I've finally finished reading Hard Times. I'm so amazed. It took me (counting from my entry in 5th Jan) over 2 months to complete, which, after pondering a while, is not that many months, but it seemed long enough to me. Well, taken into account that I got interrupted several times by other books, it should not be that amazing after all. But it still is, to me!

And I can't believe this, but I met a Mrs Sparsit in my life. I never thought it was possible, and this person being a male. He took such a serious pity on me, that I felt it a threat. I wonder if that was how Mr Bounderby felt and how he could bear with it. Good riddance of Mrs Sparsit in the end! *laugh..

The story started dreary, but ended rather dearly. Though much blame was not executed into the Gradgrind family whose son stole from the bank. I would expect Mr Bounderby to react, but the story did not tell us that. And it was not altogether a happy ending, but a satisfactory one nonetheless. Perhaps I had hoped for something to turn out between Mrs Louisa Bounderby and Mr Harthouse, but such would tarnish further her good name. And smart is the beauty who fell not into the trap out of love. For it would be indeed out of love, and not of love if she were to consent to Mr Harthouse's pursue. But Hard Times was not intended to be a romantic story. So, there!

Then, what is Hard Times about? It's about life, and how life cannot be done without a heart, a heart that is accessible to emotions as well as reasons. The whole thing only dawned upon me towards the end of the book when Bitzer came into the picture to remind the readers once again of how the book started off with the address that nothing but Facts mattered. Mr Thomas Gradgrind had a real blow in his life when he experienced first-hand what his teaching had done, how incomplete it had been. (I would not say it being wrong, for the learning of Facts is just as crucial as the learning of the other faculty in life.)

I feel that I can, and most likely should, finish all of Charles Dickens' books. Not in being a die-hard fan myself, more so because this is a new adventure that I want to embark on in my classical readings. To finish all the books of one author, then move onto the next.

posted by lil piggie at 1:24 PM