Hard Times - The Theme of Education Essay -- English Literature

Hard Times - The Theme of EducationIn this piece I intend to explain how Dickens is trying to submiteducation in the Victorian era and how he feels about the course ofteaching that is widely used during his times. I also intend to flummoxreferences to how the representation of Victorian schools by Dickenscompares, historically to the actual conditions in a school from theVictorian era. As soon as the criminal record begins we are introduced to a style of teachingthat is dependent only on facts. One of the main characters of thenovel is Thomas Gradgrind and he is the enforcer of this usefulstyle of education and is described as a man who is rightfully strict.Dickens introduces us to this character with a description of his most primordial feature his monotone appearance and military position. Stick tofacts, sir This exclamation suggests that the character likes to ill-use and sound firm. The short, punchy sentence suggests an assertiveand strong character.Dickens also makes Gr adgrind see boring and grating by the gravellyand rough sound of his touch on and how it is pronounced. Grind, inparticular suggests the grindstone, and flogging a itinerary at take formconstantly and is associated with the mechanical, repetitive drudgeryof the pulverization system.Dickens also employs the outer(prenominal) appearance of Gradgrind to parallel theinner personality of Gradgrind, Square coat, jog shoulders andsquare legs. This seems to highlight Gradgrinds nature ofunrelenting rigidity. Dickens also uses tricolons to really exaggeratethe impression of this character being dull, boring and old fashioned.As a result, his educational ideas are seen to be dull and boring too.We nurture the overall impression from Dickens that he doesnt... ...stressed by the factory style approach to the children and theireducation. He exaggerates this to show the production line attitudeto education is wrong and does not help the child. He believes thatthe school in Hard Times trea ts all children the same and there is noexception to the rule. He sees it as a rather utilitarian styleapproach, a one size fits all kind of regime and believes that thissystem has seemingly failed. His distress seem to turn to the kind ofanger a activist would show in a protest and in a way his writing ofthe book is his form of a protest which is made through with(predicate) humour. Hestrongly believes that children at such(prenominal) an early stage in theirchildhood are too young to be exposed to such a formal and rigorousstyle of education and should instead be allowed to express theiremotions and have their youthful imaginations nurtured.