Poetry: The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken By: Robert Frost
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;	5
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,	10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.	15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.	20

Hard Times: Significant Passage

"'Your name's Blackpool, an't it?' said the young man.
Stephen coloured to find himself with his hat in his hand, in his gratitude for being spoken to, or in the suddenness of ir, or both.  He made a feint adjusting the lining and said, 'Yes.'
'You are the hand they have sent to Coventry, I mean?' said Bitzer, the very light young man in question.
Stephen answered 'Yes' again.
'I supposed so, from their all appearing to keep away from you.'" (143)
 

To be sent to Coventry  means to exclude someone from their customary society, or to shun them.  In this case, Stephen is shuned away from the other Hands because he doens't agree with their ideas of forming a union. 
Bitzer see be rubbing it in Stephen's face that he has been exiled from the rest of the hands.  Bitzer, who became successful, seems to want to help to drive the wedge between Stephen and the other workers.  Stephen's suprise of being spoken to futher emphasizes his alienation from the pack.  Stephen thought so differently from the rest of the workers, they all felt the need to shun him from the group.  In this quote, Dickens is showing how even the people in authority know about Stephen's exile, and they feel the need to tell him they know.  This futher opens the riff between the authority figures and the hands. 

THIS IS COOL EVERYBODY READ THIS ;)

So, I have noticed in discussions we've been talking about how the book titles/chapter titles have meaning to them.
Well I think the characters names have meaning as well :) I was doing some research on Dickens and I found that he commonly adds meaning to the names of characters.
These are just some inferences right now but I am going to do a little research as well...
Gradgrind - Grinding as in machinery or grinding facts into the brains of small children
Harthouse- I think of HARD- house. Lol
Bounderby- At first glance I saw "Bounded by" and then as I remembered that his first name is Josiah.

Josiah

Hebrew, "Fire of the Lord"

 

So "Fire of the Lord" is "Bounded" 

Kinda cool right? I think this is a comment on how he is a product of coketown.

Cecilia

Latin, "Blind"

I think this is cool- everyone calls her Sissy but Gradgrind insists on calling her Cecilia which means Blind. By imposing the Facts based curriculum on her she is being blinded, but i think her wanting to be called sissy is more rebellious.  

Stephen

Greek, "Crowned" 

When I think of crowned I also think of a Halo, and I think that is befitting of Stephen as he represents sort of a matyr in the story.

Thomas

Greek, Aramaic, "Twin"

I found this interesting as well, since Thomas doesn't exactly act as a twin or as a very good brother for that matter.

What do you guys think???? :) 

Hard Times: Question for Discussion

 Do you think that Louisa's big melt down at the end of book two was the only influence on Mr. Gradgrind's dirastic change of teachings?  Or were Thomas's actions also a big factor?

Hard Times: Connection to Something Else

This book, especially regarding Gradgrind, reminded me of Schindler's List. Gradgrind changes from a strict business man and then turns to give much of his wealth to better conditions for people. Schindler acted similarly, starting as a business man and ending up giving up his wealth to save others.

The youtube link to the trailer is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK0kc2QpL-U

Hard Times: Significant Passage

Book the First

Ch. 11 - No Way Out

Pg. 72

Stephen has approached Mr Bounderby to speak of his marriage and his wishes to dissolve it.

" 'Now, you know,' said Mr. Bounderby, taking some sherry, 'we have never had any difficulty with you, and you have never been one of the unreasonable ones. You don't expect to be set up in a coach and six, and to be fed on turtle soup and venison, with a gold spoon, as a good many of 'em do!' Mr. Bounderby always represented this to be the sole, immediate, and direct object of any Hand who was not entirely satisfied; 'and therefore I know already that you have not come here to make a complaint. Now, you know, I am certain of that, beforehand.' "

This passage further exemplifies the disconnect between employers and employees that I mentioned in my first analysis. Bounderby's equally ignorant and arrogant, single-minded view of his workers being selfish money-whores always seeking to suck from Bounderby's teat of success couldn't be more blatant when we are told that "Bounderdy always represented this to be the sole, immediate, and direct object of any Hand who was not entirely satisfied". It is that unfortunate and unjustifiable cynicism that creates the unrelenting chasm between Hand and boss. Stephen's honest request is therefore manipulated and distorted to appear greedy and will not be considered by Bounderby – forcing Stephen to endure further the marriage that has broken him so much.

Hard Times: Language Appreciation

Pg 125 as Bounderby describes Coketown aristocrat mentality to Harthouse.

"First of all, you see our smoke. That's meat and drink to us. It's the healthiest thing in the world in all respects, and particularly for the lungs. If you are one of those who want us to consume it, I differ from you. We are not going to wear out the bottoms of our boilers any faster than we wear them out now..."

The first part of this quote is a very nice reversal becuase is is directly the opposite of the common belief that smoke should not be breathed in. It empasizes the gap between the beliefs of the hands or outsiders (portrayed as better) and the beliefs of the industrialists (portrayed as rediculous and illogical through reversal).

