Reading Notes on Hard Times (Chapters 1–3)

不要问我为什么

    The opening chapters of Charles Dickens’ Hard Times establish a stark contrast between fact and fancy, reason and imagination, through the grim educational philosophy of Thomas Gradgrind. The novel begins with Gradgrind’s famous declaration: “Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts.” This sets the tone for a world where human emotions and creativity are suppressed in favor of utilitarian principles. The schoolroom itself is described as a “plain, bare, monotonous vault,” mirroring the barrenness of an education devoid of warmth or wonder.
    In Chapter 2, this philosophy is tested when Sissy Jupe, the daughter of a circus performer, is unable to define a horse in scientific terms, while Bitzer, a pale and emotionless student, recites a cold, encyclopedic definition. The scene highlights the cruelty of a system that values rote memorization over empathy and lived experience. Gradgrind’s subsequent discovery that his own children, Louisa and Tom, have been secretly watching the circus further underscores the natural human craving for amusement and beauty—a craving his system attempts to eradicate.
    Chapter 3 deepens the critique through the introduction of Mr. Bounderby, a wealthy industrialist who boasts endlessly about his humble origins and lack of education. His self-aggrandizing stories and dismissive attitude toward imagination reinforce the novel’s central tension. The circus folk, represented by Sleary and his troupe, stand in direct opposition to Bounderby and Gradgrind; they live by emotion, artistry, and mutual support, not cold calculation.
    Through these early chapters, Dickens not only satirizes the excesses of industrial utilitarianism but also compassionately portrays the inner lives of those crushed by it. Louisa’s quiet despair and Sissy’s instinctive kindness suggest that humanity cannot be entirely extinguished—even in a world designed to deny it. The stage is thus set for a deeper exploration of the consequences of a life devoid of “fancy.”
（前2周帖子写完忘记发出去了，才发现。。）