Hard times 1

Charles Dickens

Charles John Huffam Dickens (/ˈdɪkᵻnz/; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an

English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional
characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.[1] His works
enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century
critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short
stories enjoy lasting popularity.[2][3]
Born in Portsmouth, Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was
incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a
weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories
and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable
letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other
social reforms.
Dickens's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick
Papers. Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, famous
for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels,
most published in monthly or weekly instalments, pioneered the serial publication of
narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication.[4]
[5]
 The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he
often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback.[5] For
example, when his wife's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher
in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities, Dickens improved the
character with positive features.[6] His plots were carefully constructed, and he often
wove elements from topical events into his narratives.[7] Masses of the illiterate poor
chipped in ha'pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them, opening up
and inspiring a new class of readers.[8]
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age.[9] His 1843 novella, A
Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every
artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and,
like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A
Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical
fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo
Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style,
unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde,Henry
James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing,
and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe
something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social
conditions or comically repulsive characters.[10]
2 Hard times
Charles Dickens

Introduction

Hard times is a novel written by Charles DICKENS the events

of the story happened in Victorian age especially in time of
Industrial revolution which lead to many thing which are :
building factories ,urbanism (the movement from country side
to city ) and by this movement the farmers removed to
workers in the factories ,
And by this movement cities became crowded and this lead to
employment which mean poverty , sickness increasing because
of the pollution ……etc.
All those things we will find in hard times ………
We have three types of narrator :
- first narrator : who is the character and at the same time
a narrator as the main character (Mr.Gradinberg)
- second narrator: when the narrator talked to you (it's
very rare to use it )
- third narrator : this type is unreal limited and external
and object omniscient ,this narrator describe thoughts ,
feelings and emotions of the character he knows what
inside the character (trust worthy)
…………………………………………………………………
at that time after industrial revolution the society divided into
three (the rich level , the middle one ,and the poor level ) ……
 Hard times 3
Charles Dickens

Charles dickens
He was an English writer and social critic , he created one of
the world's best known fictional character ,so he regarded as
the greatest novelist of Victorian age .
He left school when he was a child to work in the factory when
his father presented , he wrote many books ,novels ,and short
stories ……
His style ……
His novels evoked images of early Victorian age ,and it seems
that his novels as a biography to that period …
His style was realism , comedy , satirical ,unique character and
social criticism ………

He started writing in the news paper and when hw wrote hard

times he published it as series not completely book(why) ?????
Because in that time there is no printer to publish a book ,so
he divided it and publish it in a volume in the news paper ….
In hard times the writer discus all the suffering in Victorian
age especially children suffering ,,
………………
Narrator in this novel is first narrator he is the main
character in this novel ……
We find in this novel that the writer divided the novel into
three books (why )
Firstly because of money ,and the second thing which is more
important because of the irony he wants to talk about and in
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Charles Dickens

order not to be punished from the government ,he wrote this

novel in stair way , the titles of those books are related to
the agriculture [the first book =sowing= the second =reaping=
the last one =garnering =] so this is an irony we have the title
and the writer talk about another thing ……
This novel is a kind of social criticism ( discussing the problems
of the society …
We have three types of irony

Dramatic or verbal irony

Situational irony
And manner irony
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Book the first – sowing

Chapter 1

The one thing needful

In this chapter we have the main character who is speaking by
using (I)…

The one thing needful that the main character was talking
about is (Facts)

Mr. Gradgring who is the master of school of realty he tends

to teach the student in his school only facts to teach them all
types of science ………

We have a description to this character (every thing in him

square and his voice is metallic which mean he is materialistic
never care about emotions ……
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Chapter 2
Murdering the Innocent
In this chapter MR. Gradgring visit his school to see what
happened , here we have Mr. Gradgring When ever he go he
kept in his bucket a rule to measure places but he doesn’t know
that student mind doesn’t measure
………………………………………………………………

In his school the student sit on levels from the richest

student who sit in the beginning and the poor student sit in the
end of the class , so we have this small image which reflect to
the society on that time ……

In the school they wasn't called the student on their names ,

each student has a number and they call him by, one of theme
a girl called Sissy Jupe they were called her girl number
twenty , Mr.Gradgring ask her about her father job she told
him that he belongs to the horse-riding , so he asks her to
define (horse) to him she couldn't to define him ,he asks
another boy called Bitzer , Bitzer define it very well ,,,,

Here we find them called Sissy as a stupid girl ,

In the class the floor was covered with a carpet has a flower
paint on and on the wall there was an image for horses he asks
Sissy again whether she could walk on the flower in the carpet
and if that horses in the image can fly ???
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Charles Dickens

She answered : yes , I can walk on this flower and the horses
can fly ..

He told her that she is wrong they are only an image not real in
fact …

That is mean Sissy was a girl of an imagination , she is a

dreaming girl and this kind of student can't success in the
school of facts …………………………………………………………………

Zahra' Hamid hajwal ************

Third stage ****************
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Charles Dickens

Chapter 3
A loophole
Mr.Gradgring has many features one of them that he is a
subjective man he always see things from his own point of view
his judgment is not objective .

