VTeWA0)\ ee) The Victorian Age (189/-17V1) Focus on the text: Hard Ti ‘imes ‘The plot . pI appropriate name containing the word ‘coke’ Thomas Grading is a iien of Coketown (@P APPETT industrial town of Peon which is a type of coal, and town a cee ecm ates only it Sach el the north of England. An ‘eminently practical man oe : ‘ wea and Tom up ina similarly harsh way, crushing any Crushing and brings his two elder children Louisa an the promising magnate imagination imaginative impulses they might have, just as he suppresse* aoe ane Gt hc eT children at the school of which he is the headmaster. Sissy Jupe, one of the pupils, is the daughter of a circus worker (in the novel the imaginative, playful world of the circus is placed ia Contrast with Gradgrind’s dscipliarian philosophy), In accordance with her father’s wishes Louisa marries Josiah Bounderby, a factory owner thirty years older than her, though her motives are not entirely cynical, since her brother ‘Tom, the only person she really cares about, is employed by Bounderby’s firm. Unhappy in her marriage, Louisa is distracted by an ‘unscrupulous politician, James Harthouse, who comes to Coketown. When Harthouse tries to seduce her, Louisa goes to her father for protection and Gradgrind finally understands that his rational, perfectly ordered world of facts and figures is very limited. Louisa eventually separates {from Bounderby. Tom, meanwhile, unwisely robs his employer and then tries to divert suspicion onto an innocent craftsman, Stephen Blackpool. But he is soon found out and is forced to leave the country Features Mees, pest p a powerful critique of some of the dehumanising effects of cent = : " pee eeeeetece its drive for material gain and efficiency at the ie Sescayee is soe ef he most radically modern aspects of his writing, an aspect bend ae ofc dif for the modem read a Pathes a sentimentality, on the oie der to apy reader Preciate, yet they are representative of ¢ ictorian readers, 8 ia . environment into a vivi Graphic example, is quite De) igs of Dickens’s novels, his writing ims sorte nea realistic, being modelled type of lite it rey etown, fot ‘on the ef presents, Coketown, and spinal teeta the same time itis a yma ets SoviTonment of industrial towns # at Oppresse: ve olic NY SCONES in the ne ne Working cas Portrait of the poverty, both econome ed ina vivi : rates Eocene rical way: the characters are ofte? , ofte 38 capturing the rhyah een themselves. fully comi, thms and idiosyncrasies of differe™* c effect, ative but provide ct, iS descriptions of landscapes 3 a memorable, drea!l as What is at once le situ; ‘tion they depict. In such descriptio™ idy ia classes which lie beneath the 0 ; vial work Red by Dickens in the Coketo"® FS foy : . for her luxuries but prefers not 196er of. the is, isthe Placed ig T'S Wishes rough her 8 abou, is ted by an 18€ tres to ds that his y separates, t suspicion ed to leave x effects of ency at the Gradgrind and the theories of Uti 4s in all his other novels, in ioforgettable characters who economic and social doctrine whic Utilitarianism j promoted the material ribet NaC, im vs a henry pola, ‘The ft as ich was rely ec eae TE Ferree Oe 1 y im education i sspense of intelligence. ancl and arid where memory wa deed a he leveloped at the For Dickens, Utilitarianism w: Oa ey ‘sed on illo eonepion of human aa esl ns ef no sae prt man gi heya nd Gradgrind believes that education brie croatia ee imagination or emotion. In one otis et be mel practi an aca slowing pl ‘ Hee his letters, Dickens once wrote: My satis ee eset Hard Vimes (1854) Aman of realities Inthe followi , athe following passage we are introduced to Thomas Gradgrind. Pretexis 1 In your opinion what are the most importa j discipline cooperation authority it elements of «good education? Choose thee from the flowing Is. Imagination culture respect | reedom rationality paricipation punishment 2 Now read the text. rman of fact and calculations, Aman who 1 ane