Influence of Men on Louisa Gradgrind In Hard Times Charles Dickens portrays Louisa Gradgrind as a realistic character who faces conflict from the start of her life. Louisa encounters three major psychological conflicts the form of three different men: Mr. Gradgrind, Mr. Bounderby, and Tom Gradgrind. Men play a very important role in the shaping of Louisa's life. Instead of being her own person and expressing her own feelings, Louisa falls under the realm of …showed first 75 words of 773 total…

…showed last 75 words of 773 total…no one could tell her how to think or what to do. She has to ability to "shut herself within herself, and think-as [Tom] have often known her to sit and watch the fire- for an hour at a stretch" (83). It is possible to think that by watching this fire, Louisa is able to imagine and therefore escape a world, which she cannot leave. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography** All about louisa gradgrind and mens influence on her