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Charles Dickens' "Hard Times": Explaining 'The One Thing Needful', 'Murdering the Innocents', 'Pious Warehouse of Red Brick'

"Hard Times" by Charles Dickens is a novel that explores various themes and societal issues prevalent during the Victorian era. Three notable title phrases or reference in the novel are "The One Thing Needful," "Murdering the Innocents," and "Pious War House of Red Brick." They are very important as they are integrated tot core of the novel theme. 

The One Thing Needful

Charles Dickens
"The One Thing Needful" is an allusion to the tale of Mary and Marther in the Bible. When Christ visited the two sisters, Marther continued with the household chores while Mary came and sat at the feet of Christ in order to hear his message when Marther complained about Mary, Christ remarked that she was doing ‘the one thing needful’. Here Christ laid greater emphasis on spirituality than on corporeality. In stark contrast, Gradgrind emphasizes the practice and the utilitarian at the expense of the emotional and the spiritual, to the pursuit of material wealth and the neglect of emotional and spiritual well-being.  In the novel, characters like Mr. Gradgrind and Mr. Bounderby embody this philosophy, emphasizing facts and practicality over imagination and emotions. The relentless focus on utilitarianism and the exclusion of art and creativity from education lead to the suppression of individuality and happiness. The message of Dickens is that not only is Gradgrind destroying the mind of the children, but also working against the spirit of Christianity.

Murdering the Innocents

This phrase has a two fold reference- The first alludes to Herod’s slaughtering of the innocent babes of Bethlehem when he failed to find out the baby destined to be the king of the Hebrews. Dickens hints at the fact that Gradgrind is perpetrating no less genocide even if only at the level of intellect – than Herod.

The second allusion is to the Arabian Night Tale of ‘Alibaba and the Forty Thieves’. In that tale Margiana poured boiling oil into the pitchers in which the thieves lay concealed thereby is killing them. In contrast, although Gradgrind too pours oil into the human pitchers before him – here the difficult information doled out to them being the equivalent of boiling oil – here he is murdering not the guilty but the innocent.

So, "Murdering the Innocents" symbolizes the destructive impact of industrialization on the lives of the working class, particularly children. Dickens criticizes the dehumanizing working conditions and child labor prevalent during that time. The innocence and vitality of children are sacrificed for the sake of economic progress, resulting in physical and emotional harm.

Pious Warehouse of Red Brick

"Pious War House of Red Brick" referred to Book One, Chapter V, Red brick symbolizes something inferior, something cheap, something made to serve the immediate practical purpose. The word ware house suggests that all the buildings in Coketown were like go-downs without any visual splendor or architectural grace. Finally, the ward ‘pious’ indicates that the building is actually church and that where as churches all over the world are symbols of splendid beauty, the churches in Coketown are note worthy only for their ugliness and their utilitarian attitude. It is there industrial church is an industrial town full of mechanical workers. "Pious War House of Red Brick" represents the hypocrisy and superficiality of religious institutions and their failure to address social issues. In the novel, characters like Mrs. Sparsit and Mrs. Gradgrind use their religious beliefs as a means of control and self-righteousness, while disregarding compassion and empathy. Dickens exposes the hollowness of their piety and highlights the need for genuine spirituality rooted in love and understanding.

Through these symbolic phrases, Dickens portrays the societal ills of his time, advocating for compassion, social reform, and a balanced approach to life that values both material well-being and emotional fulfillment. "Hard Times" serves as a critique of the dehumanizing effects of industrialization, the dangers of unchecked capitalism, and the importance of preserving human dignity in the face of societal changes.

Ardhendu De

References
1. [The complete works of Charles Dickens] : Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/thecompleteworks01dickuoft

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