Wealth and Poverty in Hard Times by Charles Dickens

How does Dickens contrast wealth and poverty in the opening book of

Hard Times?

Hard Times is set in the 1840's, which was an amazingly turbulent time

in history due to the industrial revolution. The novel is set in

Coketown (Coketown is fictitious but is loosely based on the town of

Preston), one of the many new industrial towns, and is centred on the

lives of its inhabitants.

People's lives had changed at this time. The working class used to

work in farms, and because they were their own boss, they would have

days off. Now in this monstrous town these people are made to feel

like 'cogs in a vast machine'. There are two groups of the lower

classes in Hard Times; the factory workers, which includes the

characters of Stephen Blackpool and Rachel, and also the members of

Sleary's Circus Troupe, which includes the characters of Cecilia Jupe

('Sissy') and Signor Jupe.

The lower classes that work in the factories are called 'Hands'. The

term "Hands" itself depersonalizes the workers by referring to them

through the part of their body that performs their tasks in the

factories in which they work.

'It was a town of machinery and tall chimneys, out of which

interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves for ever and ever,

and never got uncoiled.'

The above quote is describing Coketown, which houses the poorest

segment of society and is filled with noise, grime, and smoke. While

the description of Coketown does not specify the horrors of the

'Hands' working conditions, it does create a general impression of

filth and noise.

"not all the calculators of the National Debt can tell me the capacity

for good or evil, for love, for patriotism or discontent for the

decomposition of virtue into vice, or t...

... middle of paper ...

...ind children have

grown up without sentiment, this has resulted in them being damaged;

they are always rubbing themselves almost as if they are trying to

remove the pain which they feel. The children who have grown up with

ought money are far happier than the ones who grew up with money. By

coming into the Gradgrind household Sissy has already made a change

occur within the family, they seem to be realising that tenderness and

affection are more important than wealth.

Charles Dickens is trying to make the reader ask themselves what is

more important, spiritual or material wealth? His view is that

spiritual wealth, portrayed by the lower classes, is far more

important than material wealth, portrayed by the upper classes. If

love does not exist in this world then the people who live on it will

be mere zombies. Money when compared to love looses its value.