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Hard Times Book 2, Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis From LitCharts The Creators of SparkNotes

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158 views

Hard Times Book 2, Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis From LitCharts The Creators of SparkNotes

Uploaded by

palak
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Lit Guides Lit Terms Shakespeare Translations

Hard Times "

Hard Times Book 2,


#
$ Chapter 8
Summary & Analysis
#
%

% Themes Key # # # #

Summary Analysis

The narrator reveals Mr. Harthouse isn't so much


Harthouse's inner thoughts evil as he is careless and
about this step in his selfish. He's not out to ruin
her, but he's not concerned
relationship with Louisa; he
if he does. For her part,
isn't deliberately planning a because of the industrial,
wicked seduction, but he's fact-based world Louisa
bored by everything in his has grown up in, she is
life except this fascinating, vulnerable (especially as a
attractive woman, and woman) to a show of
human, sympathetic
means to continue to try to
feelings from any party…in
gain her confidence.
this case, from Mr.
Harthouse.

Themes

###
#
Riding home a!er a day of Mr. Bounderby's ridiculous
work, Harthouse greed is betrayed by his
encounters an upset disproportionate outrage
at being robbed of so small
Bounderby, who reveals
a sum of money.
that the Bank has been Furthermore, it becomes
robbed! Only 150 pounds clear to the reader that a
have been stolen, which is poor factory worker,
very little compared to Stephen, has been taken
Bounderby's wealth, but advantage of to shield the
real perpetrators of the
naturally Bounderby is as
crime from justice…
enraged as if it had been all
another abuse of the
of his holdings. As they talk, factory workers by the
the two men meet Louisa, system.
Mrs. Sparsit, and Bitzer on
Themes
the path. Harthouse and
Louisa both instantly
suspect Tom, though
#
neither voices it. Mr.
Bounderby, Mrs. Sparsit,
and Bitzer suspect Stephen
Blackpool, who was
observed lurking around
the Bank multiple times at
night for no apparent
reason.

Mrs. Sparsit claims that her Mrs. Sparsit seems to be


nerves have been shocked trying to reassert herself in
by this event, and moves Bounderby's life, and by
calling Louisa "Miss
temporarily back in with
Gradgrind" she is stating
Louisa and Mr. Bounderby. that Louisa isn't really
She also takes to calling married to Bounderby.
Louisa "Miss Gradgrind" Note that when Louisa
instead of "Mrs. feels upset she goes
Bounderby". That night, walking with Harthouse,
who has shown far more
while Mrs. Sparsit comforts
sympathy to her than
Bounderby at home, Louisa
Bounderby ever has.
and Mr. Harthouse go for a
Themes
walk outside.

##
Then, long a!er everyone Because Tom had no moral
has gone to bed, Tom finally upbringing (only a fact-
returns. He finds his sister based one), he practically
has no conscience. Though
awake and waiting for him,
he seems to be aware
but upon pleas for him to when he does wrong, he is
confide in her, he sulkily indifferent to it insofar as
and resentfully maintains he is not harmed. He cares
that he's not hiding only about himself.
anything. He hints that Themes
Louisa should mention
neither the visit they paid
Stephen, Rachael, and the
#
old woman, nor the
conversation that Tom had
with Stephen that night.
Louisa sorrowfully leaves
a!er Tom refuses to say
anything more, and upon
her departure, Tom cries
tears of guilt and self-pity…
but he is not penitent.

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