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HARD TIMES (Charles Dickens) - Coggle Diagram
HARD TIMES (Charles Dickens)
PLOT
Setting
Coketown (fictional industrial city)
Victorian England
characters
Thomas Gradgrind
Educates children without imagination
Louisa Gradgrind
Gradgrind's daughter
Marries Mr Bounderby
Unhappy marriage, emotional crisis
Tom Gradgrind
Gradgrind's son
Selfish and irresponsible
Believes only in facts and reason
Stephen Blackpool
Honest factory worker
Victim of social injustice
Falsely accused of the robbery
MAIN THEMES
Facts vs Imagination
Excessive focus on facts is harmful
Imagination and feelings are necessary
Industrialization
Harsh factory conditions
Dehumanization of workers
Utilitarianism
Education
Criticism of rigid education
Importance of creativity and emotions
Social Inequality
Rich vs poor
Lack of social justice
Family and Human Relationships
MESSAGE
Human beings need both reason and feelings
Society should care for people's dignity
Facts alone cannot guarantee happiness
‘denunciation novel’ → negative effects of the industrial society