Questions:

1) List all the words and phrases describing MR. Bounderby.

2) Ring the four phrases which explicitly convey the narrator's opinion of Mr. Bounderby and find in a dictionary adjectives with the same meaning.

3) Now you go to the list you made for exercise 1 which of the other items on it are connected with one or more of the author's comments.

4) The surname of character contains the word "bounder" on purpose. Look it up in the dictionary, which of the phrases you have listed reinforces the meaning of the surname?

5) Mr Bounderby is described as coming from a poor family, without education and self-made. In other contexts these attributes might represent him as worthy of sympathy and or admiration. Why aren't they here?

6) Now go on reading and see if what Bounderby says is consistent with the description of his character.

7) Which aspect or aspects of Bounderby's character is or are empathized in what he says?

8) Does what he say confirm or modify his portrait?

9) Consider how MR Bounderby:

Answer:

1) He was a rich man: banker, merchant, manufacturer, and what not. A big, loud man, with a

stare, and a metallic laugh. A man made out of a coarse material, which seemed to have been

stretched to make so much of him. A man with a great puffed head and forehead, swelled

veins in his temples, and such a strained skin to his face that it seemed to hold his eyes open,

and lift his eyebrows up. A man with a pervading appearance on him of being inflated like a

balloon, and ready to start. A man who could never sufficiently vaunt himself a self-made man.

A man who was always proclaiming, through that brassy speaking-trumpet of a voice of his, his old ignorance and his old poverty. A man who was the Bully of humility.

2)

- He seems inflated, he is a Bully of Humanity.

- A big loud man à he is a noisy, rude person.

- A man made of coarse material.

- A man who could never sufficiently vaunt himself a self-made man

The adjectives are: ignorant, selfish, arrogant, rough, boorish.

 3) He is devoid of sentiment. He is made of coarse stretched material. He seems to be inflated: he is a bully of humanity.

4) A man who was always proclaiming, through that brassy speaking-trumpet of a voice of his,

his old ignorance and his old poverty.

5) Because he uses positive thing to vaunt himself. He demonstrates to think only his-self. He tries to convince Mrs Gradgrind (and the reader) he has the right to be rich because he suffered a lot, so as his condition depended from a merit.

6) He describes himself as a self-made man and he point on his past story to show his greatness.

7) He is a vain self-centered person. He is the perfect example of person who believes in Utilitarism. Through determination and selfishness man can reach what he wants.

8) What he says confirms his portrait: in fact  he affirms that he doesn't have to thank anybody for his being here. He is arrogant and presuntuos.

9)

a) "I,I,I" ; "ditch, ditch, ditch"; "determined, determined".

b) The narrator uses the exaggeration  to underline the egocentric character. Mr. Bounderby considers himself perfect, a man with health values but in reality he is a petty person.