For The Lives Of The Protagonists?

There are many different protagonists in the story "Hard Times" as many of the characters play an important role in the story however the characters that have the greatest influence upon the story line include that of Mr.Gradgrind, Thomas Gradgrind, Louisa Gradgrind, Josiah Bounderby, Stephen Blackpool and Cecelia Jupe.

Mr.Gradgrind is a wealthy, retired merchant in Coketown, father to Louisa and Tom. His character espouses a philosophy of rationalism, self-interest and hard, cold fact. This philosophy is taught so constantly to the children that there is no room for the children to have an imagination. Mr.Gradgrind's ending in the story really encourages the reader think and not just read. It explains Mr.Gradgrind foreseeing his own future. It describes him considering his situation, "a white-haired, decrepit man, bending his hitherto inflexible theories to appointed circumstances". Perhaps this is a period of time where Mr.Gradgrind is looking back to past actions and how they may affect his own future. It also asks the reader the question "Did he catch sight of himself, therefore much despised by his late political associates"

Louisa Gradgrind is Mr.Gradgrind's daughter. She shares the same sibling love back to her brother Tom and her only love. She believes, possibly due to her unfeeling upbringing, that her life does not matter and it not important to anyone. Louisa is a very positive character and in the later stages of the book reluctantly agrees to marry Bounderby in the hope of helping her brother. Her ending describes her thoughtfully "watching the fire" as she did once many years ago with her brother possibly meaning she was constantly looking to the past to find answers to her future as it also says "How much future might arise before her vision?" She also knows how her father will soon pass on "for she knew it was to be" and "these things she could plainly see" however it also asks "But, how much of the future". It is therefore unclear of Louisa's future however she appears to foresee others futures. However there is one comment at the end of Sissy Jupes ending which asks if Louisa saw what Sissy had for herself to which Dickens replies to the reader "These things were to be". This ending is again "fair" for the type of character Louisa was under the same philosophy that characters with positive qualities have more positive endings. However like her childhood her future appears to be slightly unknown however a happy ending appears to be more likely as things that happened to Sissy "was to be" for Louisa.

Ceccelia Jupe is the innocent, compassionate, imaginative daughter of a circus entertainer. She is taken by Mr.Gradgrind when her father disappears. Her open-minded qualities means she did not get on well with education the Mr.Gradgrind way using only fact. She however never changed and always keep her feelings towards the world. Her ending is clear and explains her later life in joy and happiness. This is clear when it uses words happy and love repeatedly, "Happy Sissy's, happy children loving her; all children loving her; she, grown learning in childish lore; thinking no innocent and pretty fancy ever to be despised". This ending for Sissy was again very appropriate due to the fact she has many positive qualities and she in a way deserves a good ending for a good person.

Thomas Gradgrind the son of Mr.Gradgrind is a particularly dissipated and occasionally hypocritical young man and later

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1551
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)