The writer describe him as a robot and he used a mathematic

description that every thing in him square and he cares only
about facts …

Sissy's father is a hours ridding who work in circus , in that

time they have no T.V or cinema or any thing to enjoy by,
circus have people who keeps travelling from place to another
called (vagabonds ) so this the only means of enjoyment ……

Mr. Gradgring 's house called stone ledge which means cruelty
without emotion not allow to do any thing except studying only
science not else ……

When Mr. Gradgring was in way home and he was thinking

about his family and how he teaches them in good way and also
about his student and he says that his children will be a good
ideal to the world , but at this time he saw his children looking
from hole to the circus he shocked when he saw them Lousia
told him that she bring her brother to this place he asked her
why she did such a thing she told him that she is tired from
every thing , all the way Mr.Gradgring was blaming them about
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that and he was wondering how he will tell Mr. Bounderby

about that …………

Chapter 4
Mr. Bounderby
Mr. Bounderby is a friend to Mr. Gradgring and he was two or
four years younger than Mr.Gradgring.

Mr. Bounderby is a self-made man who make him self by him

self , he was a merchant , banker , man factor , and he likes to
talk about his past and how he was poor and has nothing to live
…… he was talking with Mrs. Gradgring who was laying on a sofa
, she has nothing except her sickness , in this moment Mr.
Gradgring entered with his children , Mr. Bounderby asking
about that Louisa told him about it Mrs. Gradgring said why
they want to see circus when they have enough facts in their
mind and she wished that she has little fact that her daughter
has in her mind … because she was uneducated women ..

Louisa and Tom go to the library to study , Mr. Bounderby

asked about the reason Mr. Gradgring told him that there is a
girl called Sissy Joupe her father work in the circus and she
study in his school Mr. Bounderby told him that he should to
fair her from the school because maybe she will effete on the
student especially on his children ……
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Charles Dickens

Mr. Bounderby try to make Mr. Gradgring and his children to

come back and to forget what happened between them , so he
go to the library and talk with the children then he asks Louisa
for a kiss on cheek when he left the room she starts to rubbed
her cheek hardly by her handkerchief her brother told her
that she will make a hole in her face she told him that he can
cut it with his knife she won't cry that will be better that Mr.
Bounderby 's kiss ………

Chapter 5
The key – note
Mr. Bounderby and Mr. Gradgring went to the circus to talk
with Sissy 's father that they don’t want his daughter in his
school , when they arrived they told him that he left the
circus because he being old and he can't perform any more so
he left although he loves his daughter very much , he sent her
to bring an oil to his joins in order to leave without her known.
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Chapter 6
Sleary 's Horsemanship
Mr. Gradgring and Mr. Bounderby entered to the inn the see
on the wall an image for hours with wings and this is a simple
for imagination ………

In circus Sissy has very big family they are not a blood
relation ship but it is more than this they love her very much
and they share every thing in sadness and happiness ……

When they talk with Mr. Sleary the circus owner they found
him that he talk in a strange way ( he has a sleep tongue) he
has a problem in articulation with some litters (s,z,v.f) …

When Mr.Gradgring knows about Sissy he think that he can

take care of her if the circus will not he think that she can
help Mrs. Gradgring in her sick and to take care of his little
daughter Jane if she can't success with studying facts …

Mr. Bounderby refused that because may be she will effect on

Louisa , Mr. Gradgring think that maybe she will changed when
she see his daughter
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Characters' Description

Mr. Gradgring ; a facts school owner , he is hard in treating and he is a

subjective man see things fro, his own point of view , he never care about
any thing in life except facts and money the writer describe him as every
thing in him is square which he is a cruel man his home called stone –
ledge which mean with out any emotion he has three ( Louisa the old one,
Tom and Jane) then he take Sissy to take care of her when her father
leave the circus, his wife uneducated women as his believes that to marry
a women with an empty mind is much better than a mind full of imagination
, Mr. Gradgring is round character which mean that this character
developed with the development of the event in the novel and has much to
know about it ….

Mr. Bounderby : he is a friend to Mr. Gradgring , he is a merchant ,

banker , factories owner , liar , and he always like to talk about his past
and how he was poor with no shoes in his feet , his mother born him and
left him to his grand mother who was a drunk women he told Mrs.
Gradgring that she was drink more that fourteen cup of alcohol , and he
learned reading and writing from an unknown man in the street , and know
he is a self – made man , the banker , merchant and factories owner
Josiah Bounderby , he has a metallic laugh ( personification )

Louisa : The Old daughter to Mr. Gradgring and she doesn’t know any
thing except studying the facts of her father , then she will marry Mr.
Bounderby ..

Tom : the only son to Mr. Gradgring . then he will work in the bank with
Mr. Gradgring and he will be a gambler and then he will steal the bank (he
will be bad man )

Sissy : also they called her ''girl number twenty '' and then Mr. Gradgring
called her Cecilia her father was working as hours ridding in the circus then
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he will leave her and she removed to Mr. Gradgring 's house to live in and
to take care of her study by him self …and she is very imagination never
work of facts ….

Mrs. Gradgring : she is Mr. Gradgring wife and she was sick all the
time laying on the sofa she is a flat character appear once or twice in the
novel, flat character has no importance in the story unlike round character
it does not developed with the development of the event it is called also
ordinary character ..

Mrs. Sparsit : a highly women from first level she is a widow her
husband lose his money and died then she works in Mr. Bounderby house
as a house keeper with good salary ..

Bitzer : one of the student in Mr. Gradgring school he is a cool boy and
also he is studying facts in good way then when he will grow up he will
work with Mr. Bounderby and he being so cruel more than Mr. Gradgring
and only cares about money ..
This character appear in book one we have another character in
future …….

