Hard Times Flashcards
Quotations
Describes the way sissy blushes
“Blushed deeper than she had blushed all this time”
Sissy being told off for preferring to fancy in school.
“They would be the pictures of what was very pretty… and I would fancy… But you musn’t fancy!”
Bounderby’s viewpoint that all working class are lazy and demanding.
“Expect… to be fed on turtle soup… with a gold spoon”
Description of Louisa feelings as she becomes more cold and closed off.
“Louisa… so quiet and reserved… watching the bright ashes… as they fell into the grate and became extinct.”
Louisa wanting a factual answer for the definition of love.
“Does Mr Bounderby ask me to love him? …”
“…it is difficult to answer your question - …”
“ Yes or No, father.”
Gradgrind advising Louisa to think factually of the marriage and of its statistical benefits.
“I would advise you… to consider this question… simply as one of tangible Fact.”
Why does Gradgrind address to “Facts” capitalised?
To create the idea of importance towards facts, seeing them as a person and personifying them. Potentially, stressing Facts, demonstrating the importance of them.
Mrs Sparsit being nosy
“the Roman nose”
Stephen being very caring and considerate towards Rachael, taking into account her reputation despite loving her.
“dreaded that Rachael might be even singled out from the rest if she were seen in his company”
Bitzer being fair and pale
“A young man of a very light complexion”
Stephen underestimating the seriousness of his struggles to keep a kind and positive tone.
“Deed we are in a muddle, sir”
Louisas unconditional love towards Tom being displayed infront of Harthouse, leaving an opening for him to cause chaos.
“My young friend Tom-… Her colour brightened, and she turned to him with a look of interest”
Harthouse talking to Louisa about Tom and the first instant appears where Louisa is described to be blushing.
“She flushed deeper and deeper, and was a burning red when she replied in a fainter voice”
Bounderby immediately putting the blame and suspicion onto the working class despite there being no evidence towards anyone stealing from the bank.
“What should you say to: here he violently exploded: to a Hand being in it”
Mrs Sparsit enjoying Bounderby’s humiliation behind his back.
“Serve you right, you Noodle, and I am glad of it”
Louisas realisation of Sissys influence on Jane
“thought that her sister’s was a better and brighter face than hers had ever been”
Mrs Gradgrind having a voice and opinion for herself and not imitating what Gradgrind’s advice towards his children for the first time, despite never knowing exactly what the advice she gives means.
“But there is something… that your father has missed, or forgotten… I don’t know what that is”
Despite Louisa’s constant effort into her relationship with Tom and her consistent unconditional love, Tom puts in 0 effort towards Louisa to the point where he can’t be bothered to relay a message.
“Would you remember a message to your sister… Well? I’ll try… if it isn’t a long one”
Tom being called this which is a slang word for a puppy, and suggests immaturity and being ‘trainable’.
“The Whelp”
The idea of Louisa walking down to her downfall, which in theory is her expose from Mrs Sparsit, but is actually her breakdown to her father.
“Mrs Sparsit saw her staircase, with the figure coming down”
The way Louisa is described to look during her breakdown.
“so colourless… so defiant, so despairing, that he was afraid of her”
Louisa metaphorically describing her soul.
“O father, what have you done, with the garden that should have bloomed once, in this great wilderness here!”
Louisa describing the way she would have been if she was brought up on fancy, like Sissy.
“had been free… to exercise my fancy somewhat… I should’ve been a million times wiser, happier, more loving, more contented, more innocent and human in all good respects.”
Louisa saying how she is confused with herself and doesn’t quite understand how she is feeling or what love is, or how she felt towards Harthouse, all stemming from the utilitarian upbringing where emotions were disregarded.
“I have not disgraced you. But if you ask me whether I have loved him… it may be so. I don’t know.”
Jane telling Louisa that the reason she is so happy is due to Sissys influence.
“What a beaming face you have, Jane!… Have I?… it must be Sissy’s doing.”
Sissy being described as the light who brightens up the room in comparison with Louisa.
“The once deserted girl shone like a beautiful light upon the darkness of the other.”
The way Bounderby views Gradgrind’s education after Louisa’s breakdown.
“I’ll tell you what education is… Put upon the shortest allowance of everything except blows. That’s what I call education.”
Bounderby being viewed in a comedic and ironic way, due to him thinking there are well born ladies who would love to be with him and compliment him all the time, when in reality he is just describing Mrs Sparsit who really hates him and calls him a “noodle” behind his back.
There are ladies - born ladies… who next to worship the ground I walk on… Whereas your daughter… is far from being a born lady… that is such the fact”
Louisa’s unconditional love towards her brother, even once he has stolen from the bank and still selfishly blames everything on her, saying he has nothing to say to her.
“Leaving old Bounderby… packing my best friend Mr Harthouse off… You never cared for me… Louisa crying to him that she forgave him, and loved him still”
Gradgrinds utilitarian upbringing backlashing on him when it comes to him trying to both save his son and do what’s right –> the boundaries between fact and fancy overlapping
“Bitzer… have you a heart?… The circulation, sir… couldn’t be carried without one.”
Louisa beginning to heal being seen in her face.
“watching the fire as in days of yore, though with a gentler and humbler face.”
Rachael being seen as angelic.
“She looked as if she had a glory shining around her head”
