. Gradgrind keeps his daughter at his house to help her recoperate, while Bounderby resumes his bachelor lifestyle to show his disgust with his wife. Similarly, the chapters "Lost" and "Found" are placed back to back. "Lost" is about how Stephen still has not found his way back to Coketown, even though Rachael has sent him letters telling him to return to clear his name. Stephen is apparently lost to them. "Found" is literally about how Mrs. Sparsit "Finds" Mrs. Pegler, but at the same its about how Mrs. Pegler finds her son again, and how everyone else founds out that Bounderby has lied about himself being "self-made." He was completely untruthful with everyone. While one is lost the other is found. "Philosophical" is a particularly interesting choice of chapter name, because it could be referring to Tom's escape or the return of Merrylegs. In a way, that is also two contrasting events-someone left and someone returned. When Merrylegs returns, it becomes obvious that Sissy's father is dead. The chapter "Final" shows how all the characters end up. The one thing they all have in common is that they change- Bounderby, normally so certain and cold, has a mental breakdown basically; Sissy has a large family in contrast to her origins of just her and her father; Louisa turns down the path of imagination and childhood by looking after and caring for Sissy's children; Gradgrind stops following only fact; and Tom realizes how much he really loves his sister, even though he never has the chance to tell her. The only character that does not change is Rachael; she remains the kind-hearted beautiful soul that she always was. Overall, chapter names are significant to the content within the chapters.
Charles Dickens' chapter titles in "Hard Times" are very significant and hold trmemdous meaning in regards to their respective chapters. The titles, which are generally very laconic, one word adjectives or nouns, set the stage for their chapters. For example, the chapter entitled "Found" foreshadows the main development of the chapter, which is when everyone finds out Bounderby is a fake. The short titles also reflect the novel's theme of factuality. The titles reflect this theme because at times they can be very straightforward, leaving little room for interpretation. Such as the chapter entitled "Whelp-Hunting" is centered around the "hunt" for the whelp (Tom Gradgrind Jr.).
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19 comments:
Danielle Andrews
The titles that Charles Dickens uses in the book, either sum up what the chapter is going to be about of the significance of the chapter. He uses very short titles that express so much. For example, the chapter entitled “Very Ridiculous,” sums up the chapter, as it has to do with the ridiculous behavior, as seen in society, of Sissy questioning Mr. Hearthouse. The next chapter, “Very Decided,” sums up the content of the chapter along with having a significant meaning. First, the chapter has to do with decisions characters have to make, whether it is about second guessing Louis and Tom’s upbringing or Mr. Bounberby’s final decision to end his marriage with Louisa. The significant aspect has to do with Mr. Gradgrind doubting his parenting style, which has been a constant theme throughout the book. The following chapter entitled, “Lost,” refers to the multiple characters that are lost in terms of life. Mr. Bounderby just lost his wife, Rachael is worried about Stephen, and Louisa tries to find her true self. The chapter, “Found,” literally has to do with what takes place in the chapter. Mr. Pegler finally sees her son, Mr. Bounderby, much to his surprise. Mr. Bounderby then has to confront his past and everyone truly finds out who Mr. Bounderby was in his past.
The chapter, “The Starlight,” has to do with the fact that after immense amounts of time Rachael and Sissy find Stephen, and he is able to inform the women that he can clear his name in the robbery, symbolizing the starlight, or shinning hope. Tom is referred to as the whelp through a good amount of the book and the next chapter entitled, “Whelp-hunting,” directly sums up the chapter, as most of the characters are looking for Tom, regarding the bank robbery. The second to last chapter, “Philosophical,” has a significant meaning. This chapter has to do with Tom’s family trying to help him escape, ultimately escaping the robbery charges. Philosophy has to do with the rational investigation of truths and principle, which most of the characters lack through most of the book and this chapter allows some of those characters to renew and explore what they have been missing. The last chapter entitled, “Final,” basically has to do with the fact that it is the final chapter. It also has the significant meaning of summing up final actions of the characters, mostly exploring new emotions and admitting to faults so they can move forth with their lives. These final chapters contain titles that just sum up the content of the chapter as well as having a significant meaning to the characters and the themes of the book.
