The Blue-collar Appeal of Hard Times Essay -- Dickens Hard Times Essay

The Blue-collar Appeal of unspoken Times In Hard Times, Charles Dickens gives us a close-up show up into what appears to be the ivory tower of the bourgeoisie of his day, yet these middle-class characters ar viewed from a singular perspective, the perspective of those at the bottom of the social and frugal system. Though Dickens characters tend to be well developed and presented with a thoroughly human quality, the stereotypical figure of imperious and demanding Bounderby fails to accurately mesmerise the motivations and emplacements of the typical successful businessman of the day and is an indication of the authors political motives. Hard Times, rather than presenting a historically accurate picture of the extraordinary changes brought about by the industrial revolution, is a one-sided flak on the utilitarian value system of the middle 19th ampere-second based upon emotional blue-collar appeals for labor sympathy that are non uncommon in todays corporate environment. Josiah Bounderby of Coketown represents the utilitarian attitude and, as such, is the villain of the story and clearly the target of Dickens political argument. Dickens characterizes Bounderby as a powerful individual, driven by voracity and guided by a distorted view of human nature. He is the only wealthy industrialist introduced in Hard Times, although Mr. Sleary might arguably be considered the more virtuous businessman. Dickens clearly portrays Bounderby as a miserly and individualistic, self-serving capitalist rather than an insightful, forward-looking crafter of a impudently industrial age. Dickens artfully weaves his political enemy into a pompous, arrogant image reinforced with traditional working-class themes that lead the reader to think that Bounderby, ... ...nate and truly human society should strive to benefit all classes of its citizens. flora Cited Coolidge, Archibald C., Jr. Charles Dickens as Serial Novelist. Ames, IA Iowa State University Press, 1967. Hayek , F. A., ed. Capitalism and the Historians. Chicago, IL University of Chicago Press, 1954. Laughlin, J. Lawrence. The Elements of Political Economy. New York, NY 1896. Malthus, Thomas. First Essay on Population, 1798. London, England Macmillan & Company. 1926. Marx, Karl. Capital. outstanding Books of the Western World. Vol. 50. Ed. Robert Hutchins. Chicago, IL Encyclopdia Britannica. 1982. Veblen, Thorstein. Selected Writings of Thorstein Veblen. Ed. Wesley C. Mitchell. New York, NY Viking Press. 1947. Wilson, John F. British cable History 1720-1994. Manchester, England Manchester University Press. 1995.