Hard Times: Question for Discussion

What do the various deaths (Stephen and Tom) suggest about how Dickens feels that certain ways of life deserve to end and why? What does Mr. Gradgrind's ironic change of heart at the end suggest about Dickens' view of industrialized societies?

Hard Times: An awesome passage

"'Mr. Harthouse,' returned Sissy, with a blending of gentleness and steadiness that quite defeated him, and with a simple confidence in his being bound to so what she required, that held him at a singular disadvantage, 'the only reparation that remains with you, is to leave here immediately and finally.  I am quite sure that you can mitigate in no other way the wrong and harm you have done.'" (227)
 

I really like Sissy's firm sassy-ness here.  She is telling off Harthouse, and is being very sassy about it, in a way that is truly Sissy, protecting someone she cares about.

 

Hard Times: Language Appreciation

Pg. 111

When discussing how Coketown runs...

"They were ruined, when they were required to send labouring children to school; they were ruined when inspectors were appointed to look into their works; they were ruined when such inspectors considered it doubtful whether they were quite justified in chopping people up with their machinery; they were utterly undone, when it was hinted that perhaps they need not always make quite so much smoke."

This is great becuase the parallel structure emphasizes the conformity of, and issues with authority huring the hands in Coketown.

Hard Times: Significant Passage

Mid Chapter six (Fading Away) pg. 156  Louisa discusses Stephen's realtionship with the other hands with Stephen and Rachel.

"'He fell into suspicion,' said Louisa, 'with his fellow weavers, becuase he had made a promise not to be one of them... Might I ask why he made it? [the promise]'"

Here Dickens is using Lousia to show that Stephen is dramatically different from the other hands. Therefore, individualism is possible, and that is most likely what allowed Stephen to be the weaver that connected with Louisa (someone from the upper class).

Stephen's ideals conflict with the conformist ideas of authority within the union and this is shown on page 157.

"'Well, ma'am,' said Stephen, making the best of it, with a smile; 'when I ha finished off, I mun quit this part, an try another. Fortnet or misfortnet, a man can but try; there's nowt to be done wi'out tryin' - 'cetp layin down an dying.'"

This is a contrast to the union because it is described on page 155 from Louisa's perspective, "she had scarsely thought more of separating them into units, than of separating the sea itself into its component drops."

Here Dickens uses the analogy of separating the sea into drops - a seemingly impossible and pointless task - to emphasize how the hands are all the same except Stephen who stands out with his beliefs. I believe the emphasis is on the fact that he believes, "Nowt to be done wi'out tryin'."

Louisa's curiosity as to why he is choosing to stand out as well as his contrasting views that got Lousia to notice him in the first place combine to suggest that labor institutions contribute to conformity which is difficult to break out of and can only be done with great self- sacrifice (as is seen in Stephen losing his job, money, and love).

Another great quote

"Mr Harthouse as thoroughly well bred man, accustomed to the best society, was not to be surprised- he could as soon have been affected- but he raised his eyelids a little more, as if they were lifted by a feeble touch of wonder. Albeit it was  as much against the precepts of his school to wonder, as it was against the doctrines of the Gradgrind College." (173)

I enjoy how Dickens can take somehing as subtle as an eyelid raise and add so much depth and meaning to it.

This is awesome...

"I do not know that I am sorry, I do not know that I am ashamed, I don not know that I am degraded in my own esteem. All that I know is, your philosophy and your teaching will not save me. Now, father, you have brought me to this. Save me by some other means!" (210)

I like this quote so much.  Louisa finally tells off her father and I LOVE the contrast from facts to her repeating "I do not know"!!!

QUESTION about a passage

"...that these men, through their very delusions, showed great qualities  susceptible of being turned to the happiest and best account; and that to pretend (on the strength of sweeping axioms; howsoever cut and dried) that they went astray wholly without cause, and of their own irrational wills, was to pretend that there could be smoke without fire; death without birth, harvest without seed, anything or everything produced from nothing." (book 2 pg. 138)

This quote is from chapter 4 of book 2...a little after my significant quote thang.
Slackbridge is rallying- workers are listening.
This is the narrator describing the workers.

KINDA CONFUSED,
What does the last part mean? why do they wish they could produce anything from nothing? Are they sick of doing everything but with nothing in return? Any thoughts??

I feel like Ryan might be able to answer this...I feel like it is kind of in contrast with your passage...Maybe you could put some sense to it! I feel like there is a sense of hope in this passage but little inspiration.

Also, there is some FIRE & SMOKE symbolism all up in this at the very end...what does it mean!

Significant passage book 2 :)

At the beginning of ch.4 in book 2, Slackbridge is rallying the workers of Bounderby's factory and he is giving a speech.

"As he stood there, trying to quench his fiery face with his drink of water, the comparison between the orator and the crowd of attentive faces turned towards him, was extremely to his disadvantage."

Here Dickens is preparing to contrast the extreme differences between the upper class and the working class. I love how he subtley tossed in the fire symbol to help characterize Slackbridge as a product of industrialized society! And of course the audience is in representation of the working class.

"Judging him by Nature's evidence, he was above the mass in very little but the stage on which he stood. In many great respects, he was essentially below them."

I love how sassy the narrator gets...He is just getting warmed up. But this sassy-ness is in representation of Dickens distaste for industrialized societies where there is no room for free thought or progression of class.

"He was not so honest, he was not so manly, he was not so good-humoured; he substituted cunning for their simplicity, and passion for their safe solid sense. An ill-made high shouldered man, with lowering brows, and his features crushed into an habitually sour expression, he contrasted most unfavourably, even his mongrel dress, with the great body of his hearers in their plain working clothes." (pg.137)

This blunt description of Slackbridge is Dickens creating a social comment of labor institutions. Dickens literally grabs the upper class and working class, sits them side by side, and compares their differences by ripping Slackbridge to pieces with his horrible characteristics. Of course the reader is going to root for the working class men after that! Dickens takes the average honest man, strips him of all redeeming qualities and...out pops Slackbridge. Now, while he is a symbol of the type of man engrossed in Industrialized success, the reader then is able to agree with Dickens's aversion to Industrialized/Facts-based society.

Hard Times: Significant passage

Page 149 -

"But he had not spoken out of his own will and desire; and he felt it in his heart a noble return for his late injurious treatment to be faithful to the last to those who had repudiated him. He stayed to finish what was in his mind.
‘Sir, I canna, wi’ my little learning an my common way, tell the genelman what will better aw this — though some working-men o’ this town could, above my powers — but I can tell him what I know will never do ’t. The strong hand will never do ’t. Vict’ry and triumph will never do ’t. Agreeing fur to mak one side unnat’rally awlus and for ever right, and toother side unnat’rally awlus and for ever wrong, will never, never do ’t. Nor yet lettin alone will never do ’t. Let thousands upon thousands alone, aw leading the like lives and aw faw’en into the like muddle, and they will be as one, and yo will be as anoother, wi’ a black unpassable world betwixt yo, just as long or short a time as sitch-like misery can last. Not drawin nigh to fok, wi’ kindness and patience an cheery ways, that so draws nigh to one another in their monny troubles, and so cherishes one another in their distresses wi’ what they need themseln — like, I humbly believe, as no people the genelman ha seen in aw his travels can beat — will never do ’t till th’ Sun turns t’ ice. Most o’ aw, rating ’em as so much Power, and reg’latin ’em as if they was figures in a soom, or machines: wi’out loves and likens, wi’out memories and inclinations, wi’out souls to weary and souls to hope — when aw goes quiet, draggin on wi’ ’em as if they’d nowt o’ th’ kind, and when aw goes onquiet, reproachin ’em for their want o’ sitch humanly feelins in their dealins wi’ yo — this will never do ’t, sir, till God’s work is onmade.’"

Dicken's suggests that labor institutions can and must foster a positive morale within their employees. In order to do this there must be a far greater rapport between employer and employee than there is at Bounderby's factory. If a labor institution fails to do so, there will be severe repercussions. Dicken's conveys this message through Stephens disconnect between those both equal and superior to him. Stephen's humble faithfulness to his fellow laborers is contrasted sharply here with his disdain for the do-nothing attitudes of those who actually hold potential to produce some positive benefit to society. In the beginning of this passage it is acknowledged that Stephen had indeed been "repudiated" by his fellow Hands for his refusal to join the union, yet his altruistic heart felt a "noble" obligation to defend to the last those same Hands who had ostracized him. This unwavering loyalty epitomizes Stephen's relation with the Hands. The steadfast devotion expressed by Stephen is taken further when he openly criticizes, to very great lengths, the efforts - or lack thereof - of men like his boss and James Harthouse in alleviating the woes shared by people like him. Stephen seems to be caught in the middle of a "black unpassable world betwixt" the workers and Bounderby. Stephen can sympathize for the workers because of their similar plight but realizes the corruption and counter production of Slackbridge's proposed regulations. At the same time, however, Stephen does not agree with Bounderby's one-dimensional and single-minded approach to all those less fortunate than he. Thus, the Hands and Bounderby are perpetually separated by an insurmountable discrepancy of which Stephen is stuck in the middle.

Hard Times: Link to a different text

Hey guys

When I got to thinking about similar thematic goals to Hard Times, I couldn't help thinking about dystopia-esque texts. My ensuing - sometimes distracted - stream of consciousness brought me to the short story of Harrison Bergeron. I think Harrison Bergeron is a great parallel to one of the major themes of Hard Times in that it is a hyperbolized critique of society when its institutions stifle growth and the creative process - more generally, when institutions limit the individual.

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to look for something particularly pertaining to book two and Stephen because of what our duty as Group 4 is, or rather in relation to the book in its entirety.

Anyway, I thought this story worked pretty well. Let me know what you guys think and if I should make it more specific to what seems to be the responsibilities of Group 4. I thought the instruction to be a little ambiguous - maybe you can help me out.

(This is also, partially, serving as a trial for me to get familiar with the blog)

Harrison Bergeron - the short story