Student Question

What impact does the conversation between Loo and Tom in Hard Times have on the plot?

"You are very fond of me, an't you, Loo?" "Indeed I am, Tom, though you do let such long intervals go by without coming to see me."

Quick answer:

The conversation between Tom and Louisa in Hard Times highlights Tom's manipulation of his sister's affection to persuade her into marrying Mr. Bounderby, which benefits him. This interaction sets the stage for Louisa's unhappy marriage, a key plot development that influences the novel's progression. Tom's self-serving motives and Louisa's desire for familial closeness drive her decision, illustrating the consequences of their father's rationalistic upbringing.

Expert Answers

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This conversation between Tom and Louisa Gradgrind in Charles Dickens' Hard Times takes place in chapter 14 of the novel's first book, and it helps set the stage for much of what comes after in these siblings' lives. Let's look at this in more detail.

Tom and Louisa are young adults by this point, and they have been raised under their father's rationalistic system of education. Neither one of them is truly good at handling life. Tom is an apprentice at the bank run by Mr. Bounderby, and he tries to play on his sister's fondness for him to get her to agree to something. Their father wishes to marry Louisa to Mr. Bounderby, and Tom sees a possibility of turning that arrangement to his own benefit. If Louisa will marry his boss, she can intercede for him and help him get out of the scrapes he manages to get into.

Therefore, Tom encourages Louisa to marry Mr. Bounderby out of a fondness for her brother. He also plays on Louisa's desire to see Tom more often. If Louisa marries Mr. Bounderby, she and Tom can be together much more often. Tom, then, is manipulating Louisa through her affection for him, and she does end up marrying Mr. Bounderby, an event that shapes much of the rest of the novel and makes Louisa very unhappy.

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