Tuesday, 8 March 2022
Hard Times Key Passages
Part Two
Reaping
“Reap what you sow” - get what you give, gather what is being planted.
Mrs Sparsit and Bitzer in the bank
- Bitzer is a product of his education. Mrs Sparsit admires, is obsessed with
Bounderby; looks down her nose at others, product of society.
- Mrs Sparsit (society) makes the rules, Bitzer (individual) follows them.
—> reap attitudes of society.
Introduction of Harthouse
- Comes from a rich family.
- Bored with his life.
—> reap the bene ts of his wealth as an educated upper class man.
Harthouse meets Tom
- Decides to go after (seduce) Louisa; befriends Tom to do so.
- Tom admires him and his wealth.
—> reap consequences of his wealth and therefore power, privilege (amoral; worse
than being actively immoral?).
Stephen Blackpool refuses to join the trade union
- Trying to di use further con ict.
- Ostracised by his peers.
—> reap consequences of being in poverty; he isn’t even supported by his
“friends”.
Bounderby speaks to Stephen
- Tries to get him to spy on his peers, Stephen refuses.
- Ostracised by Bounderby (those in power).
—> reap consequences of being in poverty, pushes moral compass aside, lacks
freedom of choice in his life.
1
ff fi fl
Hard Times Key Passages
Part Two
Reaping
“Reap what you sow” - get what you give, gather what is being planted.
Mrs Sparsit and Bitzer in the bank
- Bitzer is a product of his education. Mrs Sparsit admires, is obsessed with
Bounderby; looks down her nose at others, product of society.
- Mrs Sparsit (society) makes the rules, Bitzer (individual) follows them.
—> reap attitudes of society.
Introduction of Harthouse
- Comes from a rich family.
- Bored with his life.
—> reap the bene ts of his wealth as an educated upper class man.
Harthouse meets Tom
- Decides to go after (seduce) Louisa; befriends Tom to do so.
- Tom admires him and his wealth.
—> reap consequences of his wealth and therefore power, privilege (amoral; worse
than being actively immoral?).
Stephen Blackpool refuses to join the trade union
- Trying to di use further con ict.
- Ostracised by his peers.
—> reap consequences of being in poverty; he isn’t even supported by his
“friends”.
Bounderby speaks to Stephen
- Tries to get him to spy on his peers, Stephen refuses.
- Ostracised by Bounderby (those in power).
—> reap consequences of being in poverty, pushes moral compass aside, lacks
freedom of choice in his life.
1
ff fi fl
