Essay on The Importance of Slearys Circus People in Hard...

The Importance of Slearys Circus People in Hard Times In Charles Dickens novel Hard Times, an alternative view of the Gradgrind-Bounderby way of life is presented by Slearys circus people. Slearys people are shown by Dickens as leading lives which go against everything which Gradgrind represents and as such they are at first a kind of abomination to him. They are shown as people with a life of freedom, not constrained by the rigid set laws and hard facts which Gradgrinds philosophy is based upon. Not only just the physical freedom to roam the countryside almost at will, where Gradgrind is tied to Coketown. But also a mental freedom to enjoy life to the full with all its spontaneity, unconditional emotions,†¦show more content†¦One of the main tools he uses is the subtle and sometimes not so subtle method of the comparison of objects and characters with their physical and literary opposites. An example being the horse. When we look at Gradgrinds definition of a horse given to us early on in the book Quadruped. Ggraminivorous, forty teeth namely grinders.......with iron.2 ,a strict and non compromising definition. We then find the circus people lodging in an inn , aptly named Pegasus Arms. Pegasus is a horse which could not get further from Gradgrinds definition if it tried. For it being a mythological creature and as such the product of the imagination. A creature in Gradgrinds world such as this should not and must not come to light. To hammer the point home there is a pantomime Pegasus in a glass case hanging on the wall behind the bar. Dickens uses the narrator of the story, who being an essential all seeing, all knowing invisible character, to constantly bombard us with these comparisons. Like when he informs us that the circus people are of a much generous construction 3 . Which also goes against Gradgrind philosophy as the narrator states later on in the book Fundamental principle of Gradgrind philosophy.....give anybody anything, or render anybody help without purchase 4 Dickens also draws our attention very closely to every word which Sleary saysShow MoreRelatedWhile Every Culture, Race, Community, And Family Have Their1008 Words   |  5 PagesCharles Dickens’s 1854 novel, Hard Times, he explores these varying viewpoints while quite obviously taking a stand for one perspective. Throughout the novel, one can clearly see that there are two different models for raising a child. These models are through the guidance of Sleary’s circus members and Mr. Gradgrind. Sleary’s circus has a very humanized approach to raising a child. Unlike Mr. Gradgrind. Through the influential writing of Charles Dickens, Sleary’s circus creates a platform for SissyRead MoreCharles Dickens Hard Times For These Times1074 Words   |  5 Pagesthe course without straying from it. 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There are no hidden meanings in Hard Times, and the