Hard Times by Charles Dickens (1842)

Name: Hard Times
Author: Charles Dickens

Hard Times is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854. It tells the story of Thomas Gradgrind, a strict schoolmaster in the fictional Victorian-era city of Coketown, and his two children, Louisa and Tom. Gradgrind is a proponent of the philosophy of Utilitarianism, which emphasizes the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. He believes that facts and reason should be the basis of all education, and he attempts to instill this philosophy in his students and his own children. However, his daughter Louisa is more sensitive and imaginative than her father realizes, and she struggles to reconcile her own feelings with her father's strict teachings. Meanwhile, her brother Tom rebels against his father's teachings and falls in with a group of gamblers and criminals. The novel follows the Gradgrind family as they struggle to find their place in the world, and as they come to terms with the consequences of their choices. Along the way, Dickens paints a vivid picture of the industrial city of Coketown and its inhabitants, and explores themes of education, morality, and the human condition.

By Charles Dickens · First published 1842 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Social Criticism, Satire · 37 chapters · 103,636 words

First lines

‘NOW, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to Facts, sir!'

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Hard Times is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Dickens, dated 1842 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Charles Dickens
Date: 1842 CE
Language: English
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Social Criticism, Satire, Historical Fiction
Length: 103,636 words
Structure: 37 chapters, 2,472 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Realistic Fiction — Hard Times is a realistic novel that follows the lives of several characters in the fictional town of Coketown, England, during the Industrial Revolution. It is set in a time of great social and economic upheaval, and the novel explores the effects of industrialization on the lives of the working class.
Social Criticism — Hard Times is a social criticism of the industrialization of England during the 19th century. It is a critique of the utilitarianism of the time, which focused on efficiency and productivity at the expense of human values and emotions.
Satire — Hard Times is a satire of the industrialization of England during the 19th century. It is a critique of the utilitarianism of the time, which focused on efficiency and productivity at the expense of human values and emotions. Dickens uses humor and irony to make his points about the effects of industrialization on the working class.
Historical Fiction — Hard Times is set in the 19th century during the Industrial Revolution in England. It is a realistic novel that follows the lives of several characters in the fictional town of Coketown, England, during this time of great social and economic upheaval.