character (KARE-ec-ter): a person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem, or other literature. Characters are extremely important because they are the medium through which a reader interacts with a piece of literature. Every character has his or her own personality, which a creative author uses to assist in forming the plot of a story or creating a mood. The different attitudes, mannerisms, and even appearances of characters can greatly influence the other major elements in a literatry work, such as theme, setting, and tone. With this understanding of the character, a reader can become more aware of other aspects of literature, such as symbolism, giving the reader a more complete understanding of the work. The character is one of hte most important tools available to the author.
Using the definition above, characterize Mr. Gradgrind.
5 comments:
Kyle Mannion
Sir Thomas Gradgrind, Sr. is a man characterized by one word: fact. He has built his life around factual evidence, educated his children in fact alone, and has founded a model school in which his students are taught fact. However, because of this close-mindedness, Gradgrind's perspective is rather black and white. Although he has the best of intentions in raising his children in a manner in which they can attain success, he has also denied them their childhood by stripping them of imagination. Gradgrind is a man that does not appreciate the smaller things in life. Expressing his devotion to fact, Gradgrind exclaims "In this life, we want nothing but Facts, sir; nothing but Facts!" However, Gradgrind is capable of sympathy and understanding. When Cecilia Jupe's father deserted her, Gradgrind took Sissy into his home and provided her with education and opportunity. And, although she did not fit well into his education system, his capacity for understanding and appreciation for effort is exemplified when he states "I believe you have tried hard; I have observed you, and I can find no fault in that respect." In short, Sir Thomas Gradgrind, Sr. is a rigid man, focused solely on fact, with good intentions, yet capable, on rare occasions, of displaying qualities that he has warded against for all his life.
Shayleigh Oldroyd
Mr. Gradgrind is an important character to the novel. He represents science and fact, which he passes on to the children he teaches at school and his own children at home. Dickens bases most of the novel around Gradgrind's idea of fact. He shows how truly Mr. Grandgrind beleives in what he teaches when he punishes his children for trying to peak through a wall in order to see a circus. Dickens also uses Mr. Grandgrid character to set a dull mood and a life full of unhappiness and of course fact. Mr Grandgrind also represents power in the novel as a strict father, teacher, and friend. Dickens shows this when he mentions Louisa's conflictng feelings, which she knows she has, about Mr. Bounderby. Her father on the other hand does not believe in feelings because everything is based on fact. Mr. Grandgrind also laughs at Sissy's hopes of her father coming back for her, showing the sad and dull scintific life. Mrs. Gradgrind even secretly wishes she had not been cursed into the family. Mr. Gradgrind's role in the novel makes the reader feel sorry for his family and the fact that they cannot have dreams or feeling, showing the influence he has over the other characters in the novel.
Elissa Caldicott
Reply to Kyle:
After reading Kyle's post, I think that the way he began his blog was very creative and true to Thomas Gradgrind's character. I believe that the importance of fact in Thomas Gradgrind's life is indead a key factor of what defines him as a character. I agree with Kyle that the way Mr. Gradgrind raised his children he took a piece of their childhood away from them. Cecilia plays an important character in the novel to compare to the Gradgrind's life of facts. Cecilia lives in a world of imagination, and unfortunetly for her the Gradgrinds do not appreciate her world in the way some would. Mr. Gradgrind represents the rich social class of Coketown, but even though he is well off he manages to seem like a decent man and takes Cecilla in when her fater leaves her. Kyle made a good point by stating that even though Mr. Gradgrind attempted to educate Cecillia he eventually realized that she was unable to fit in with his world of facts, and was better off just helping Mrs. Gradgrind around the house.
Erica
Kyle: Do you think Gadgrind should have influenced Louisa not to marry Bounderby because she may not have loved him...or is Gadgrind only looking at facts? I agree with everything you said, Gadgrind is most definitly focused on facts maybe because he is too scared to imagine what thinks could have been or would be in the future. If he sticks to facts he will never be disappointed or scared.
Shayleigh: I agree with what you said about Gadgring representing fact. I am nor sure if he represents unhappiness, I think Louisa may represent the unhappiness because she grew up almost supressed by facts with little room for imagination. Gadgrind is more dimensional and focused on facts and ways of life.
Luke S. Morrell
I am not sure I agree with Kyle and others' idea of Mr. Gradgrind's good intentions. I think his practical approach can sometimes resemble good intentions, but really it's just a procedure. It might seem like charity that Mr. Gradgrind is overseeing a school, but it has to be remembering that he's the Member of Parliament for Coketown, and his education and patronage of its people may just be in order to increase its overall prosperity. A more detailed example of this is how he was originally going to deal with Sissy: he and Bounderby were going to remove her from the school because she was too enamoured with Fancy. However, once it became clear her father had abandoned her, they took her in because there was no influence of Fancy to corrupt her anymore. He also displays only a practical sense of familial affection for his children, and views them and their classmates as pots to be filled with factual knowledge, a very materialistic opinion that borders on dehumanizing. Consequently, I am hesitant to believe the best of Mr. Gradgrind.
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