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Lyn's Reviews > Hard Times
Hard Times
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Hard Times is Dickens’s novel set in the fictional Coketown and centering around utilitarian and industrial influences on Victorian society.
Dickens’s brilliant use of characterization can be seen in high form here and as always, his naming of his story’s populace is entertaining by itself. The best is without a doubt Mr. McChokumchild, a teacher.
Louisa Gradgrind is a thinly disguised fictionalization of John Stuart Mill. One of the great things about reading literature from the 1800s or earlier is that a reader can ascertain how contemporary works have been influenced by the older work.
Wildly inspirational and influential. Elements of Hard Times and Dickens work in general can be seen in Roger Waters works, Monty Python and even The Big Lebowski.
** 2018 - Dickens' character names are the best - Gradgrind? Bounderby, Jupe, Sparsit. Harthouse, Blackpool, Slackbridge. But of course Mr. McChoakumchild is the best, maybe the best in his canon. McChoakumchild's name is an ax upon which his satire grinds, illustrating his social commentary.
Dickens’s brilliant use of characterization can be seen in high form here and as always, his naming of his story’s populace is entertaining by itself. The best is without a doubt Mr. McChokumchild, a teacher.
Louisa Gradgrind is a thinly disguised fictionalization of John Stuart Mill. One of the great things about reading literature from the 1800s or earlier is that a reader can ascertain how contemporary works have been influenced by the older work.
Wildly inspirational and influential. Elements of Hard Times and Dickens work in general can be seen in Roger Waters works, Monty Python and even The Big Lebowski.
** 2018 - Dickens' character names are the best - Gradgrind? Bounderby, Jupe, Sparsit. Harthouse, Blackpool, Slackbridge. But of course Mr. McChoakumchild is the best, maybe the best in his canon. McChoakumchild's name is an ax upon which his satire grinds, illustrating his social commentary.
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Finished Reading
July 18, 2011
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Sep 12, 2016 06:28AM
Love your astute connections to pop culture always, Lyn! John Stuart Mill was such a sluggard reading Greek at age 3. I do need to read this as I've seen it used in sociology, psychology, education, and maybe labor studies or political econ? Crazy influential.
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Hard times is one of my favourite Dickens, even though I think I say that about any of his novels I happen to get into my fingers. But as a Humanities teacher, I use excerpts from HT to describe social conditions in the 19th century. Students respond well to literary primary sources.Great review!
Have not read it, but will pick it up then watch Big L. again. I believe it was J.S. Mill who first said, "Nobody F***s with the Jesus!"
I was just about to pick this up to read, but I chose an Iain Banks novel instead. Maybe next time.
The classroom characters... very memorable. It may not be his best book, but those teachers, whew, and still relevant today.
yes, he is the MASTER of characterization
been putting off reading this for a very long time now;always been intimidated by classics despite praise
Agree 100 % with your last comment on Dickens influence in contemporary literature. I'm just reading M.D. Russel "The Sparrow" and I can detect Dickens style in the story lines.
Hard Times is one of the few books I've read twice. Great book.
Cheers.
itchy wrote: "been putting off reading this for a very long time now;always been intimidated by classics despite praise"
Dickens is very readable and a fairly fast read