Zahra' Hamid Hajwal

3rd stage A
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Chapter 6
Mrs. Sparsit

Mrs. Sparsit is the housekeeper in Mr. Bounderby 's house and she is an autocratic , her
husband was 'a Powler' but he lost his money and die so she works as house keeper , on the
dinner Mr. Bounderby 's told her that he wonder about Louisa from Sissy and may be she will
effect on her , she told him that he is just like a second father to Louisa but he said that he will be
a good father to Tom when he will works in his bank ,,,

In this chapter we have nothing to explain only the character of Mrs. Sparsit ……………

Chapter 7
Never wonder

This chapter is very important , we have Louisa sitting and she was looking for fair because she is
anger about her father and she can't be rebellious { rebuilt at her father } she must be
msubmissive ( obey every one , her father , her brother and her husband in future and never say
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Charles Dickens

why or to say any thing ) she is a slave ..Q / Did Louisa represent any thing in that time about
her life style ??

She represent the way that women lives in that time they are just like a slaves to men their
husbands and their fathers , they do nothing except working in home and to take care about
children , in that time they don’t want from women to educate (why ) because they think that
reading will make their minds spoiled , also they don’t inherent their fathers when they died

Simply ,, women in that age were outlawry from every thing , they make them just like servants.

As well as ,,she can't ask divorced if her husband was bad with her only in one case if he makes a
deep relationship with another women , ….

Louisa when she was looking at fair she was asking about her life and whether she can change
it , her mother was talking with her and told her that to close this speech because wonder is not
deal with fact which is the logic of her father ..

 What fair represent and why Louisa was looking at it in deep way ???

We have the four elements that universe contains with which is sky , earth , water and fair

Here fair represent love , passion , anger ,and straight , Louisa was looking at it deeply because
she was anger at her father and she was board and sad at the same time ….

She has feeling but she keeps it this will be clear at the end ..
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Chapter 9
Sissy' s progress (very important)

Sissy can't success in the school although she works hard most of time when the teacher asks her
she answered in wrong way or imaginatively , here she was talking with Louisa and she told her that
she is much claver than her Louisa told her why ?? she said that Mr. Choakumchild asked her some
questions and she answered wrongly ,,,

What does Mr. Choakumchild asked Sissy and how she does answered ???

He asked her about national prosperity , he said that the class room is a nation and this nation
have fifty millions of money he asked whether this a nation prosperous and whether you in a
thriving state (he meant Sissy ) she answered that she doesn't know whether this was a nation
prosperous , and who had this money and whether any one of it belongs to her ,

Then he asked her another question if they were in a ship and a hundred thousand persons
went to sea on long voyages , and only five hundred of them were drowned or burnt to death

So what is the percentage ???

She answered him nothing , because she don’t know maybe one of her members or her friends

From those people … he told her that she is wrong …

 Hard times 17
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She told Louisa that she can't learn or to keep studying because that doesn’t worth especially her
father wants from her to learn , Louisa asked her to talk about her family , Sissy said that her
mom died when she born her and her father was loving her mom very much but when she dies
he loves sissy for her love , but he leave her because he wants to her better life , Louisa told her
that this reason is not enough to leave her daughter , Sissy said that he will come back to take
her with him , at this time Tom was asking Louisa to come with to see Mr. Bounderby and he

insisting about that (why ) because he knows very well that Mr. Bounderby wants to marry Louisa
so he try to keep close to him and in future he will works in his bank the relationship that related
Tom and Louisa is not brothers hood it's material relationship Tom want to effect from the
marriage of his sister and Mr. Bounderby …

Chapter 10
Stephen Blackpool
Black pool which means ugly ditch this represent suffering of workers black pool was one of the
workers who works in Mr. Bounderby' s factory also they called him and the other worker

Hands ; the nickname of the workers in the factories who were working about nineteen hour a
day and they have only five hour to sleep and in the work they take an hour for lunch they are
suffering from diseases and the bad way in living and they were tired working all the day for
little money their salary is not enough to live a good life it's not enough for food even so they
were live a miserable life and Stephen blackpool represent this life …
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Black pool was married from a drunk women she sale every thing he has to buy drinks he paid
to her to leave him but she was leaving and come back again , he was living in a small room
that has one bed with two chairs and one table , he entered to his room to see his drunk women
on the floor laying and the bottle of drunk in her hand he shocked to see that …

We have another character Rachael who is a beautiful women she also works in the factory
Rachael represent hope to Stephen because he was tired of his life and he find comfortl when he
talk to her , if he was not marry then he will marry her but he can't .

Chapter 11
No way out
in the beginning of this chapter we have pollution stair and how the factories effect on the
weather then there is a conflict between nature and civilization ..

in this chapter Stephen Blackpool went to Mr. Bounderby to ask him about a way to get ride of
his drunk wife , he told him that he do every thing to make her leave him but she comes back ,
Mr. Bounderby told him that have nothing to do because she is his wife and he married her happiness and
sadness and he can't ask to divorced her (why ) because Stephen is catholic and in his religion he married
the women till death , he says that if he marry another women , there is a low to punish him , he can't kill
her or to leave her in all cases he will be punished Mrs. Sparsit asked him whether the gap between them is
very big because most of time unsuccessful marriages because of the big difference between them in age he
told her it's only one year he old than her . Mr. Bounderby wants to marry Louisa and the gap is very big
between them it's about thirty years so this relation can't be stand or to be strong , he asked Mr. Bounderby
 Hard times 19
Charles Dickens

whether he could to take divorced he told him that he must pay a lot of money to take it he said that he has
nothing to pay … then he endure all this …..

