bunpeiris Literature

In “Book the First-Sowing” of Hard Times, Dickens explores the effect of a system of education which values the factual knowledge over creativity and imagination. Comment.

Following is an undergraduate level essay written using the paragraph writing technique PEEL [Point, Evidence, Explanation and Link] . As such, those who study for Cambridge OL literature may ignore/delete information from secondary sources and arguments based on same. Cambridge OL literature students may restrict the information/evidence used in their essays strictly to the primary source, i.e. the Victorian novel, Hard Times by Charles Dickens.

“The essential value and truth of Dickens’s writing have been unwisely lost sight of by many thoughtful persons merely because he presents his truth with some colour of caricature” John Ruskin (1819- 1900). (Kaplan)

Hard Times Lacking In
Imagination and creativity, the Bread and Butter of Education

Written by bunpeiris.

In “Book the First-Sowing” of Hard Times [1854], Dickens explores the effect of a system of education which values the factual knowledge over creativity and imagination.

Charles Dickens as a social critic
Charles Dickens was at once a novelist and a social critic. It is in this prime context that Encyclopedia Britannica pays him due tribute: “The range, compassion, and intelligence of his apprehension of his society and its shortcomings enriched his novels and made him both one of the great forces in 19th-century literature and an influential spokesman of the conscience of his age.” (Encyclopædia Britannica) His novels, though nowhere close to those masterpieces of supreme caliber composed by Conrad, Hardy, Lawrence and Bronte, E., today hailed as great Victorian works of literature. Dickens explores and criticizes the social class system, indifference of the upper class and middle class towards the oppressed working class. Dickens praises the working class’s ability to earn their living honestly by the sweat of their brows amidst the suffering caused by the industrial revolution. Still more, in “Hard Times,” he dutifully reveals the exploitative working conditions, substandard living conditions and unsafe machinery in the factories which originated with the era of industrial revolution [1760 – 1840] in Britain, it could perhaps be categorized in the genre of industrial fiction. But then, Dickens was, first and foremost, a humanist of his times. It is in this sense, Dickens has been loved.

Hard Times as a social satire

It must be admitted, with Louisa Gradgrind’s coming of age or the development of her character, at the end of the novel, “Hard Times,” too is a Bildungsroman novel in the same grain that “The Great Expectation,” is wherein Pip’s moral development is revealed. In the end, Sissy Jupe too appears as a Bildungshero. [1] Nevertherless, “Hard Times,” is primarily considered as a social satire. Among other narrations, portrayal and descriptions, the physical description of the schoolmaster itself makes the novel sounds like a satire. Indeed, the novel is also seen, some critics, as a social satire; in the front cover of the year 2018 CreateSpace edition of “Hard Times,” it was subtitled “A satire on the social and economic conditions of the English society.” (Dickens, Hard Times) In fact, Dickens himself, writing to  Charles Knight, on 30^th January 1855, wrote;” My satire is against those who see figures and averages, and nothing else- the representations of the wickedest and most enormous vice of this time..” [Letters, 7, p. 492][Dickens, (editor) Hartley, 324]

Hard Times as a as a critique on certain forms of education
The novels topic is unmistakable: is three main sections titled ‘Sowing’, ‘Reaping’ and ‘Garnering’  themselves indicate an extended metaphor on education. In “Hard Times” Dickens takes an aim upon and makes a mockery of the utilitarian education based upon the narrow notion that gaining knowledge was the supreme act, which is a far cry from modern approach in the broad concept of development of the intellect [power to think, reason and judge freely without bias]of the students. [1] In the introduction to Penguin classics, the editor, Kate Flint makes the matters clear: “it operates as a critique on certain forms of education, particularly those that set out to fill a child full of ‘useful facts rather than to introduce them in any way to the world of the imagination, to concepts of aesthetic pleasure removed from functionality, and to the idea that compassionate understanding of the lives and circumstances of others is of functionality. (Dickens, Hard Times) Nevertheless, one needs to hasten to emphasize that Hard Times is merely a work of fiction and in fact, the educational system painted therein had not existed. Janet Sinnett writing to Westminister Review on Dickens’s caricature, do not mix words: “We are not aware of such a system being in operation anywhere in England”. (books.google) As such, one may assume “Hard Times,” which Dickens himself called “My satire” presents Dickens’ s own perspective of British Educational system during his life and times.

After all, Dickens must have felt the need to defend his craft, writing fiction borne of imagination. His carrier of imagination or the artifact has been the novel. The novel that entertain, amuse and enlighten the reading public has been a new literary form in Western culture. Novel being a long, fictional narrative which describes intimate human experiences, the imagination is the key. If such was the situation, in “Hard Times” [1854] Dickens may well have overshot: caricatures and exceeding exaggerations are not called for. However, to give the mercenary [1] novelist devil his due, it is necessary to admit, that the status of “Hard Times” in the literary history, as a novel set in the class conflict in Victorian England is duly recognized. It serves as a powerful critique of the social injustice that plagued the Industrial Revolution. The oppressed loves him for giving voice to their suffering.

