The Emotional Vs. Intellectual Growth Of Children

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The Emotional vs. Intellectual Growth of Children in "Hard Times" In Hard Times, Charles Dickens explores the importance of the developments of both intellect and emotions throughout a child’s upbringing. However, to an extent, Dickens emphasizes on the greater importance of emotional growth compared to intellectual growth; such as the much happier and more compassionate human being Sissy is compared to Louisa and Tom, whom have had all ‘fancy’ rooted out of their childhood. Furthermore, although Bitzer may not be unhappy in any way, he still lacks compassion and an understanding of emotions as a result of his education under Gradgrind’s “fact only” system. As such, the administrator of this system, Gradgrind, also lacks the ability to recognise emotion, and hence was unable to acknowledge his children’s pain and suffering until it was too late. Louisa’s inner qualities of compassion and love was neglected and repressed, which caused her to be miserable and left unable to deal with emotions. Gradgrind had strictly administered his utilitarian system upon Louisa “from the cradle”. Hence, she has experienced no other form of childhood. From the beginning, it is evident that Louisa had the capacity to love and express all her emotions freely. When caught by Gradgrind at the circus, Louisa “looked at her father with more boldness than Thomas did”, illustrating how Louisa had more conviction and passion than her brother, Thomas, had. However, this passion that Louisa has is neglected and oppressed by Gradgrind. As a result, her inner qualities are described as “a fire with nothing to burn, a light with nothing to rest upon”. It is ultimately Louisa’s desire for her “starved imagination” to be developed, despite Gradgrind’s continuous banishment of it, which leads to her feeling empty, confused, and “miserable”. Louisa is left unable to deal with love, when it is

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