Mike A
Each chapter in this novel has a very straightforward title that sufficiently sums up each section that accompanies it. To me, it seems like the titles may be a reflection of the fact oriented nature of Gradgrind which he emphasized in the novel. When comparing the chapter titles with what actually occurred in the text, it is clear that the titles are very abbreviated summaries that focus on the facts of what happened. For example, the chapter entitled “Lost” focuses on how Stephen Blackpool has not returned back to Coketown to clear his name despite what Rachael has said. “Lost” is obviously referring to Blackpool and it is simply stating the facts of the situation. Much like Gradgrind, no emotions become involved and no bias effects how the chapters are named. Dickens may have used this technique to emphasize how characters such as Louisa were changing as she altered her personality from robotic (like the chapter titles) to something much more human.
Amanda F.
To be honest, I never really thought much about the significance of the chapter titles until last week in class when it was brought up. I realized now as I flipped through the titles that they seem to have a pattern. At the beginning the titles really just describe an event that is going to occur in that chapter but as the book progresses each title becomes more simple and yet more complex at the same time. These titles are simple in the last section because they are only one or two words that are common words in our language but this simplicity is what makes them so complex. (If that makes sense). You can take them for just the exact words on the page or you can attempt to comprehend them and find that these simple words are symbolic of much more complicated and twisted themes and morals to Dickens novels. Dickens' chapter titles are very significant especially in this last section of his novel because they symbolize a deeper meaning and conflicts steaming under the surface. Some titles seem to hold more significance than others. “Very Ridiculous” and “Very Decided” focus on the events in the town and how certain people are reacting to them and making their decisions. In these chapters Dickens stays mostly on the surface and does really attempt to delve deeper. Although I think that there is a significance that he titles these chapters in such close proximity because they show two different perspectives on making decisions. “The Starlight” focuses mainly on the symbol of the star that Stephen Blackpool has seen and has helped him keep faith and come to terms with the reality of his life. This is a very “black-and-white” chapter title and this is continued in the chapter “Whelp-hunting” because literally it is about trying to find Tom Gradgrind. Dickens explores a more “colorful” side in the chapter titles of “Lost”, “Found”, “Philosophical”, and “Final”. These chapters were the ones that showed the underlying symbolism and significance. Not only is Stephen Blackpool “Lost” in this chapter but it also signifies the importance of what is means to be “lost”. Louisa is “lost” in her life and Rachael is “lost” without her love. “Found” appears to be about how Bounderby finds his mother and his mother finds him but what the underlying significance of this title is how reality “finds” Bounderby. Because he lied and is not the person he has said that he was, reality seeks to destroy Bounderby and punish him for this. “Philosophical” is different than what it appears to be because of the two philosophical opinions presented fact does not win and the very uneducated Mr. Sleary wins with his fanciful notions. Lastly, “Final” is probably the most significant chapter title because it explains the least. It is actually the complete opposite of what is final. Nothing is final in the lives of the characters of Coketown and nothing is set in stone. Everything is up in the air and it is proven that fact is definitely not final! All in all, Dickens' titles have important significance to the overall understanding of the novel as a whole. There is definitely a significance in the simplicity and how little each chapter titles says in this section because it emphasizes that yet again nothing is set in stone and one must delve below the surface of the obvious words to fully comprehend the themes of the novel.
ps. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to include every single title from the section so sorry that it is ridiculously long.
Miky Branson
Very Ridiculous was called very ridiculous because when Harthouse is told that he has to leave, he finds the demand ridiculous, but it is also ridiculous that he cannot resist this demand. Veru decided is because Gradgrind and Bounderby are on opposite sides for who will get Louisa with her and when Louisa does not return to Bounderby, he goes back to being single. Lost is entitled lost basically just because Stephen is away from coketown and he ha not returned in a very long time. Found is called this because Stephens mother is found, and the secret of Stephen's life is found out during this chapter. This shows that the chapter titles are connected with similar titles. The starlight is a very confusing title for this chapter, in the chapter gets found and also dies, which does not really show starlight in any way, maybe the hole which stephen could see out of, starlight could be seen from it. Whelp hunting refers to tom as the whelp and many people are trying to hunt or find him. Philosophical is called this because only the dog returns home so they all think and tell Sissy that her father is dead. Final is obviously called final because it is the end of the novel, Dickens tells what happens to everyone in the story and closes out everyone's lives.
