"On every page Hard Times manifests its identity as a polemical work, a critique of Mid-Victorian

industrial society dominated by materialism, acquisitiveness, and ruthlessly competitive capitalist

economics" (Lodge 86). The quotation above illustrates the basis for Hard Times.

Charles Dickens presents in his novel a specific structure to expose the evils and abuses of the

Victorian Era. Dickens' use of plot and characterization relate directly to the structure on account

that it shows his view of the mistreatments and evils of the Victorian Era, along with his effort to

expose them through literary methods. A befitting display of structure is evident through his

giving name to the three books contained in Hard Times. The titles of the three appropriately

named books are an allusion to the Bible, and are also "given a further twist in Gradgrind's

recommendation to 'Plant nothing else and root out everything else' (except facts)" (Lodge 91).

In the first book, titled "Sowing, " we are introduced to those that Dickens creates a firm

character basis with. The opening chapter emphasizes on Thomas Gradgrind Sr., and his students

fittingly referred to as "vessels before him ready to

Bitzer, the model student of Gradgrind's school of "facts, facts, facts" becomes the very symbol

confession as she collapses at her father's feet declaring, "All that I know is, your philosophies

system in Gradgrind and the exposure of Bounderby displays the utilitarian convictions

the frustrations of the working class as they were mistreated by the Utilitarians and the upper

introduced to the reader is Josiah Bounderby, an acknowledged, self-made man. Following him is

"sown." Dickens use of structure is preparing the reader for the "garnering" in book three. Book

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 827
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)