Hard Times - parental responsibility
1) Discuss the theme of parental responsibility in Dickens’s Hard Times. Refer to specific passages and scenes from the novel.
Throughout the book Hard times by Charles Dickens there is a theme of parental responsibly or more appropriately, parental irresponsibility. This is majorly highlighted through the relationship between Mr Grandgrind and his two children, Tom and Louisa. We also can see an irresponsible parent relationship between sissy Jupe and her father. Mr Grandgrind only thought that teaching facts to his children was the only element that they required; whereas sissy Jupe’s uneducated father Signor Jupe could only provide the imaginative teachings. The brief opposite comparison between both fathers, show that our parents need to have balance in their teachings in order to raise fully functioning adults.
Throughout the novel we can see that Mr Grandgrind believes in only teaching the young, nothing but facts when he states “Facts alone are wanted in life” (Dickens 9). The theme of a factual world is clearly emphasised throughout the book and is questioned by the reader. Mr Grandgrind comes across as a character that loves his children; he nurtures them, cares for them, and provides shelter, education and food for them. He does all the things that a responsible parent should; except for providing them with childhood filled with wonders. This is evident through the lack of imaginative and creative endeavours, which brought about the demise of Tom and Louisa’s childhood. His lack of awareness to teach his children both fact and fancy, led him to betrayed as an irresponsible father.
Mr Grandgrind and his relationship with Louisa evolve throughout the novel due to their realisation of appropriate teachings. Both Mr Grandgrind and Louisa come to the reality that Grandgrind’s teaching system had failed. When Louisa grew up and realised that she had missed out on having a fulfilled childhood, due to never being enlightened by the fantastic
Throughout the book Hard times by Charles Dickens there is a theme of parental responsibly or more appropriately, parental irresponsibility. This is majorly highlighted through the relationship between Mr Grandgrind and his two children, Tom and Louisa. We also can see an irresponsible parent relationship between sissy Jupe and her father. Mr Grandgrind only thought that teaching facts to his children was the only element that they required; whereas sissy Jupe’s uneducated father Signor Jupe could only provide the imaginative teachings. The brief opposite comparison between both fathers, show that our parents need to have balance in their teachings in order to raise fully functioning adults.
Throughout the novel we can see that Mr Grandgrind believes in only teaching the young, nothing but facts when he states “Facts alone are wanted in life” (Dickens 9). The theme of a factual world is clearly emphasised throughout the book and is questioned by the reader. Mr Grandgrind comes across as a character that loves his children; he nurtures them, cares for them, and provides shelter, education and food for them. He does all the things that a responsible parent should; except for providing them with childhood filled with wonders. This is evident through the lack of imaginative and creative endeavours, which brought about the demise of Tom and Louisa’s childhood. His lack of awareness to teach his children both fact and fancy, led him to betrayed as an irresponsible father.
Mr Grandgrind and his relationship with Louisa evolve throughout the novel due to their realisation of appropriate teachings. Both Mr Grandgrind and Louisa come to the reality that Grandgrind’s teaching system had failed. When Louisa grew up and realised that she had missed out on having a fulfilled childhood, due to never being enlightened by the fantastic