Mr. Bounderby told Stephen that there is a low to the poor and a low to rich but he was wrong that's mean
there is a corruption in the society ………………..

Did we have a main character in this novel ????????

No we have no main character, in the drama we have the main character who
called modern hero in novel we have protagonist which mean natural man ,

Also we have archetype and stereotype which mean that this characters is not
individual ………..

Zahra' Hamid Hajwal

rd
3 stage _A_
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Charles Dickens

Chapter 12
The old women
When Stephen Blackpool leave Mr. Bounderby' s house he found an old women called Mrs.
Pegler who is Mr. Bounderby 's mother , she lives far a way in country side when Stephen leave
the house he saw her she stopped him to ask about Mr. Bounderby 's health and how he is doing
, he told her that his health and his work is very well , she asked him why he is sad he said that
because of problems , no one has no problems she asked him to kiss the eyes who saw
Bounderby and to kiss the hands which works in his factories Q/what is that mean ?

That mean she is proud of her son and love him very much …

When she left and wait out side looking at the big factories and how many people works in

As if she waiting for some one or she looking for something in the factories' walls …..

Mr. Bounderby who conveys every one that he is a self man-maid , his mother left him to his
drunk grand mother , and he learned reading and writing by a drunk vagabond *****

**//The real that he has a good mother loves him very much and he throw her far a way from
him and he gives her money every year in order not to come and to see him and never to enter
his huge house all that because he feels shamed from his family , and he refer to told people that
he survive and work hard to being Mr. Bounderby not to be that poor man who came from
country side ….
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Charles Dickens

Chapter 13
Rachael
When Stephen entered to his small room he found Rachael in his room caring about his
drunk wife and she told him that the owner called her because his wife in need to help she said
that she doing that because they were friends in the past … she asked him to sleep because he is
tired and she will wake up on three morning to give her the medicine which is a poisoned
medicine and they need to give it carefully ,

Stephen was sleeping and Rachael so on that moment when his wife wake up and she wants to
drink the medicine because she thought it as drink , they wake up at the last moment and save
her , Rachael told him that he is lucky because she doesn’t drink it , he told her yes he is happy
because she stay a live to take every things he has to sale in order to drink Alcoholic ….

Stephen describe Rachael as a star or candle which lighten his life and she is the hope he lives
by , which mean she is the only thing he has and make happy …
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Chapter 14
The Great Manufacturer
By passing of time many things changed in coke town , after five years Louisa became a beautiful
young girl , Tom who start working the bank of Mr. Bounderby , Mr. Gradgring being a
member in the government Q/who helps Mr.Gradgring to be a member in the government and
why ??

Mr. Bounderby helps him about that and in opposite Mr. Gradgring will marry his daughter to
Mr. Bounderby ,,, this called transaction…. Many relations in that times made by transactions

Women can not give an opinion about any thing in that time even about marriage or about
other things that related with their own life they must say yes without any comment ..

Give a reference for women in that time and how they were treat them ???

We have Mrs. Gradgring and Louisa , Mrs. Gradgring who can not do any thing in her house

Her husband who take all the roles in the house and she can't decided about any thing

She has nothing except her illness , and Louisa who also can not take a decision about her
new life when Mr. Bounderby engaged her , or a bout the way she take her education or even
about her life style , every thing she want to do she must think about it on logic and facts.

Sissy became a kind soft lady , but she failed in her study but at the same time she was very
needful to take care about Mrs. Gradgring and also to take care about his young daughter
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Jane.

Q/ in this chapter we have a reference to the industrial revolution ??

Clock ,,, we have this as a reference the writer describe its sound when Mr. Gradgring was
talking to Sissy …

In the end of this chapter we have a conversation between Louisa and Tom he told her that

Mr. Bounderby talked with Mr. Gradgring about something she told him that her father

invite her to his room to speak with her ..

Chapter 15
Father and daughter
Mr. Gradgring called Louisa to talk with her about Mr. Bounderby offered and he start to
introduced the subject to her and this called ,, (for shadow) : which to talk or to told some one
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about something that will happen in the future in hint way … in opposite we have (for
back)which mean to talk or to remember something happened in the past ……

He told her that Mr. Bounderby engaged her and he asks about her opinion , here we have
Louisa was not care with what her father says and she was looking to other side as if she id sick
or sad , he asked whether she is happy or not , she told him that she is happy as she used to ,

She asked her father whether asked her to love Mr. Bounderby , he told her that he don’t want
from her to talk about this she must think logically about this , she was looking at fair and she
wondered how the life is short …….

She answered her father that she is agree about Mr. Bounderby' s offered ..

Why Mr. Gradgring talked with Louisa about her subject not her mother ??

Because her mother no nothing and she will know every thing in the end , even her relationship
with her mom was not strong very well ,

When Mr. Gradgring told Mrs. Gradgring that her daughter will be Mrs. Bounderby sissy was
in front of Louisa and when she heard this she start looking at her in pity , emotion, in wonder ,
in sorrow, in sad , and in doubt her eyes have a lot of words to say but she can not , Louisa
known it with out her saying , and from that moment she feels cold , proud and she keeps a
distance from sissy , she changed from her very much ….

