Hard Times

Style and Technique

Charles Dickens' novel «Hard Times» is written in a realistic style, with a focus on social critique. The author uses vivid and detailed descriptions to convey the atmosphere of the industrial town of Coketown and highlight the contrast between different social classes. The language of the work is rich with metaphors and symbols, which help to further explore themes of exploitation, soulless education, and class inequality. Dickens employs irony and satire to expose the vices of society. The structure of the novel is divided into three parts: «Sowing», «Reaping», and «Garnering», symbolizing the process of formation and consequences of human destinies. Characters in the book often represent allegories of certain social phenomena, which enhances the moral message of the work.