There is definitely significance in the titles of each of Dicken's chapters. Each title accurately depicts the action to take place in that chapter, and does so in the most short-handed manner possible. I think that the titles reflect how Gradgrind is concerned with only facts (at first anyways) and the titels, like Gradgrind, are concise and to-the-point. This partially explains why the titles are so short. Another reason why I think that they are short, however, is to allow readers to perceive their meanings in different ways. Although every title is accurate to the chapter, the shorter the title is, the more the reader is able to interpret what it may or may not mean.
I thought that the chapter "Very Decided" was one of Dickens' most clever ones. In the chapter, it is "very decided" that Louisa and Bounderby will no longer be married. Gradgrind admits to raising Louisa solely on fact and saying that this hurt her in the long run. This is ironic because the title is very factual but in the chapter, Gradgrind denounces his teaching of facts alone. Overall, the chapter names are simple and to the point but allow the reader to interpret their meanings in various ways and demonstrate Gradgrind's desire for "pure facts".
Cara D.
The titles play a very significant role in Hardtimes. Dickens would put a lot of care into choosing a chapter title because it is the first thing a reader sees. By making his titles short, it makes the reader wonder about what the title is about. Some of the titles were misleading or had multiple meanings. I know when I saw "Whelp Hunting" I assumed that the people of Coketown would go on massive hunt, rather than Luoisa and her father trying to rescue him. The chapter title "Lost" could be applied to both the dissapperance of Stephen, but also the loss and confusion rachael feels, and her mistrust of everypne around her. By making his title so short and amiguous, Dickens is able to leave the meaning up to the reader's interpretations.
The way in which Dickens names the title of his chapters, is an interesting one. He does not use them to convey any subtle theme or message, but simply to describe what will happen in the following chapter. Most often these titles are simple, one or two word phrases that show the pragmatism that is so valued in the novel. As we see with the chapter "Very Decided", Bounderby must decide whether to confront Louisa about her infidelity, or sweep it under the rug. He ends up becoming "Very Decided" in his decision to confront Louisa, and even threatens to send back all of Louisa's property to Gradgrind. In the end he must make good on this promise, as he ends up kicking Louisa out, and resumes his solitary life. This title also refers to Louisa's decision to stand up to her husband, because she realizes that he is one of the main causes of her unhappiness. This also shows that Dickens' titles are multipurpose and refer to a variety of characters and themes with the given chapter. This is just one of the many examples of Charles Dickens' blatant use of chapter titles to summarize their respective chapters.
Paige Hanson
Charles Dickens uses his titles to basically sum up each chapter. The titles are extremely straightforward such as: "Husband and Wife," "Mr. James Harthouse," and finally "Final." The chapter titles are significant because they forshadow what is coming up in the next chapter; however, they are often too broad to get any real details out of it. Dickens most likely chose the chapters as such because there is no need to make any complicated title names. Dickens gives the reader a straighforward title and does not find it needed to hide any specific meaning in them. The short titles project a snip-it of what is coming up, and that is it. No significance to what they say other than that.
Samantha Hubley
The titles of the chapters basically indicated what the chapters will literally be about. The title of each chapter is actually states somewhere in the corresponding chapter. "Very rediculous" was about Mr. Harthouse having to leave Coketown for rediculous reasons, "Very Dicided" was Bounderby being decided on the fact that Louisa will no longer be his bride if she does not return to his house, "Lost" was about Stephen being lost, "Found" was about Mrs. Pegler being found by Sparsit, "The Starlight" was about the stars that Stephen looked at to clear his mind and find the answers to getting along, "whelp-hunting" was about Mr. Gradgrind looking for Tom, and "Final" was the final outcome of the character's lives.