Chapter 16
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Charles Dickens

Husband and wife

Mr. Bounderby told Mrs. Sparsit that he don’t need her any more in his house especially he will
marry Louisa and that not acceptable to stay with them in the same house so he told her that
there is an apartment in the bank and she can live in it with the same salary , she thanks him
and wished to him good life with his wife …..

Then they marry in the church and it was a very huge ceremony, on the lunch he stand to say his
words and when he said it he was talking with highly level with proud tone as if he is a
president………

The End of Book one

Book the second

Reaping
Chapter 1
Effects on the bank
In this chapter we have reaping ,, after sowing fruits or plants will reap ..

There is a five years between book one and two , now all the characters grows up .. we have a
conversation between Mrs. Sparsit and Bitzer who became a young man working in the bank of
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Mr. Bounderby ,he is just like a spy on the of the bank specially on Tom Gradgrind when he was
talking with Mrs. Sparsit about Tom and how he is a lazy man and he exploit his sister …..

The writer describe Coke town that the smell and weather (hot from the burning of oil every
where) .. Bitzer became a good model of Mr. Gradgrind school '' he is really a man of fact just
like Mr. Gradgrind ,,,

While they was talking a stranger knocked the door , Bitzer open the door when Mrs. Sparsit
show her interest in the well dressed he look , that stranger who called " James Harthouse"
asking about the address of Mr. Bounderby he has a litter from Mr. Gradgrind , Mrs. Sparsit
told the driver to get to Mr. Bounderby house ;; when he leaves Mrs. Sparsit asked Bitzer about
his opinion of Mr. James Harthouse he told her that he waste a lot of money about his clothes
Mrs. Sparsit said that maybe he is gamble and how that do is bad , Bitzer told her that
Gambling is a stupid ,because the chances are against the player ..

Chapter 2
James Harthouse
This young man who is affluent and board of his mind , he is on the of the followers of the facts
of Mr. Gradgrind philosophy when he being board Mr. Gradgrind told him to go to make some
changes , this young man an autocratic and rich young man …..

The meaning of his name have two meaning , which called pun {the word have meaning from
spelling point of view and sounds …. From point of view Harthouse means the male deer house
and this animal used to be jealous about his wife , and from sound point of view when the
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Charles Dickens

tongue seems as if to pronounced it as Hearthouse which mean that man who treat others by his
feelings and emotions with his heart not his mind }…….

When Mr. Harthouse meet Mr. Bounderby he asked him whether Coketown always dark and
could as this way ,, Mr. Bounderby told him that this smoke is their drink and eat , they can not
live without this cause it is their life depend on it he also say that this smoke good for lungs , in
his factories he offered the best works with a very high salary but nothing true from this and he
know that very well , he said his famous sentence "no one in Coketown whether it's an old man
or young , women and also childes don't want to drink the turtle soup with golden soup " while
he talking Louisa entered and James was surprising from that beautiful , cool , young wife when
he see the house he feels that this house which is very beautiful has no touch of its lady ,
Harthouse a man who can under stand things from the first time and to analyze it , he
considered Louisa as an unhappy women in her marriage he watches her all that time till her
brother tom entered when they were have dinner her face expirations as if her soul back to her
again ……

Chapter 3
The whelp
Mr. James Harthouse called Tom as whelp which mean the dog or that person who work to
get his desire with no intention to others whether they well hurt or not he will consider him self
firstly then may he will think about others ….

After the end of the dinner Mr. James takes Tom with him o the hotel he start to give him a dink
and smoke ,, he intend to make him to take about Louisa he wants to know every thing about
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Charles Dickens

her ,, how she marry from that old man and how she spend her day ,,, Tom told him every thing
that Louisa marry Mr. Bounderby because of him ,, to help her brother when he will has a
problems specially if he needs money she won't to say no to her brother and she is the only one
who know that Tom is Gambling … so she marry old Bounderby not of matter of love but for the
sake of her brother ,, but it seems that her brother doesn’t care whether she is happy or not the
important thing that he take what ever he want without saying a word …..

Chapter 4
Men and Brothers
Workers get enough from working in the factories with all bad conditions of living , work and
their salary was not enough to make them live good life , so they make a union and they make a
man who called Slackbridge a representative about them to sent their condition and what they
want for the owners but he was not honest with them enough and faithful , at the beginning
when he want he want to make the workers union he used an effective ways to make the workers
believe him and voting to him he talks in a very sympathy way he say (oh~ my brothers , and my
sisters ) .. { he was unfaithful because what workers do or want to be done in their work he tells
Mr. Bounderby about ,, he works for the two sides } ……

The union wants to join Stephen to them but he didn’t accept for an unknown reasons , so they
decided not to talk to him ,,, Bounderby send Bitzer to Stephen he told him that his master want
to meet him,,

Chapter 5
 Hard times 29
Charles Dickens

Men and Masters

Stephen joins to Mr. Bounderby , Tom , Louisa and Mr. Harthouse to drawing room in
Bounderby house , Mr. Bounderby want Stephen to spy on the other hands to know what news ,
he is afraid about his wealth , Stephen refused to do that with his friend , and also he know very
that their demonstrations will end with no result , Mr. Bounderby promise that he will give him
money which will make him able to live in good way for the rest of his life , all that with no
accepted from Stephen , ,,, Stephen told Bounderby that it's only realistic from the worker to do
what they do because isn’t natural for one person to hold power over Coketown , here

Mr. Bounderby being so angry and fires Stephen from all his factories in Coketown , now
Stephen in a very bad way after that because now no one will works him with ….

