Hard Times

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Hard Times'

This work contains examples of the following tropes:

• Anvilicious: This is perhaps Dickens' best example of this trope. Dickens was a populist writer with wide appeal. He had a strong point to make with Hard Times, and he wasn't going to let the message be lost by the dim and undereducated among his readers. Still rather Egregious though.
• Author Tract
• Butt Monkey: Stephen Blackpool
• Complete Monster: Bitzer
• Emotionless Girl: Louisa Gradgrind
  • Except she does feel emtions, it's just that she was never taught how to deal with with them and tried to ignore them until they finally threatened to overwhelm her. She then turns to her father for help, which leads to a CMOH for them both.
• Fantasy-Forbidding Father
• Funetik Aksent: He have Rachel (low class Lancashire), Stephen (very Lancashire), and Sleary (pronounced lisp). The remainder, who are 'normal', are probably speaking the King's.
• Jerkass: Bounderby
• Meaningful Name: This book is full of them. Mr Gradgrind, the schoolmaster grinds out graduates and Mr. M'Choakumchild who chokes children with facts.
• Oop North
• Stepford Smiler: Mrs Gradgrind
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Mr. Gradgrind forced his two eldest children to learn facts all day long for everyday of their childhood, telling them that things like imagination and emotions were worthless and should be rejected. Why? because that way they could work more efficiently and earn more money, which he believed to be the best way to make them happy.
• Wide-Eyed Idealist: Sissy Jupe
• What Have I Done
• The Woobie: In the entire course of the novel, absolutely nothing good ever happens to Stephen Blackpool. What does he do about it? Try to ask Bounderby for help. When that doesn't work, he just tries to get on with life and stay out of trouble.
• Writer on Board: Look no further than Chapter V, The Keynote.