“Book the First-Sowing” of Hard Times on a system of education
Without further ado, it is in the very beginning itself, with a chapter titled “Book the First-Sowing” of Hard Times [1854], Dickens [1812-1870] launches himself to explore, the effect of asystem of education which values the factual knowledge over creativity and imagination, during the Victorian era [1837-1901] of Britain.

In this context, the novel cannot have a better beginning. It begins in a “plain, bare, monotonous vault of a schoolroom.” Education is confined to mere schoolroom. The hardness and bareness of the schoolroom spill over to the school master. At the center is the school master: he is of “square forefinger”, “square wall of a forehead”, a mouth “wide, thin, and hard set”, “square coat”, “square legs” and “square shoulders.”  There is nothing round about him with the exception of his bold head. The novelist having brought in such an comical physical description, a caricature, in effect, makes the reader wonder whether he would ever see schoolmaster becoming a rounded character, a complex character that undergo development. As such, it becomes obvious, from the very beginning, Dickens lay bare his perspective of the “schoolroom.”

Existence of an education system which valued facts over imagination and intellect
The schoolmaster sunk in the very depth of absurdity, takes pains to highlight that all that is needed is gathering knowledge at the expense of development of intellect: “Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but facts. Facts alone are wanted in life.” The schoolmaster, who is glad in grinding his wards hard, nothing but with facts, rejecting all thoughts, all the time, is Mr. Gradgrind, by name. George Bernard Shaw [1856 -1950] wrote that, “England is full of Bounderbys and Podsnaps and Gradgrinds.” (Kaplan)386  Shaw, tells that such characters are in abundance in Britain. However Shaw does not testify such an education system was in existence. Dickens seems to have tried to stretch the credulity of his readers, perhaps in defense of his craft [1830-1870], the English novel, a novel from of literature whose history, being that of just a little more  than a century [Robinson crusoe-1718; Moll Flanders: 1722], is yet to root in.

Fact gathering at the expense of developing intellect

To Mr. Gradgrind, the children are “little vessels” and “little pitchers” to which knowledge can be poured. He seems to believe that he is the grinder of facts. He is the enormous jug whereas the children are mugs. Calling Sissy Jupe, “girl number 20” tantamount to the high water mark of his absurdity: her very humanity is robbed, she becomes a mere number. Numbers and facts are the eyes of his world. His world refuses to entertain differing opinions: “In this life, we want nothing but Facts, sir, nothing but Facts!” Following such an ending of Chapter 1 titled, “The one thing needful,” the author introduces schoolmaster in chapter 11 titled “Murdering the innocents,” Dickens seems to suggest depriving the children of opportunities in expressing their feelings, ideas, thoughts, passions and differing opinions tantamount to “blow[ing] them clean out of  regions of childhood at one discharge.” “Murdering the children,” seems to suggest the killing the imagination of children. The underlying idea in comparison of the classroom to a “vault,” sets an atmosphere of death. But then there is no light, since Juliet is not found: “For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes This vault a feasting presence full of light.”[Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet]

The contrast in physical appearance between naturally affectionate Sissy and emotionless Blitzer is especially interesting. While sun rays into the classroom make dark eyed and dark haired Sissy ‘lustrous”, light-haired and light-eyed Blitzer becomes almost colourless. Blitzr’s skin is “so wholesomely deficient in the natural tinge, they looked as though, if he were cut, he would bleed white.” Dickens seems to suggest life overloaded with facts and devoid of passions has arrested the development of intellect and drained the blood, the humanity out of Blitze

Such is the extent that Mr. Gradgrind’s concept of facts is spread, that the children would not be allowed to describe even an animal as they see it. Its place among the humans would not discussed. Instead, the children are drilled to unravel a fact file:Horse is “quadrapuled. Graminivorous. Forth teeth, namely twenty-four grinders, four-teeth, and twelve incisive. Sheds coat in the spring; in marshy…’ Bitzer’s [3]definition of a horse is of university level. All other children at Gradgrind’s school have lost the significance of their formative, creative and imaginative years: “no little Gradgrind had ever learnt the silly jingle, Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.” No little Gradgrind has ever wondered of what a star is; no little Gradgrind has ever wondered what a star is; no little Gradgrind has have wondered why a star twinkle. Therein Dickens reveals the dullness of a mind fed up with mere loads of information without allowing room for imagination, fancy and wonder.

Such is the level of misdirected teaching, the concept of taste, a sensory perception too is attributed to Fact. At the end of the lecture, which demanded all “to be in all things regulated and governed,” Cecila Jupe , “looked as if she was frightened by the matter-of-fact prospect the world afforded”. The third chapter titled ‘A loophole” reveals the school is, in fact a one of a kind, a model: “it was his school, and he intended it to be a model. He intended every child in it to be a model-just as the young Gradgrinds were all models.” Therein, Dickens seems to set the record straight: this is not the reality in England. Young Gradgrinds may have become the models their father wanted to become. But then they have already become devoid of the spirit of life; Louisa, a girl of 15 or 16, is of “jaded sullenness.” So is her brother. Dickens reveals the effect of a system of education upon the very characters of learners, who are overloaded with factual knowledge with no room for creativity and imagination.