Chapter 6
Fading a way
when Stephen return home he found Rachael waiting for him with the old woman who start to
ask about Mr. Bounderby well and his state , Stephen told her that every thing is good with him .

when the three have their tea , suddenly a strange knocked at the door they were Louisa and
Tom , when Louisa see the place that Stephen lives in she shocked about that she never see
something like that misery that poor people lives in as if she was living in box which from gold
and she doesn’t know about others and that was true because her father and her husband make
her a way from all the world and now she see the result , for all that years she lives she wasn’t
know about the state of people and how they live in Coketown , she gives Stephen some money
30 Hard times
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and told him that may this money will help him in his employment he didn’t take it all he take
what he could to return back to her , he is a man with dignity he refused to take something
without giving in opposite while they was talking Tom notes a shadow of a women behind , after
Louisa leaving Tom make an unusual thing he talk with Stephen that he will help him to have a
new job if he waits him in the back side of the bank in night , according with Tom's requesting
Stephen wait for an hour every night but with no result so he decided to leave the town looking
for an employment in another town greeting Rachael behind him ……..

Chapter 7
Gunpowder
Mr. Harthouse start to be close to Louisa and he makes her liking him without her realizing ,
suddenly he asked about her relation with Tom and whether he is god with her or not , she told
him that he always takes money Mr. Harthouse guess that Tom gambling and she agrees about
that , he told her even if he is indifferent with Tom ( which he is not care about any thing but
while Tom has such a girl then he need to be grateful for that ) … he offered to talk with him and
she show no refused for that ….

When Mr. Harthouse meets Tom he told him gently that he need to be grateful for her sister
and he will help him in what ever he want if he show a small smile to his sister , he promised him
for doing that …..

Chapter 8
Explosion
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Charles Dickens

That matter of Mr. Harthouse for Louisa is not for love but he is bored with every thing he done
in his life and he try to gain her confidence ,,,

On the night the bill rings for a robbery in the bank ,, it was only 150 pounds and Mr.
Bounderby start to do as if all his wealth gone , Harthouse and Louisa suspect that Tom is the
doing but Bitzer and Sparsit suspect Stephen because they see him walking near the bank for
the last night for no specific reasons and all will believe that because they know the bad state of
Stephen specially after Bounderby fairs him from his factories …

Louisa was knowing very well that Tom is the thief but she say nothing , she goes to his room
and asked him if he has something to tell her she told him only to whisper in her ere but ha say
nothing and asked her to leave him ….. Tom though that her sister shouldn’t say any thing about
their visit to Stephen house and about his special conversation with Stephen ,…

Zahra' Hamid Obeid

32 Hard times
Charles Dickens

rd
3 stage _B_

Chapter 9
Hearing the last of it
After the robbery of the bank Mr. Sparsit stretched at the home of Mr. Bounderby when she try
to make him noticed the careless of Louisa about him ,, Mr. Sparsit hate Louisa not because she
loves Bounderby but for the comfort life that Louisa live , ,,,

Mr. Bounderby leaves for work outside Coketown and in these days Sparsit will stay at his home

In that time Bitzer brings a telegram to Louisa that her mother is dying , so she go to the stone
lodge , she found her sister and her mother and how they are connected with Sissy ,,

Mrs. Gradgrind asked them to leave her with Louisa she told her that she is sorry about her life
and about her children life , she thanks God for the existent in their life , she said that they
forget something very important more than facts in their education .. Mrs. Gradgrind asked
Louisa to give her a paper to write a letter for her husband… she died with her blaming to her
husband that all the distraction that happened in their life , specially on her life even her
sickness was because of him ……

Throw the event of the story we noticed that Mrs. Gradgrind has no role in her life she is only a
house keeper even in the education of her children and when her daughter marry Bounderby
when Mr. Gradgrind decided the situation he told her at the end ……..
 Hard times 33
Charles Dickens

Chapter 10
Mr. Sparsit staircase
The image of the stair is very important because it is reflect the hidden wishes of Mrs. Sparsit
when she dreams that Louisa has fallen down from the stair and in the end of the stair a hole
which is black and ugly ditch .."this just like the taboo of Stephen in book one and his dream
about his wife " as if that Louisa falls in the hole of shame because she always thought that
Louisa and Harthouse have a secret relationship between them ..

Mrs. Sparsit were overhearing on the conversations that happened between Louisa and James
when he tells her about the robbery and he is sure that Stephen is not the thief , and he is worry
if Tom who is the thief …

We have another meaning of Mrs. Sparsit ,, that she wishes to get of from Louisa or to make her
loss her dignity and to live with shame for the rest of her life ..

Chapter 11
Lower and lower
We have a connection in the image of staircase in this chapter and previous one ,when Mrs.
Sparsit heard Louisa and James were speaking to met secretly outside the town and she decided
to follow them ….. when her father come back from London to bury his wife as a matter of one
of his duties , it was not so important for him ,,he is a man with no sense he comes in her funeral
he didn’t know about her illness , while he was sitting in his room when he saw Louisa enter and
gives him the letter from her mom to till him that the education of fact was not the only thing
34 Hard times
Charles Dickens

needful to learn his children on Facts destroy every thing in their life ,, he makes no role for her
in stone lodge , he didn’t care or gives her an intention , she blamed about every thing …

