SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES C Dickens fiction and contemporary

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES: C. Dickens’ fiction and contemporary reality. Scuz Selene 5^ALS Liceo Scientifico A. Einstein

SOCIETY CONTRADICTIONS Child and proletariat exploitation. The bourgeoisie tried to redeem itself through philanthropy. EXAMPLE: Whom none of us believe, my dear Mrs Bounderby, and who do not believe themselves. The only difference between us and the professors of virtue or benevolence, or philanthropy- never mind the name- is, that we know it is all meaningless, and say so; while they know it equally and will never say so. (Hard Times – chapter 7)

PRESENT Wars and exploitation of poor populations. On the other side the defense of human rights. EXAMPLE: War in general doesn’t respect human rights, but on TV people are invited to help poor people. The question of philanthropy still exists and people try to redeem theirselves through it. On the other side they keep buying products made through the exploitation of poor people.

INDUSTRIALIZATION Cities were grey, unhealthy and gloomy. EXAMPLE: It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage. It was a town of machinery and tall chimneys, out of which interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves for ever and ever, and never got uncoiled. (Hard Times – chapter 5)

PRESENT Industrialization is now a fact and it is not a problem deeply felt such as during Dickens’ time. Big cities doesn’t impress people like during Dickens’ period because people are now used to it. EXAMPLE: Oggi in città vive 1/3 della popolazione mondiale, anche se le città occupano uno spazio ridotto della superficie terrestre. Una caratteristica delle città di oggi è proprio la grande concentrazione di persone: esse, infatti, devono vivere insieme per scambiarsi prodotti, servizi e idee.

MEN AS MACHINES During Dickens’ period, men were treated like machines: they lost their craftsmen skills. EXAMPLE: Most o’ aw, ratin ‘em as so much Power, and reg’latin ‘em as if they was figures in a soom, or machines: wi’out loves and likeins, wi’out memories and inclinations, wi’out souls to weary and souls to hope- when aw goes quiet, draggin on wi’ ‘em as if they’d nowt o’ th’ kind, an when aw goes onquiet, reproachin ‘e, for their want o’ sitch humanly feelins in their dealins wi’ yo- this will never do’t, sir, till God’s work is onmade. (Hard Times – 2 nd book – chapter 5)

PRESENT Nowadays the risk is that men could become machines. In future men could be identified with androids. But, at the time, men still work besides machines; anyway this fact doesn’t create the same problems such as during Dickens’ times, because it is settled in society. EXAMPLE: Gli umani non terranno il passo della macchina. Lo abbiamo visto: il robot sta prendendo il sopravvento in una miriade di mestieri e mansioni. E se tra qualche decennio ci troveremo a lavorare fianco a fianco con macchine più intelligenti di noi, pensiamo a quanti operai nelle fabbriche potrebbero essere sostituiti da bracci robotici e macchine più sofisticate e precise. Tempi moderni, avrebbe raccontato Charlie Chaplin.

CHILDREN LABOUR During Dickens’ time children were used to work in factories. They were paid little and they didn’t work safely. EXAMPLE: In other words, five pounds and Oliver Twist were offered to any man or woman who wanted an apprentice to any trade, business, or calling. (Oliver Twist – chapter 2)

PRESENT Nowadays children labour is more controlled than in the past. But in poor Countries it is still a big problem: children work in mines or other places without any form of protection. Children labour is widespread in cities which are developing, such as during Dickens’ time. EXAMPLE: Secondo i dati dell'ILO, nel mondo 74 milioni di bambini sono impiegati in varie forme di lavoro pericoloso, come il lavoro in miniera, a contatto con sostanze chimiche e pesticidi agricoli o con macchinari pericolosi. Tra le peggiori forme di lavoro minorile rientra anche il lavoro di strada, ovvero l'impiego di tutti qui bambini che, visibili nelle metropoli asiatiche, latino-americane e africane, cercano di sopravvivere raccogliendo rifiuti da riciclare o vendendo cibo e bevande.

EDUCATION Children often worked, so only rich children could go to school. So, education, was just facts and it was an instrument of Utilitarism. It was mechanical and form acquired most importance than subject matter, leading to lessons whose vocabulary and content were not suited to children’s experience. EXAMPLE: Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the mind of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. (Hard Times – chapter 1)

PRESENT Nowadays education is more attainable. It is not an instrument of Utilitarism anymore. Besides, students are closer to different realities; indeed, a class is made by students that belong to different social backgrounds. But in poor Countries there are still children who don’t have the possibility to study. Anyway it is not mechanical as during Dickens’ time. EXAMPLE: L’educazione conosce oggi una crisi che forse non ha precedenti. Venuti meno certi automatismi del passato che la rendevano una sorta di processo meccanico, visto che era chiaro a tutti – maestri, genitori, allievi – chi dovesse fare che cosa, l’educazione sembra essere sprofondata in una sorta di magma indifferenziato.

BIBLIO-WEBOGRAPHY Hard Times – Charles Dickens – PDF document Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens – PDF document http: //www. far. unito. it/tecnologie/seminari/html/lerma/cittao ggi. html http: //www. nextme. it/tecnologia/robotica/5699 -robotcambieranno-futuro http: //www. unicef. it/doc/364/lavoro-minorile. htm http: //www. notedipastoralegiovanile. it/index. php? option=co m_content&view=article&id=6384: leducazione-oggi-oltre-leideologie-al-servizio-della-persona&catid=106: famiglia-ededucazione&Itemid=173