Hard Times---Dickens - Essay Example

Hard Times by Dickens Introduction The novel Hard Times by Dickens tries to bring reality to its readers by contrasting two factors that are essential in the development of every human being: fact and fancy. Facts are the realities of life. Sometimes parents or guardians do not come to achieve whatever the characteristics they might have expected of their children (Dickens 10). This paper discusses the conflict between facts and fancy as exhibited in the novel Hard Times by Dickens.Fact“Fact” in the novel Hard Times by Dickens is exhibited by characters whose roles are to orientate other characters’ behavior, beliefs and understanding. Mr. Grandrind is the “master” of facts in the novel Hard Times by Dickens.

In the first chapter, Sissy fails to define a horse in a manner that Mr. Grandrind expected, Sissy gets embarrassed by her own teacher (Mr. Grandrind) who claims that it is Sissy’s belief in “fancy” and not facts that can barely let Sissy see things in the right manner. As a result, Mr. Grandrind tends to coerce Sissy to change her beliefs and be “factual.” Mr. Grandrind not only insists on facts at school, but also at home with his children: Louisa and Tom (15).Fact oriented peopleFact oriented people never believe in other people’s opinions if they think that those opinions are not rational in nature.

In the novel Hard Times by Dickens, Mr. Grandrind who is very factual in the first chapter turns down Sissy’s definition of horse thinking that the definition by Sissy bear no meaning when in reality Sissy’s definition had meaning (16). Factual people are coercive and force their beliefs on others. Mr. Grandrind does not believe in creativity; a characteristic of fact oriented people.FancyPeople all have what interests them. There are things that when some people do, those people feel satisfied and very complete in mind.

In the novel Hard Times by Dickens it is clear that, however hard an individual can be bent away from their personalities, ‘’fancy’’ find ways of bringing them back to their own selves (20). At the end of the novel Hard Times, Louisa notices that something must be wrong with her; she does not feel complete in herself and so decides to change her beliefs to who she really is.SissyIn the novel Hard Times the character played by Sissy deserves more of sympathy. First Sissy’s father goes to the circus without her.

With her father, Sissy would have led a different life. However, Sissy comes to live with her teacher Mr. Grandrind who continuously tries to create a different personality in Sissy (12). Bearing the difficulty that somebody can undergo in changing their personalities and beliefs, Sissy deserves the reader’s sympathy. ConclusionPeople are born differently and so the same people should be handled differently or else “fact” or “fancy” will take their respective courses. The novel Hard Times by Dickens clearly show that sometimes one rarely reaps what they sow. Mr. Grandrind tried to sow facts on everybody who was related to him in any way.

Sissy, Louisa and Tom however, show the other side of reality. To Sissy Louisa and Tom, formation of an own identity is superior to whatever the beliefs one is forced into.ReferenceDickens C. Hard Times: A Novel. London. Oxford University Press. 2000. Print.