The titles of the three books ("Sowing", "Reaping", and "Garnering") are named in a way of giving a special reference to the upbringing and the education of the children. The titles together show the basic plot of the story. "Sowing," suggests that in the 1st book the idea of the children being sown with facts and it also lays the foundation of the plot of the novel. They are being taught fact. Where 2+2= 4 and nothing else matters, there is no gray area. Everything is either black or white and nothing else. They are not taught emotion. The 2nd book talks of the reaping or harvesting. In this book, Dickens shows that whatever was sown in the first book, the consequences are now being seen. For example, Louisa Gradgrind Bounderby was sown with the seeds of Fact. She used facts to decide upon marrying Bounderby. It would help Tom out and get him a high position in Bounderby's bank. We can tell that she did not want to marry Bounderby when she said, "There seems to be nothing there but languid and monotonous smoke. Yet when the night comes, fired bursts out, father!" This seems be symbolism to a negative view of marrying Bounderby. In other words, she is saying that there would be repressed feelings of passionate love and if this marriage would to happen and deny her the opportunity of love. She would be susceptible to being seduced. This almost happens with Mr. James Harthouse. Here Dickens is referring to the Bible where there is a concept of "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"(Galatians 6:7). Thus, being married to Bounderby, Louisa had harvested an unhappy marriage. The 3rd book, "Garnering", is about how characters are starting to pick of the broken pieces of their lives. Mr. Gradgrind starts to help his children put together pieces of their lives by promising to teach them the "fancy" or emotional side of life along with the "facts."

In looking at the aspects of the 19th century. Dickens gives a description about how the "hands", or the workers, were being mistreated and that there was little hope that they would be helped. Dickens' views towards unions at this time are that they were just as corrupt as the employers. Slackbridge is one of the union agitators. He claims to be for the union, but Dickens describes him as a false prophet. He was not a very good negotiator for the union. Even his name suggests that he is a very poor "bridge" between the workers and the owners. Slackbridge takes whatever is offered and that is not much at all.

stion that is not fact based. In the end, the whole system of education is reversed and the "fancy" is fancied.

The Gradgrind education system backfires on Gradgrind himself. This is seen through an ironic situation between him and Bitzer, Bitzer was an excellent product of the "system." Bitzer had stopped Gradgrind's son Tom from leaving town. Tom had been caught stealing money from Bounderby's bank. By this time Gradgrind has become a more emotio

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1991
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)