Hard Times

[Unregistered]

Stephen does what he thinks is right and not what is "expected" of him. He is my favorite character, because I can relate to him. I am involved in politics and people tend to assume that you will vote or go along with an idea or endorsement of a particular thing just because of ones party affiliaton, but it's about what is right not what party you belong to. Thus, we see Stephen doing the same thing, he decides not to join a union and is shuned by his co-workers even gets fired by Bounderby, but guess what he still his integrity ad high moral standards. At times we can't afford to get fired and we keep quite, but when it's too difficult a decision and goes against what we beleive in, we'll choose our battles and it's worth getting fired for, because we can't "afford" to sit back.

[Unregistered]

Stephen Blackpool is Dickens' ideal working class man. He suffers with quiet dignity, yet always does the right thing -- such as refusing to join a union. Also, Dickens uses Blackpool to get across his own view on things like the lack of easy divorce laws and the resposibility of the government to monitor and legislate idustry. Good luck!

[Giggs]

i am doing Hard Times for AS level in two days time, but still find it hard to work out Stephen Blackpool's role in the novel? I understand Chaucer's polemic against utilitarianism, but am very rusty on the roles of each character! Can anyone help me?!