The some titles are contradictions to each other, such as "Lost" and "Found". This may be because the chapters are about opposite characters. Lost was about Stephen and Found was about Bounderby and the truth that was found in his up-bringing. Stephen and Bounderby are completely opposites, which could be why the titles are opposite words.
Also, the titles may be short in order for them to apply to many characters. In "Found," the person who is found could be Mrs. Pegler, or what is found could be the fact that Bounderby lied about his whole childhood. There are multiple meanings that could come from that one word, and I think that is what Dickens wanted. Another example is the chapter, "Final." Final could indicate the final chapter in the story or could indicate the final outcome of the characters' lives. Once again, this title can be applied to multiple characters. Long, specific titles could only be applied to one character or one meaning in the chapter.
The titles of these chapters definitly have a strong significant meaning. I realized, however, that as I read on that it was not always the meaning I anticipated. For example in the chapter entitled "Found", I expected that Bounderby would have found Stephen. I would have never expected that it would be Bounderby's mother, Mrs. Pegler, who found him. Another title that was misleading to me was the chapter “Very Ridiculous”. Before reading, I envisioned there to be a lot of funny parts to this chapter, but instead I was met with the seriousness of the situation that Louisa, Sissy, and Harthouse found themselves in. Overall, the titles did give a very good representation of what the overall mood of the chapter was going to be like. When I came upon the chapter “Starlight” I immediately associated that with death. I was correct in that prediction because that is the chapter where Stephen dies. It is if Dickens is giving the reader a taste of what the chapter is going to be like before he or she reads it. His simplicity in the names of the chapters is another thing I noticed. He was able to pretty much summarize the entire chapter just by saying only a few words. The simplicity of the titles of the chapters allows the reader to come up with his or her own theory about what the chapter is going to be about. I know this because it happened to me. It also serves to keep the reader interested in what they are reading. Dickens was very smart in creating these chapter titles and it is a testament to his skill as a writer.
kate connolly
the two titles that i thought were the most and least revealing were "lost" and "found." "lost" clearly refers to the disappearance of stephen blackpool. however, it also reminds the reader of louisa's inner turmoil. "found" is a reference to the reappearance of stephen. it is also a reference to bounderby being found out as somewhat of a fraud. i think dickens used such concise titles to keep the reader guessing, but also to emphasize the recurring theme of facts over emotion. one can look at the titles as simply a one-word description of the events, or as a clue to the emotions of the characters.
In Hard Times, the chapter titles effectivly summarize the contents of the chapter, with very few words. This concise approach is extremely parallel to the personality of Mr. Gradgrind, as he focus on facts only. In the chapter titles, the reader can understand the general direction of the events in the story, even its less then 3 words. Titles like "Lost" is about the fact the Blackpool still has not returned to Coketown. He is in fact "Lost," as so concisly indicated in the title.
The titles have a great effect on the story as a whole. The conciseness of the chapter titles force the reader to really focus on the contents of the chapter instead of overanalyzing a title that could have had multiple interpretations.
Sarah Dahlstrom
Charles Dickens, like many authors, uses the titles of the chapters in Hard Times to forshaddow what is about to happen in a particular section of the novel. Furthermore, Dicken's uses short titles, consisting of few words, to draw the reader in. These short titles cause the reader to question what will happen in the following section of the book.
For example, the first chapter in Book the Third is "Another Thing Needed". Instinctly, the reader is led to question what exactly the "other thing needed" is. Upon reading, this chapter emphasizes Gradgrind's misunderstanding that fact alone is all one needs to survive. He realizes that humans need more than fact alone, contradicting his previous beliefs. He admits that life require more than fact, especially after Louisa confronts him about it, but he does not know what exactly life calls for.
