The Industrial Revolution

Paper Summary:

The paper first examines Charles Dickens' novel "Hard Times", which shows how the Industrial Revolution left in its wake a changed system that benefited a few and enslaved many. The paper then shows the similarities between this novel and Rebecca Harding Davis' "Life in the Iron Mills", which depicts how the Industrial Revolution caused many of the same problems in America.

From the Paper:

"The Industrial Revolution was a major shift in economic terms during the nineteenth century in Britain and the United States, and it was a shift not without damage to many people. British social commentary infused the writings of many British novelists of the time, and American writers also responded to the growing perception that the economic changes taking place benefited some and harmed others, at least in the short term. The working class moved from rural to urban regions in search of work in the new factories, but the conditions in those factories was harsh, the work deadening, and the pay not enough to move enough people out of poverty."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Craig, David. "Hard Times and the Condition of England." In The Real Foundations: Literature and Social Change, 109-131. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1974.
• Davis, Rebecca Harding. "Life in the Iron Mills." April 23, 2008. http://www.samford.edu/schools/artsci/english/lasseter/editiron.html.
• Dickens, Charles, Hard Times. London: Macmillan Education, 1983.
• Monod, Sylvere. "Dickens as Social Novelist." In Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hard Times, Paul Edward Gray (ed.), 78-85. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1969.

More papers on The Industrial Revolution:

• Essay # 4179 : "The Industrial Revolution and its Impact on American Woodwork"
• Essay # 73547 : "The Industrial Revolution"
• Essay # 84617 : "The Industrial Revolution "
• Analytical Essay # 139459 : "Europe and the Industrial Revolution"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: