In his book, Dickens portrays this financial unrest among the poor through a strike by Bounderby's factory workers. One such worker, namely Stephen, remains faithful to the company and feels that the problem will not be solved through a strike. On the flip side, Bounderby summons Stephen on account of the strike and asks Stephen to spy on the other workers. Since Stephen has integrity he refuses to spy feeling that this would compromise his morals. Therefore, Bounderby fires Stephen from the company, and the one honorable employee is left with nothing. Likewise, the divergence between rich and poor is most comprehensively recognized when Stephen's friend remarks to him that, "... by the prejudices of his own class, and by the prejudices of
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As was mentioned before in the text, an example of this crippling of imagination can be seen in Louisa's characterization during her life crisis. After the outburst with her father, Louisa goes on to compare herself to a child born blind and how she would have been better off had she grown up sightless because she would have been forced to use her imagination to understand the world around her. Therefore, Dickens's most explicit statement of Louisa's lack is stated when Louisa laments that, "... while [she, being blind] knew the shapes and surfaces of things [and] to exercise [her] fancy somewhat, in regard to them; [She] should have been a million times wiser, happier, more loving, more contented, more innocent and human in all good respects, than [she] am with the eyes [she has]" (209). Clearly, Louisa believes that she would be better able to cope with her life situation had she been allowed to "exercise her fancy", or imagination (209). Similarly, the extent of this uncompromising rationalism, which Louisa was impacted by, is best seen in Gradgrind's response to one of his unsuccessful students, Sissy Jupe. In the text, Gradgrind and Sissy are having a conversation about ending her studies in Gradgrind's school, when Gradgrind says, "'No. The course you [Sissy] pursued, you pursued according
As was mentioned before in the text, an example of this crippling of imagination can be seen in Louisa's characterization during her life crisis. After the outburst with her father, Louisa goes on to compare herself to a child born blind and how she would have been better off had she grown up sightless because she would have been forced to use her imagination to understand the world around her. Therefore, Dickens's most explicit statement of Louisa's lack is stated when Louisa laments that, "... while [she, being blind] knew the shapes and surfaces of things [and] to exercise [her] fancy somewhat, in regard to them; [She] should have been a million times wiser, happier, more loving, more contented, more innocent and human in all good respects, than [she] am with the eyes [she has]" (209). Clearly, Louisa believes that she would be better able to cope with her life situation had she been allowed to "exercise her fancy", or imagination (209). Similarly, the extent of this uncompromising rationalism, which Louisa was impacted by, is best seen in Gradgrind's response to one of his unsuccessful students, Sissy Jupe. In the text, Gradgrind and Sissy are having a conversation about ending her studies in Gradgrind's school, when Gradgrind says, "'No. The course you [Sissy] pursued, you pursued according