Chapter 12
Down
Louisa didn’t go to her meting with Jams when Mrs. Sparsit decided to spy on them
so she stay out side in the rain ….while Louisa goes to her old house instead of going to her
meting … she entered to her father room , here he try to talk but she said no this the time that
she need to talk with no interruption her father was shocked when he see his daughter in that
way she was just like a fair burning , he said that he doesn’t used to see her in this way , she is his
daughter she used to be cool and emotionless , now Louisa is very angry as if she explosion just
like a boom ,, from this point we realized that fair is associated with Louisa , she told him every
thing inside her even about Harthouse she told him that there is a man who told her that he feel
in love with her and she doesn’t know weather she loves him or not and know he waiting for her

Mr. Gradgrind said to her " you are my daughter and I know you well and, this wouldn’t to be
from you " … here we have a very big contrast between this and chapter 11 in previous book
when he talk with her about the marriage of Bounderby and her" …

She told her father that his philosophy can not help her in this situation nor Tom ,, at this time
she falls between his feet asking him to help her from what he has done with his family ….
 Hard times 35
Charles Dickens

Book 3 ,,,Garnering
Chapter 1
The only needful thing
Louisa opens her to find her self in her old room , for a while she felt that she is dreaming But it
was real , she didn’t know who brings her to it …. Her father was beside her told her that Sissy
brings her to her room ..

"A wisdom for heart and A wisdom for mind " this say which never Mr. Gradgrind care about

Only fact ,, he thought that fact is the only thing needful to bring up and to educate his children
on , But he was wrong he neglected the education of the heart and care about mind , he know
that Human is mixed of facts and emotions but he work only on fact … and the result is
distraction for his family .

When Mr. Gradgrind leaves Louisa to rest , Sissy comes and set near her Louisa always feel
uncomfortable from Sissy , while Sissy was looking to Louisa "Louisa " asked Sissy weather she
hates her , Sissy answered her that she never hate her although she changed little bit when she
married and leaves the house But , that never change from Sissy to Louisa ..

Louisa felt comfort to find someone loves her and want to give her help ,, she start talking with
Sissy in sorrowfully about every thing , her life and her relation with Mr. Harthouse Louisa asked
her help .. she start crying when sissy decided to help her in way or another …

Chapter 2
36 Hard times
Charles Dickens

Very Ridiculous
When James was waiting for Louisa but she didn’t came , so he go to her house and to the bank
to see if there is a massage from her but he didn’t . then he go to the station and found tom their
he asked him why he is here Tom said that he is waiting for him from the last night ,, Harthouse
asked him about Louisa , Tom told him that Louisa was in stone lodge ……

Harthouse return to the hotel when the waiter told him that there is a lady asked to see him , he
thought that this would be Louisa , but she was Sissy ,,, she start talking with him confidently
with her gentle voice ' she told him that his relation with Louisa has no hope to be continue and
she asked him to leave coke town for ever ' ,, almost Sissy ridiculous him when she said that he is
amoral man which mean " that he is just like a devil with human shape , he is selfish and black
and didn’t care about others " Harthouse didn’t accept that and told her that he is immoral
which mean " he is not a perfect man but he is not bad at the same time he just break rules or
making mistakes he didn’t care about others but at the same he didn’t hurt them "

From the way that Sissy was talking with him he asked her weather she is an ambassador her
way in speaking as if she reached a high level of education " here we have a sign that the
intellectuality is not a matter of education humans can educate them selves by them selves "

Sissy told him that she is just an uneducated poor girl her father was working a stroll in the
circus and he left then from a manner of pity Mr. Gradgrind takes her to live in his house with
his family .. Harthouse interesting in Sissy and he likes her more than Louisa .. she left him with
fail as he said " we have a metaphor ( pyramids of fail ) again he beings boring so he decided to
 Hard times 37
Charles Dickens

travel and wrote for his friend Jack that nothing beautiful in Coketown so he want to travel
where the camels founds " …

Chapter 3
Very Decided
Mr. Sparsit was spying on Louisa in that night when James was waiting for her in the hotel and
she thought that she is relay with him , when she being completely wet because from the rain
she goes told Bounderby about that , Mr. Bounderby went to stone lodge and talk with Mr.
Gradgrind about that , he shocked when Mr. Gradgrind told him that Louisa in his home
resting ,education of fact was not good for her , so she is so tired from every thing .. Mr.
Bounderby being very angry about Mrs. Sparsit and told her not to come again and leave him
alone ,, Mr. Bounderby told Mr. Gradgrind that his daughter was not a good wife as he wants
from her , he told him that if she didn’t return to his house in the next evening then he will sent
her stuff with a servant to stone lodge and he will consider him self as an unmarred man , in
the next day Mr. Bounderby wait for her in his house and when the evening come Louisa didn’t
come he sent her stuff and later days on she get divorced from him …

Chapter 4
Lost
For the robbery of the bank Stephen suspected as the thief so Mr. Bounderby ordered to put his
photo in all Coketown under "wanted" when Bitzer and Mrs. Sparsit were suspecting Mrs.
38 Hard times
Charles Dickens

Pegler who was seen with Stephen and Rachael and standing several times in front of the
factories , Mr. Bounderby sent for people in stone lodge when Rachael comes with them she told
him that Stephen will come to Coketown in a matter of two days she sent a massage to him
Bounderby told her that he has his spies in the office and he found no massage from Stephen ,
she told him that he change his name in order to get a job ,, Louisa told them that they went to
his home she and Tom and gives him money to help him with his employment , she believes from
the beginning he is not the thief ,, they wait for Stephen but he didn’t came .. they asked if he is
not the thief then why he didn’t come till now ??!!!....

