I too, wanting to read a Dickens, chose Hard Times because it was so much shorter, perhaps even half the length of his usual novels. However, there was another reason, because being interested in education, I commented to someone at the time that whenever a Minister of Education sticks their nose into the schools, their thinking is entirely 'utilitarian'. They are invariably, as proud 'people of industry', unconcerned with the humanities unless they are harnessed to commerce in some way. It was pointed out to me that 'utilitarianism' has been deep in the British establishment since the industrial revolution and the philosopher John Stuart Mill was a great champion of this way of thinking. But Mill is very heavily satirised by his contemporary Charles Dickens in Hard Times. With Mr Gradgrind especially, Dickens wanted to show the terrible idiocy of these people who think themselves more sensible and pragmatic than anyone else, but their philosophy leads to an inhuman tyranny - we are all but cogs in the wheels of the machine. So I read Hard Times with growing anger at Mr Gradgrind and all he represents - even now! It should be said though - credit where credit's due - Mill was an advocate of women's equal rights, in part because women could not choose to divorce, which meant he could not marry the woman he loved.
Best wishes with what you choose to read. I hope you get some great stories.
Hope you enjoy the rest of Hard Times 😊
Lolly Willowes is a gem! Hope you'll enjoy it 🤓
I’m really excited to get to it!
I too, wanting to read a Dickens, chose Hard Times because it was so much shorter, perhaps even half the length of his usual novels. However, there was another reason, because being interested in education, I commented to someone at the time that whenever a Minister of Education sticks their nose into the schools, their thinking is entirely 'utilitarian'. They are invariably, as proud 'people of industry', unconcerned with the humanities unless they are harnessed to commerce in some way. It was pointed out to me that 'utilitarianism' has been deep in the British establishment since the industrial revolution and the philosopher John Stuart Mill was a great champion of this way of thinking. But Mill is very heavily satirised by his contemporary Charles Dickens in Hard Times. With Mr Gradgrind especially, Dickens wanted to show the terrible idiocy of these people who think themselves more sensible and pragmatic than anyone else, but their philosophy leads to an inhuman tyranny - we are all but cogs in the wheels of the machine. So I read Hard Times with growing anger at Mr Gradgrind and all he represents - even now! It should be said though - credit where credit's due - Mill was an advocate of women's equal rights, in part because women could not choose to divorce, which meant he could not marry the woman he loved.