Another chapter that has significance to Hard Times as a whole is Found. This chapter can be interpreted both literally and upon further analyzation (sp?..that looks bizarre). In this chapter, Mrs. Pegler finally sees her son, Bounderby. This chapter also as significance in that we as readers find out about Bounderby's life. The story that he tells of his upbringing is a lie; his story of rags to riches is illegitimate. In fact, through this chapter we are informed that Bounderby is a deceitful fraud that made up a story to disguise the way he treated his mother.
The last chapter, Final, is perhaps one of the most significant chapters in Hard Times. What is ultimatelty discussed in the chpater is far from final, making the title rather ironic. Nothing is concluded about the lives of the people in Coketown.
The titles of theses last chapters of Hard Times capture the overall themes of the novel as well has depicting what specifically happens within each chapter.
Sarah Dahlstrom
Charles Dickens, like many authors, uses the titles of the chapters in Hard Times to forshaddow what is about to happen in a particular section of the novel. Furthermore, Dicken's uses short titles, consisting of few words, to draw the reader in. These short titles cause the reader to question what will happen in the following section of the book.
For example, the first chapter in Book the Third is "Another Thing Needed". Instinctly, the reader is led to question what exactly the "other thing needed" is. Upon reading, this chapter emphasizes Gradgrind's misunderstanding that fact alone is all one needs to survive. He realizes that humans need more than fact alone, contradicting his previous beliefs. He admits that life require more than fact, especially after Louisa confronts him about it, but he does not know what exactly life calls for.
Another chapter that has significance to Hard Times as a whole is Found. This chapter can be interpreted both literally and upon further analyzation (sp?..that looks bizarre). In this chapter, Mrs. Pegler finally sees her son, Bounderby. This chapter also as significance in that we as readers find out about Bounderby's life. The story that he tells of his upbringing is a lie; his story of rags to riches is illegitimate. In fact, through this chapter we are informed that Bounderby is a deceitful fraud that made up a story to disguise the way he treated his mother.
The last chapter, Final, is perhaps one of the most significant chapters in Hard Times. What is ultimatelty discussed in the chpater is far from final, making the title rather ironic. Nothing is concluded about the lives of the people in Coketown.
The titles of theses last chapters of Hard Times capture the overall themes of the novel as well has depicting what specifically happens within each chapter.
Jaime Carens
The chapter titles of Hard Times are basically a story of their own. The significance of these titles is that they could tell a story of their own. Dickens uses creative symbols in his works along with these titles to get his message or theme across. They represent not only what goes on in that chapter, but they sum up the theme as well. The too most important titles I believe are the "Lost" and "Found" ones. This order of sequence gives the reader a clue of what is going to happen in the chapter before it actually happens. It also gives an insight to the characters in that chapter. The reader knows how they are going to change before they actually change. The thing is, as simple as the titles are, their meaning is so much more complex. Dickens wrote a story about specific people and events, but the titles give a more general idea of what is going on, especially during this time period. The titles of a piece of literature are often very important and I think it is imperative for an author to chose wisely, and I believe Dickens did a very good job in doing so, especially because they add so much to his message.
Before we talked about it in class, I never paid any attention to the titles of the chapters. Now that I have paid attention though, I can tell that Dickens named these chapters with a purpose.
Dickens uses the names of the chapters to give a brief (extremely brief) overview of a theme or topic that will be addressed in the chapter. It is not necessary to give an elaborate, in depth name for a chapter because it is understood that the reader will actually be reading the chapter and will find out what exactly the sometimes cryptic titles mean.
The chapter "Very Decided" refers to the quick decisions made by both Mrs. Sparsit and Bounderby to tell Bounderby of Louisa's "affair" with Harthouse and to abandon Louisa respectively. Without reading any of the chapter, a reader is able to surmise that decisions will be made because of the straight forward title.
From the name of the chapter "Whelp Hunting" I inferred that a search for Tom will take place, because he has previously been referred to as the whelp. A search for Tom is exactly what occurs during the chapter, as Tom's friends and family are on a hunt for him regarding the bank robbery.
The chapter "Found" addresses both the finding of Stephen Blackpool as well the finding of Bounderby's mother, Mrs. Pegler. Not only does Bounderby's mother appear, but his lies "find" him and create turmoil for Bounderby.
