“You might hope to get some other nonsensical belief into
the head of George Gradgrind, or Augustus Gradgrind, or John Gradgrind, or
Joseph Gradgrind (all suppositions, non-existent persons), but into the head of
Thomas Gradgrind- no sir! (10)
This is the quote I picked and I just really like Dickens
style in this sentence. It has so much voice, and feels like the narrator is
conversing with the reader. Also its comical because it feels as if the
narrator is going off on a tangent, listing names and then explaining how the
names aren’t real people. My favorite part of the sentence is definitely the end-
“no sir!”. It just adds flavor to the whole sentence and really powers through
the point that Thomas has been completely raised on facts.
I totally agree that this quote is really funny. I think that it shows how the narrator is mocking Gradgrind and his philosophy. Another spot where this is evident is on page 16 when the narrator uses phrases such as "Fact forbid" and "Heaven knows" because they are mocking the way that the Gradgrind children were raised. I also feel like this quote almost has a Bounderby like air to it because it makes Mr. Gradgrind seem so high and mighty. A prime example of Bounderby's self-praise is "Here I am, Mrs. Gradgrind, anyhow, and nobody to thank for my being here but myself" (22). This sentence has basically the same tone that is present in the quote above.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator defiantly pokes fun at the 'men of fact' (as I'll call them), especially at the beginning. I think it's Dickens being witty and satirical, allowing the readers to realize how absurd and extreme Gradgrind's dependence on facts are. The quote on page 16, "The first object...was a large black board with a dry Ogre chalking ghastly white figures on it. Not that they knew, by name or nature, anything about an Ogre. Fact forbid!" The 'Fact forbid!' tidbit really comes through as sarcastic, mocking how they almost worship fact.
Delete-Jenny C, period 8