Explore Dickens presentation of education in Hard Times Essay

Explore dickens presentation of learning in awkward Times and comment on how this reflects a dickensian vision of Utilitarianism ogre presents The Victorian direction governing body in Hard Times in a fundamentally negative way, dickens expresses the idea that having an imaginative human verbalism to our fostering is essential. He does this through satirising the education system and mocking the characters. passim the novel, it is a purpose of Dickens being satiric towards the education system.Dickens opens the novel with a satirical description of Thomas Gradgrind and his utile educational methods as he teaches the dwell full of students Facts al matchless be valued in feeling (9) Dickens satirises Gradgrinds commitment to an education comprised n forevertheless of facts as Gradgrind exaggerates that facts are the only essential thing in life. ideate (14) symbolises imagination and wonder compared to facts.Dickens emphasise Fact more than than he does with Fanc y he does this by repeating fact itself, sounds more lastingnessful. Gradgrinds prognosis on education is his children are to never imagine or wonder. Gradgrind rejects the concept of fancy or imagination fancy has nothing to supply to understanding only things that can be measured are important. Gradgrinds disapproving rant on fancy You dont whirl upon flowers in fact (14) to the students underlines that fancy is bad and it should be facts (14) In his satirical description of Gradgrind, Dickens aim is of what he experienced in the industrial England during his time when education varied vastly, according to location, gender, and class, meaning that Dickens view on Utilitarianism is shown in a satirical way, and his beliefs stood out throughout the novel, this indicates how the education system was controlled. Dickens uses characters names to continue his satire of the utilitarian education system prevalent in Victorian Britain.Mr Gradgrind breaks into the word Grind as a means t o crush, signifying his method of grinding down the students individuality and some(prenominal) imagination they may drive entered the school with. Mr MChoakumchild, breaks into me, excrete, child Dickens exaggerates with the name as we dont think the new instructor is literally choking the children in his care, that this Fact-obsessed creature will only choke imagination and feelings out of them. If he had only learnt a little less, how interminably better be he might have taught much more (15) This highlights that the utilitarianism system would function much better, if it were not so strung on facts. If Mr. MChoakumchild had learnt less and been practically involved with his students more and would have taught farther better. This is criticizing the way the system works. Dickens is suggesting that in the utilitarianism system, suggesting that ramming facts into students might not be the most effective way of teaching them. Not everything can be reduced to facts alone. Mr Gr adgrind and Mr Bounderby are the main representations of utilitarianism and accessorys of the system.In Louisas proposed spousal relationship to Bounderby, Dickens shows us a disastrous consequence of Gradgrinds system that denied everything but facts. You have been accustomed to consider every other question, evidently as one of tangible Fact (97) This illustrates that Gradgrind, who is incapable of expressing his emotions effectively toward Louisa, edges her into a marriage with Bounderby by stating various facts and statistics to her. Louisa is hesitant to communicate her feelings towards him she returned, without any macroscopical emotion (96) David Lodges How Successful Was Hard Times? (1981) argues that Gradgrinds ideology in his system is questionable, Lodge explains that it is a primary might of what is wrong with his system Mr Bounderby is also a character with utilitarian beliefs, doubtlessly one of the major characters that has a firm belief in the system, you may for ce him to swallow boiling fat, but you shall never beat out force him to suppress the facts of his life (23) He signifies the very essence of his ruthless principles that only has room for facts and statistics.Hard Times outlines that a utilitarian approach to life is attempted and costs those who follow their imaginations become robotic and inadequate to the system. Imagination and bosom is prepare in the circus where Mr Bounderby and Mr Gradgrind despise No young people have circus masters or attend circus lectures about circuses (23) Gradgrind implies that circuses are not like a practical schoolroom. Dickens represents sissified Jupe as an influential character of the novel who presents the value of a warm heart and embodies feelings and emotions.She is seen as a complete failure of Gradgrinds system. However Dickens and the reader judge her as a success. The young innocent girlfriend mocked by the teacher and presented as the dumb girl in the number 1 of the novel, gradu ally turns out to be the most key character in the whole novel. Since the foundational significance of fact and the removal of fancy that Gradgrinds education obliges, Sissy Jupe will never succeed. Nevertheless, in spite of the education, Sissy becomes a young woman who is able to maintain her own principles and beliefs.The contrasting descriptions of Sissy and Bitzer are shown in their appearance. For example Sissy is described as beaming and warm dark eyed and dark haired (11) referring to her as someone who is the face of vitality. However Bitzer is portrayed as what little colour he ever possessed (11) and His cold eyes would hardly have been eyes (11)) Demonstrating that he is cold and emotionless with no heart and all calculation. Dickens uses Bitzer to instal that other students are influenced by him, showing that he is a follower of Gradgrinds system, whereas Sissy is the foreigner to the system.The Utilitarian education system relates to the industrial town Coketown whic h consists of factories and large streets like one another people as like one another (27) The town is linked to a piebald face of a savage (27) that is described as barbaric and uncultured, the children are being deprived from the ill-smelling dye (27) Dickens suggests the society that the children/workers are brisk in is unsanitary Jail (28) indicating that they have no escape from their problems.The utilitarian system stamps out all imagination in the pupils and prepares them perfectly for the life of drudgery. Dickens describes as their lot as hands in Coketowns factories. Education presented in Hard Times is shown as satirical in Dickensian vision of Utilitarianism. This is because Dickens is able to create a watch out of the system cunningly. Furthermore it is certain that what Dickens has presented is humorous and convincing with making the utilitarian ideology seem absurd through the novel. I find David Lodges argument towards Dickens opinion as liberal and potent.