What Do You Make Of The Endings Which Dickens Devices
             For The Lives Of The Protagonists?
             There are many different protagonists in the story "Hard Times" as many of the characters play an important role in the story however the characters that have the greatest influence upon the story line include that of Mr.Gradgrind, Thomas Gradgrind, Louisa Gradgrind, Josiah Bounderby, Stephen Blackpool and Cecelia Jupe.
             Mr.Gradgrind is a wealthy, retired merchant in Coketown, father to Louisa and Tom. His character espouses a philosophy of rationalism, self-interest and hard, cold fact. This philosophy is taught so constantly to the children that there is no room for the children to have an imagination. Mr.Gradgrind's ending in the story really encourages the reader think and not just read. It explains Mr.Gradgrind foreseeing his own future. It describes him considering his situation, "a white-haired, decrepit man, bending his hitherto inflexible theories to appointed circumstances". Perhaps this is a period of time where Mr.Gradgrind is looking back to past actions and how they may affect his own future. It also asks the reader the question "Did he catch sight of himself, therefore much despised by his late political associates". This ponders the question of whether Mr.Gradgrind ever did notice how his actions affected other people and the consequences they caused. This ending shows Mr.Gradgrind to be a man that may have realised his mistakes and what his views were really like in life however it is not necessarily true that he has changed them. As the character had many bad qualities Dickens does not give him a good ending like some of the other characters which is as such a "fair" ending for a character like Mr.Gradgrind under the philosophy that more positive characters will have better endings.
             Thomas Gradgrind the son of Mr.Gradgrind is a particularly dissipated and occasionally h...