Imagination is outlawed even in the social interactions of the Gradgrinds.
Such is the indoctrination on Facts, the word “wonder” becomes a taboo word. Imagination being outlawed, the children are not expected to wonder. Having overhead Lousia, “half dozen years younger days”, beginning a conversation with her brother, by saying “Tom, I wonder”, Mr. Gradgrind reprimands her: ‘Louisa never wonder!” But then, no human is able to put an end to wondering, it being a feature of human condition. Louisa’s wondering mind is no different from any other human being. Indeed she wonders as world wonders all the time; “…by looking at the red sparks dropping out of fire, and whitening and dying. It made me think, after all, how short my life would be, and how little I could hope to do in it.’

Tom’s frustrations over the system of education which values the factual knowledge are voiced in words of violent nature: ‘I wish I could put a thousand barrels of gunpowder under [all the facts], and blow them all up together. Therein Dickens reveals the frustration of a human mind fed up with mere loads of information without allowing room for imagination, fancy and wonder.

The reading public proves the appeal and value of humanities
Imagination  may well be outlawed in the social interactions of the Gradgrinds. But in the world around Grandgrinds, it is imagination that appeals to the masses The library in the city of Coketown, to which general access is easy, is a torment to Mr. Gradgrind. Readers therein are engaged in an act that Gradgrind has prohibited to his students: “wonder.”  The readers wonder about “human nature, human passions, human hopes and fears, the struggles, triumphs and defeats, the cares and joys and sorrows, the lives and death, of common men and women!” Dickens may well be directing the populace to develop their intellect, build up their reasoning power so that the human condition could be understood resulting in a better world.

In “Book the First-Sowing” of Hard Times, Dickens explores the effect of a system of education which values the factual knowledge over creativity and imagination. Dickens seems to defend his craft and works. Dickens writes, that “they took [Daniel] De Foe to their bosom instead of Euclid.” Euclid was the foremost classical Greek mathematician who lived in the fourth century B.C.  Therein Dickens seems to say that man’s natural inclinations on imagination edges out his theoretical inclinations.

Sissy’s humanity against the statistical ratios

In spite of overload of facts in school, Sissy manages to retain her identity. Sissy’s sense of humanity is in sharp contrast to Mr. M’Choakumchild’s notion of statistics and percentages on death and life. Hers is supreme and sovereign humanity. Sissy realizes that starvation is “hard upon” each human being irrespective of the percentage: the overall low percentages of the starved don’t minimize the suffering of those starved. She rightly believes that even if others who are well fed and well-nourished amount to a “million, or a million million,” the depth of suffering of the starved cannot be quantified or considered negligible. [The flip side of the coin is suffering of one is not lessened by the mere fact that even if million million suffer at the same time. Indeed, suffering would be still heightened, by seeing the suffering of others.] Sissy’s intellect supersedes all the characters overloaded with Facts. In comparison to Sissy, Messer’s. Gradgrind and M’Choakumchild do not seem to have any traces of inherent intellect within them.

Louis’s sense of deficiency in expressing her human passions
Sharp in contrast with Sissy is Louisa. Louisa seems to have been affected by the continuous infusion of loads of facts over the humanities. She is stricken with grief that she is unable to become a timely supporter to her beloved brother, Tom, who has been utterly depressed: “I can’t play to you, or sing to you. I can’t talk to you so as to lighten your mind, for I never see any amusing sights or read any amusing books that it would be a pleasure or a relief to you to talk about, when you are tired.” Therein Dickens reveals the pain of a human mind fed up with mere loads of information without allowing room for imagination, fancy and wonder.

Having considered all of above situations that appear in “Book the First-Sowing” of Hard Times, one could safely conclude that Dickens explores the effects of a system of education which values the factual knowledge over creativity and imagination.

Works Cited

books.google. n.d. Google. 20 September 2018 <https://books.google.lk/books?id=LT6lCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=jannet+sinnet%3Dhard+times&source=bl&ots=zvvG3jO_dY&sig=TgIcuHPp3_KTRJuD97LxZsLuN-k&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiR__G8g8ndAhUSXisKHaAJBc0Q6AEwA3oECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=jannet%20sinnet%3Dhard%20times>.

Dickens, Charles. “Hard Times.” Vol. Complete Charles Dickens novel collection. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018. Front cover.

Dickens, Charles. “Hard Times.” CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018. Front cover.

Dickens, Charles. “Hard Times.” London: Penguin, n.d. xi.

Dickens, Charles. “The Selected Letters of Charles Dickens.” Ed. Jenny Hartley (Editor). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2012. 324.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Charles Dickens. 2018. 19 Sep 2018 <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Dickens-British-novelist>.

Kaplan, Fred. “Norton Critical Edition Hard Times.” Dickens, Charles. Hard Times. Ed. Fred Kaplan. Fourth Norton Critical Edition. London: W.W. Norton Company, 2017. 381.