
Gradgrind believes that, “Facts alone are wanted in life. He thought that hard facts were the key to living a practical life. Gradgrind was a utilitarian who thought that feeding children with only facts, figures and statistics was the proper way to educate them, and rejected the use of their imagination or emotions. Gradgrind, and his opposition of creativity and imagination in the education system of Victorian England during the Industrial Revolution, and proves that the philosophy of utilitarianism and self-interest are inefficient and prevent children from gaining the proper skills to improve their lives during such a difficult and chaotic time.įor example, Dickens starts this work with characterizing the man who created the school in Coketown, Thomas Gradgrind. Dickens uses satire to criticise the ruthlessness of Mr. This method is often used throughout literature, including brilliant works like Charles Dickens’ Hard Times. Satire provides a strong message while entertaining the reader. Satire is a writing technique utilized by writers to expose and criticize the corruption or stupidity of an individual or a society, using humor to improve humanity by denouncing its shortcomings.