Hannah Cassidy
The titles in Hard Times summarize what each chapter will be about. The chapters also sometimes represent larger themes of the story. For example, in the chapter "Lost", Stephen is literally missing; however, at this point in the story many characters are figuratively lost. Louisa is lost because of her lack of feeling and emotion. Rachael is lost without Stephen. Also, Gradgrind is lost due to his realization that he raised Louisa poorly. The chapter "Found" is simply about Bounderby being found out. We finally find out that he had been lying the entire time about his "rags to riches" story. Thirdly, the last chapter is titled "Final". This chapter basically sums up the entire story, and it explains what will happen to the characters in the future. Each of the titles are no more than one or two words. This briefness of the titles is interesting because for the most part, the title summarizes the entire chapter perfectly and completely. The titles are very straightforward and clear. The short titles also allow for the reader to predict what is going to happen in that chapter. Sometimes, even though the titles are so simple, they can appear to mean something different; however, after the chapter is read, one can see how the title clearly relates to the chapter. Dickens' use of short titles in his novel gives the reader insight to what is about to happen. Also, if all the titles were to be put together, they would give a concise summary of the story.
Yes, the titles of each chapter are significant because not only do they explain the main purpose of each chapter, but they also help readers infer the hidden meanings behind the chapter. He keeps them very minimalistic so they can be interpreted in a number of different ways; if they were more specific they might not be as adaptable to both the literal and metaphorical meanings.
Also, the chapters tend to come in pairs. The chapter entitled "Very Ridiculous" is followed by "Very Decided," which shows the different emotions that the characters are experiencing. In "Very Ridiculous," Harthouse is feeling ashamed not only over his dismissal by Louisa, but also by his obvious attraction for Sissy, the girl who put it upon herself to dismiss him. Overall, he felt Very Ridiculous. "Very Decided" is almost the opposite; instead of the characters being confused and frustrated like Harthouse, Gradgrind and Bounderby are very sure of their decisions and feel no regrets about their current actions. Gradgrind keeps his daughter at his house to help her recoperate, while Bounderby resumes his bachelor lifestyle to show his disgust with his wife. Similarly, the chapters "Lost" and "Found" are placed back to back. "Lost" is about how Stephen still has not found his way back to Coketown, even though Rachael has sent him letters telling him to return to clear his name. Stephen is apparently lost to them. "Found" is literally about how Mrs. Sparsit "Finds" Mrs. Pegler, but at the same its about how Mrs. Pegler finds her son again, and how everyone else founds out that Bounderby has lied about himself being "self-made." He was completely untruthful with everyone. While one is lost the other is found.
"Philosophical" is a particularly interesting choice of chapter name, because it could be referring to Tom's escape or the return of Merrylegs. In a way, that is also two contrasting events-someone left and someone returned. When Merrylegs returns, it becomes obvious that Sissy's father is dead. The chapter "Final" shows how all the characters end up. The one thing they all have in common is that they change- Bounderby, normally so certain and cold, has a mental breakdown basically; Sissy has a large family in contrast to her origins of just her and her father; Louisa turns down the path of imagination and childhood by looking after and caring for Sissy's children; Gradgrind stops following only fact; and Tom realizes how much he really loves his sister, even though he never has the chance to tell her. The only character that does not change is Rachael; she remains the kind-hearted beautiful soul that she always was. Overall, chapter names are significant to the content within the chapters.
Charles Dickens' chapter titles in "Hard Times" are very significant and hold trmemdous meaning in regards to their respective chapters. The titles, which are generally very laconic, one word adjectives or nouns, set the stage for their chapters. For example, the chapter entitled "Found" foreshadows the main development of the chapter, which is when everyone finds out Bounderby is a fake. The short titles also reflect the novel's theme of factuality. The titles reflect this theme because at times they can be very straightforward, leaving little room for interpretation. Such as the chapter entitled "Whelp-Hunting" is centered around the "hunt" for the whelp (Tom Gradgrind Jr.).
SAm FOuntain
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