Charles Dickens' Hard Times and The Philosophy of Utilitarian Education
Wisam Shukur Mahmood
Minisrey of Education- Alanbar Directorate - Falujah Department
Luhaib Hamid Khalaf
Tikrit University – college of Education for Humanities
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25130/Lang.8.2.20
Keywords: Utilitarian Philosophy, Education, Industrialization, Facts, creativity, Imagination
Abstract
This paper focuses on the Utilitarian Philosophy in education that appeared in Charles Dickens' "Hard Times" during the industrial revolution. This paper aims to show the outcome of the Utilitarian Education Style taught by Mr. Gradgrind in his model school and to prove how this philosophy ends up with fail. Charles Dickens is trying to show that one of the dark sides of that the industrial revolution is more towards the logic of mind than the logic of heart, so in this case the greed of the people to wealth at that time is very clear. Charles Dickens assent a subject matter of utilitarianism, along with education and industry. Utilitarianism is the idea that something is morally proper if it assist a popular of people. It is a rule concern nothing but facts and leaves no area for creativity or thoughts. Dickens arrange for figurative models of this utilitarianism in Hard Times by using Mr. Thomas Gradgrind, one of the main characters in the book, who has a tough confidence in utilitarianism. This paper is a sarcasm to the philosophy of (Only Facts) by Mr. Gradgrind in his model school which is not based on the morals of the actual education organization.
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