beuli Thornes q radgrind, sir, A man of realities: A Proceeds upon ae principle that two ‘and two are four, and nothing over, and who is riot to be same Be psa F ‘Thomas Gradgrind, sit = peremptoily? Thomss = > geempuai, prema Peon ble always inks ry ra tell you exact whats say nahi might hope 102 Log me us Gradgrind, OF 5 figures : mmbers tut into the head 6 suppostion imapoar tay a into allowing for anything over: i a Gradgrind, With a rule and @ pair of scales, and the aie iret sit ready to weigh + and measure any parcel of Sa zie ate (oI is a mere question of figures, a CaS? of pay Se iat gt other nonsensical belie into the ead of George Ora son), of Taetind, ‘or Joseph Gradgrind (all suppositious.° non-e8 omas, Gradgrind - no, Sir! 197WewA@)Natel The Victorian Age (1837-1901) 7 pitchees jus Geel rein “fer nt which thefaes of eluation sre pure He water ina 8 sparkled: sured 4 cellarage before ‘mentioned ths testo vey deep tod ak et ey tented ne revue cape 10 Toaded to he teezae Alo cary ran Boring cing 12 gim:scere 19 med vay st 1 phi ie 15 cuseying boing fro sgn of pet 16 He belong othe honeding' Sys Einreat oe fico and ans fees 17 frowned ook ina 18 waved of hand Tralee sales Rand os citi. 19 breaks horses: tunes tr dometie hors. 20 ring the coined fake where be cos Fetirmae tks fine 21 fart oreone who Socrhonc, 22 behoof ach) Nene Thea a wt y Dickens,» yon en 28 daring in: hn Sant dnang 2 lashes shor hig sound the je aieeecrraes 28 freckle own ‘ats cen caused by poset the sun 29 om uae 30 tage: colour 198 i introduced himself, whether to his private BE to 0 full of facts. pci in on a te lag fe be? he Kind of cannon leaded tothe muzzle wit fats, and prepare {0 blow ae Ot ofthe vio of lee atone charge He seemed galvanizing aPParaus 100, charged wig rim 2 mechanical substitute for the tender young imaginations that were to be stormed away.) ert number wenty, stid Mr Gradgrind, squarely pointing with his square forefinger, 7 at girl. Who is that itl?” Sn nd nunber wen busing, standing up and cursying, “Sisey isnot a name,’ said Mr Gradgrind. ‘Don't call yourself Sissy. Call yourself Cecilia” “Jes father as calls me Sissy, sit, replied the young girl in a trembling voice, and with another curse “Then he has no business to do it ime see. What is your father?” “He belongs tothe horse-riding, if you please, sir.” Mr Gradgrind frowned,” and waved of the objectionable calling with his hand. '* “We don’t want to know anything about that here. You mustn't tell us about that, here. Your father breaks horses, don't he » id Mr Gradgrind. “Tell him he mustn't, Cecilia Jupe. Let xs “If you please, si, when they can get any to break, they do break horses in the ring, ® sit” “You mustn’t tell us about the ring, here. Very well, then, Describe your father as ¢ hhorsebreaker. He doctors sick horses, I dare say?” “Oh yes, si’ “Very well, then. He is a veterinary surgeon, a farrier! and horsebreaker. Give me yout efinition of a horse.” ” (i seo te greatest alarm by this demand.) pane ea mits define a horse!’ said Mr Gradgrind, for the general behoof® n y's definition ofa horse. Bitzer, you ee fae ‘moving here and there, lighted Sua Bitzer, perhaps because he ee Ne Same Fay of sunlight which, darting in at one of the tre windows of eee a ae Sissy. For, the boys and girls sat on the face of the Stee uss, divided up the centre by a narrow interval; and Sis naan ow on the other side, 4 irl we few rows in advar the end. ealear aes ‘AS so dark-eyed and dark. ince, caught haired, that ive a deepet lour from the sy that she seemed to receive @ t-haired that the self hen it shone upon he eyed ant Rati os Same rays appeared to r, the boy was so light-eyed draw out of hit i an - a ia im what little colour he © y mes into immediate contrast i rte a cae Stor-eropped * hair might hav a and face. His skin Was so, unitcle joked as though, if he were cut, he woul Pate bleed white, ite _ Bit said Thomas Graderind Your definition of a horse.” a -Quadruped. Graminivorous, 31 Forty the 5 teeth, namely, twenty-four grinders, # Feng on gras 2 inder:ighack 38 eye teeth casi th et four eye-teeth, * and twelve incisive 3 Sheds lcs in ae Sheds * coat in the spring: in marshy 95 cat the aon vd countries, sheds hoofs," t00, Hoofs hard, ee tut requiring to be shod 5 with iron, Age 31 hoof hone' et » known by marks in mouth.” , See : Thus (and much more) Bitzer. ther «© ‘Now, girl number twenty,’ said Mr Gradgrind. "You know what a horse is.” Your Scene from The Class (2008) directed by Laurent Cant : or menial film Cantel called upon real ‘ool teenagers fo act out improvised as a soenes of contemporary classroom rH life in @ muticultural community, imme your > Werview of? erview the | Who is ‘Girl number twenty’? 2 Why do you think Mr Gradgrind doesn’ tke nicknames? 3 Wht does Cecilia’ father do? thing about the circus? Choose the most appropriate. More than 4 Why do sn't want 10 hear an you think Gradgrind does ne answer is possible. sje joo ond was rotors 0 be respectable + Gy bose working n oes ae Fragiaon © |) because the circus ina way ees om ro gvainds 68900 opel c stion is not rel slass opt because the informal the circus in cl of he sun on Sissy ond and 4) because they have aiready aiscusse4 5 git for descriptions: What is the effect vet 5 : Dicken: e Lines 40 o 64 are a briiant example Ot che si Bitzer? yn? ev van Bitzer’s answer 10 iS gee Why is Gradgrind pleased with Bitz ne 199Mi 1 a Textures, forms and styles What are the elements that make Thomas Gradgrind ‘a man of fact and calculations’? Gradgrind is an example of Dickens's humour in inventing names. The word ‘grind’ refers to a tedious ‘ond laborious activity, but also to the mechanical idea of reducing something to its elements. "Grad! is an ‘abbreviation for ‘grade’ or ‘gradient’. Look up these Words in your dictionary. How do they relate to Gradgrind's character and role? Undertine all the metaphors used to describe the teacher and the students ‘What ore the ideas behind the metaphors you have Underlined? Fill in the paragraph with the following, words: cannon facts enemies imaginations military containers pitchers The students are described as 1°, mio ‘empty jugs into which liquid is poured, suggesting that Gradgrind considers them empty 2 be filled with 3 ‘and figures. Gradgrind himself is described as a 4» “loaded ‘ith facts whose function is to kill his students’ childhood 5 Here the metaphor is 6 - Suggesting that childhood and imagination ore literally 7 of education, fo ‘Why is Sissy unable to answer Gradgrind’s question? Choose trom the following: she 17 Because she doesn’t know what a horse is ™ Coetzee, Foe, Vol. 1, 123 "= HOTLINK Com, The Victorian Age (1837-1901) b Because her knowledge of horses is inti We ong not analytical @ Because she thinks that Gradgrina'squéston absurd 6 Bitzers response on the other hand wins Gradgings approval. What fype of language does the boy usr 7 Read the passage again and look for examples of irony. 8 How would you describe Dickens's syle? Choose ton the following or add your own adjectives i you ike descriptive humorous scientific absurdist yc Impressionistic journalistic solemn exoct comical Discussion 1 What are the advantages and disadvantages of being © person of ‘act and calculations’? Discuss with other students, 2. Do you think students in your education system are Generally considered ‘pitchers’, in Gradgrina's sense o the word? Can you think of any other novels or films which ik ‘bout education? Discuss with other studenls and compare the different systems. Try to imagine a modern-day Mr Gradgrind. Imag his likes and dislikes (e.g. lifestyle, hobbies, a.) % Alscuss your ideas with other students a " CINEFILE Dead Poets Society, Vol. 2, 725: P. 201 "Shaw, Pygmation, Vol. 2, 12.5, p. 328 " Multimedia Lab §: Education, Vol. 2, 5 a fw ain Me, Boe Rv on a 38 }. Vol ro, "HOTLINK Comparative Liteshuge, <1 4 P. 682 "Our, Never Let Me Go, Vol. 3,127