, Research Paper

Aylin Ugur

The first two chapters in the book Hard Times makes the reader aware of two signifiers of the novel. The two signifiers of the novel are argumentative and narrative. The first two chapters display these two signifiers by the context of chapters, characters and the tone of voice used by the characters.

The context of the first two chapters writes that & # 8220 ; facts entirely are wanted in life & # 8221 ; ( dickens 7 ) . This topic is expressed through narrative and argumentative signifiers. Narrative signifier is expressed in a narrative from one individual & # 8217 ; s point of position of the state of affairs. The storyteller takes the audience through a series of events in chronological order. To explicate the context of the book, the storyteller does this by a chronological order. The beginning of chapter one starts with a description and continues speaking about the topic with illustrations. One illustration is how fact can be applied to world. The illustration used in Hard Times was a inquiry of whether or non we would & # 8221 ; paper a room with representations of Equus caballuss & # 8221 ; ( Dickens 10 ) . In fact, it is non possible to see & # 8220 ; Equus caballuss walking up and down the sides of the suites in world & # 8221 ; ( Dickens 10 ) .

The statement that we are & # 8220 ; to be in all things regulated and governed. . . by fact & # 8221 ; ( Dickens 11 ) disproves the component of imaginativeness and creativeness in world. It is possible to set wallpaper with images of Equus caballuss on a wall. But if everything must be fact, so art can non be seen as fact. Art is used to see one individual & # 8217 ; s position of world and can non ever be proved by & # 8220 ; combinations and alterations of mathematical figures & # 8221 ; ( Dickens 11 ) . The context of fact in Hard Times is argumentative because it goes against imaginativeness and creativeness which is an of import component of society.

We can see how the context of the book develops itself with characters. The development of this theory is created with a narrative signifier. We can see this development by characters that can non grok the theory. One character that has problem understanding fact in world is Cecilia Jupe. Cecilia does non understand the difference between visualizing something and fact. For illustration, when she is asked is she would set representatio

N of flowers on a rug, she replies, yes. In fact this is non possible because in world we can non walk over flowers and oppress them.

We can see with the character Cecilia an argumentative signifier because what she thinks goes against the theory in the novel. Since Cecilia wants to visualize representations of flowers on a rug, we can see an opposing point of position to the theory. Although Dickens efforts to turn out Cecilia incorrect to develop the theory, the audience might non hold the Dickens & # 8217 ; s statement is strong plenty. Cecilia adds a weak point the theory. If we do non believe in Cecilia than we can non believe in creativeness and imaginativeness.

In the development of the theory, Dickens uses a strong tone of voice to back up this. A strong tone of voice can be seen in the novel by the characters and capable. In the narrative signifier, characters help to make an environment of conversation. This conversation can be used to explicate the theory. Fictional characters are of import to this because strong characters can stand for strong statements. For illustration, the character Thomas Gradgrind is a strong character. He is described to be & # 8220 ; a adult male of worlds. . . facts and computations & # 8221 ; ( Dickens 8 ) . With his character he can carry on the way of the conversations in the novel. Since Mr. Gradgrind symbolizes a adult male of fact, the conversations will travel toward what he believes to be true.

Although, the theory in the first two chapters the book travel against imaginativeness Mr. Gradgrind uses a signifier of a statement to turn out this wrong. Mr. Gradgrind makes his theory stronger by reasoning with other characters in the novel. For illustration, he picks on the character Cecilia Jupe because can non specify a Equus caballus. Mr. Gradgrind speaks back at Cecilia Jupe in a burden tone of voice to turn out his point. He uses Cecilia Jupe to do his statement stronger. With an argumentative signifier Mr. Gradgrind is able to do his theory sound correct.

The signifiers in a novel are of import how everything fits together. The narrative and argumentative signifier in the first two chapters of Hard Times shape the construction of the novel. Charles Dickens & # 8217 ; s uses the technique of signifier to develop his theory in the beginning of the novel.