Chapter 5
Found
Day after day and Stephen didn’t come to tell the truth , Rachael being so sad and for a while
she thought that Stephen is the thief , Sissy was going to Rachael in her room to help her with
her sadness while they were walking in front of Mr. Bounderby's house they see Mrs. Sparsit
catch Mrs. Pegler and she try to make her enter to the house when they gather in the house she
said that she found the real thief when Mr. Bounderby sees her he confused because he saw his
real mother , he being angry about Sparsit exaggeration in dealing with situation , His mother
 Hard times 39
Charles Dickens

were surprised from what she saw in her son's house he lives a luxurious life in this huge house
when he throw her out side the town , all the existent in the house blaming her because she left
her son to his drunk grandmother with no asking or caring about her son ,,,

She said that her son lives in a good family with parents who loves him very much and educated
him in good way , it was his decision to throw her far a way from Coketown paying for her thirty
pounds a year o stay a way from him , and to stay alone here and to make his wealth in an illegal
ways he is a big liar .. they start look at him an a very strange way , after that embarrassing
state she put him in e orders every one to get out of his house ..

Sissy and Louisa suspect that Tom is the thief his disappearance was not good , he even didn’t
talk with Louisa , she was afraid that he killed Stephen …..

Chapter 6
The starlight
On Sunday Rachael and Sissy went to the country it was cool and nice day to have walk out side
they were speaking when Rachael see the hat of Stephen on the ground and later steps they
found a deep hole which called " old hell shaft " no one fall in it and stay a live it is very old and
dangerous , she fears that if Stephen had fall in it , and it was real that he fall in it when he was
on way home to clear his name , people could carry him he is full of blood and can't move
holding Rachael hands and looking at her eyes he asked her to call Louisa and Mr. Gradgrind to
tell him in that night Tom told him to wait him in the back of the bank and he promise him to
40 Hard times
Charles Dickens

clear his name but he did something else , he asked Mr. Gradgrind to help him to clear his name
from the robbery Tom who make it not him ,,

He was looking at Rachael eyes and said that there was a star which was lighting he looking at it
and he was praying to his worker friends and hopping to see her before he is die ,, then he die in
the hands of his star Rachael 'star associated with Rachael in the play' " Stephen black pool
was a symbol of the workers in that time , his life reflect the misery that they live with the
unsuitable condition of the works mostly all the workers were just like him "

Chapter 7
Whelp – Hunting
Mr. Gradgrind was wondering about his son mystery disappearance looking for him every
where when Sissy told him that she hidden him in Mr. Sleary circus , Sissy , Louisa , and Mr.
Gradgrind travel to the circus to see Tom , Sissy was very happy and comfortable when she saw
her old family , then they ask to see Tom Mr. Sleary told them that there is a show which sissy's
father used to perform he will make Tom in it with his painted face no one will know him and
after the show they will travels him to the north of America ..
 Hard times 41
Charles Dickens

When tom met his family , he start blaming his father and his sister because his father was a
way all the time and because of his facts and his sister because she didn’t give him money and at
the same time for the leaves of Mr. Harthouse .. then he start crying shacking his father ,,

When Bitzer appear to catch Tom and he promise to take him to the police …

Chapter 8
Philosophical
A conversation happened between Mr. Gradgrind and his student Bitzer when he try to take
Tom to police Mr. Gradgrind asked him if he has a heart Bitzer answered him in fact way ,, Mr.
Gradgrind asked him if he have a pity ,, he pleads him to make Tom go away , he try to give him
money , Bitzer told him that he think about that but if he will give Tom to police then he will get
the Tom's job he told Mr. Gradgrind that he study in his school for money he pied for his
education every thing is need for paying from the born till death when Mr. Sleary see Bitzer and
told him if he is a guilty then he must presented he let him take Tom but at the same time he
make a plan for that he sent a dogs with them , they make Tom run a way and go to his ship …

When Mr. Gradgrind try to pay to Mr. Sleary he refused to take any think ,, he talk with Mr.
Gradgrind about Sissy's father died, Mr. Gradgrind asked him weather he will tell her or not ,
Sleary told him nothing good to tell her , Mr. Sleary told him that people need to be happy and
amused them self to live .

Chapter 9
Final
42 Hard times
Charles Dickens

Mr. Bounderby was making an angry conversation with Mrs. Sparsit on lunch they insult each
other , Mrs. Sparsit said that she considered him as a stupid and no one respect him , he told her
to leave his house with no back ,and she did so .... then she spend her life taking care of a misery
old women ,and he stay as he used to be .. and he dies ..

Mr. Gradgrind changed to be a good and he changes his way in education and he make a new
branches as faith , charity , and love ..

Rachael stay working in the factory with her sadness for Stephen and she keep caring about his
drunk wife when she come back again to the town ,,

Louisa completely change and being more gentle , happy , satisfaction , and humble and she
find her self more happy when she was caring about Sissy's children ..

Sissy marred and as she used to be happy and gentle

And the sorrow end was for Tom he dies a way from his house and his sister in the hospital after
he wrote a litter to his sister he was asking her to forgive him and not to forget him , he always
loves her ,, he dies calling her name ………………..

The End
*wish for you all the best *
*I am sorry for any mistake ,,you can correct it *
 Hard times 43
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

Zahra' Hamid Obeid

3rd _B_
44 Hard times
Charles Dickens