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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelThis thesis is a study concerning Thomas Gradgrind's
education of facts and its effects on his children, Louisa and
Tom, and his students, namely Bitzer and Cecillia Jupe in
Dickens' Hard Times. To analyze and to support the analysis,
the thesis writer uses library research, analytical method,
and literary approach through the theory of characterization.
She also uses the theory of utilitarianism as a support to
explain the kind of education which is applied by Thomas
Gradgrind on his children and students. According to the
structure of the story, the analysis is done in two parts. The
first part is "sowing" and the second part is "reaping". After
exploring the ground of "sowing", the thesis writer considers
that education which is done by Mr Gradgrind is extremely
practical and factual. Then, having explored the ground of
"reaping" she finds that the application of education of facts
has brought destructive effects on Louisa, Tom, and Bitzer's
characters. Meanwhile, the goodness of Sissy's character is
used by Dickens to show the failure of utilitarian way of
life. Thus, the thesis writer concludes that the result of Mr
Gradgrind's education of facts finally ends in a failure which
also means the failure of his utilitarian principle of life.