The extract is taken from "Hard Times" by Charles Dickens.

There are long parts of description of characters, in addiction there is a high register to describe a simple action,which is tipical during the Victorian age. Another characteristic of the Victorian novel is the use of the grotesque, a narrative tecnique thorought which the narrator juxtapposes two different semantical choises The reader can single out the use of grotesque in the juxtaposition of the two words: “sparkled” and “cellarage”. The juxtaposition creates an unnatural idea and it is in according to the function of grotesque. The following simile puts into evidence the caricature of man, seen like “a kind cannon”. On the other hand the children are described through the evident metaphor (“the region of childhood”) that refers to warlike language. This reference is used by the writer to convey an idea of contrast between two different realities: the supremacy of Mr Gradgrind and children’s submission, in line with the social condition during the Victorian age.

Dickens uses the narrative technique of pathos to describing Sissy, and the grotesque to caricaturize Bitzer, therefore the reader despieces him and pities her.

The description of Mr.Gradgrind is exaggerated by the use of the grotesque. Infect he appears like a caricature of a placed man (this is underline also by the repetition “square” ”squarely” in line 21). The use of punctuation in the description (short phrases and frequent full stops) makes it seem a scientific statement.

Mr.Gradgrind calls Sissy “girl number twenty”; this introduces the concept of alienation: in the Industrial society people are just numbers.

Once again Dickens focuses on the main ideology of the Victorian Age: time is money and you have to do everything to get the biggest profit. There are no more emotions and sensibility, man’s mind is cold and impassive.The noun “sir” wants to underline the difference between the two social classes . The teacher use a high register while Sissy Jupe an informal.