Important Questions in Hard Times by Charles Dickens
Important Questions in Hard Times by Charles Dickens
Q.1/ How was Mr. Bounderby characterized throughout Hard Times?
Answer: He was characterized as proud, callous and selfish.
Q.2/ Why did Mr. Gradgrind fail to understand his children's feelings?
Answer: He failed to understand his children's feelings because he treated them factually.
Q.3/ Why is the circus scene significant?
Answer: It is significant because it proves the invalidity of Mr. Gradgrind's philosophy of facts.
Q.4/ Who is Stephen Blackpool, and how was he described in Hard Times
Answer: He is a poor worker at Mr. Bounderby's factory. He is described as decent and honest.
Q.5/ What did Dickens tackle through the theme of marriage and divorce?
Answer: He tackled the victimization of women and social injustice.
Q.6/ How do the capitalists view the poor workers?
Answer: They view them as hands to work for their self-interest.
Q.7/ What are the evils caused by capitalism in Hard Times?
Answer: They are exploitation, social disintegration, stealing, deception and lying.
Q.8/ How is Stone Lodge depicted in the novel.
Answer: It is depicted as a prison which lacks feelings, emotions and imagination.
Q.9/ What role does Mrs. Gradgrind play in her children's lives.
Answer: She played a destructive role in forcing her husband's will on them.
Q.10/ Why does Signor Jupe decide to leave Sissy?
Answer: He decided to leave her because he wanted her to be educated
Q.11/ Why did Dickens criticize the Victorian education system?
Answer: He criticized it because he believed that it led to the mechanization of the human beings.
Q.12/ what does the name of Mr. Gradgrind evoke?
Answer: It evokes the monotonous grind of his children's lives, as well as the grinding of the factory machines.
Q.13/ What are Dickens's attitudes concerning fact and fancy?
Answer: He believed that people should pay attention to fact and fancy in a balanced way.
Q.14/ How does Mr. Gradgrind view fancy?
Answer: He views it as trivial and dangerous.
Q.15/ How does Dickens describe the setting in chapter one?
Answer: He describes it as boring, oppressive and stifling.
Q.16/ What does Coketown represent?
Answer: it represents Victorian England during the industrial revolution.
Q.17/ How does Mr. Bounderby view Louisa ?
Answer: He views her as a slave to satisfy his sexual desires.
Q.18/ What was Mr. Bounderby proud of?
Answer: He was proud of being a self-made man.
Q.19/ Who is Mrs. Sparsit?
Answer: She is the housekeeper for Mr. Bounderby.
Q.20/ what effects does the philosophy of facts have on Tom's personality.
Answer: It led him to feel miserable and dissatisfied and to exploit Louisa's love for him.
