Sissy Jupe the Most Important Character of Hard Times

While reading Hard Times it’s easy to become frustrated at a lot of the characters in the story. Louisa is a bit of a pushover, Thomas Gradgrind only cares about facts and Bounderby is a lying jerk. When we look at Sissy Jupe we an innocent caring person; while she can be a bit of a klutz she’s the realest person in the whole novel; keeping her emotions and feeling instead of trading it away for stagnant knowledge. Sissy doesn’t have an easy start on this novel. She’s often thought of as “dumb” or “slow” by her teachers. Her father leaves her to fend for herself early in the book. I feel like this is the one experience that really solidifies her character. After this she can empathize with others that go through hard times. Like on page 99 where Sissy and Loo make eye contact after Loo agrees to marry Mr. Bounderby. Sissy knows that Louisa really doesn’t want to marry him. Also when she confronts Harthouse and makes him leave Coketown without Louisa. She didn’t care that Harthouse was from an upper class, that he had more money than anyone else in Coketown. All she knew was that Loo’s relationship with Harthouse wasn’t a healthy one and told him straight up. One my favorite quote from the book is when Mr. Gradgrind asks her what the basic principle of a science is and she replies with “To do unto others as I would that they should do unto me” (Dickens 57). This was shortly after her father left. Even then she kept her humanity. She couldn’t comprehend Utilitarianism because she cared for those that would be left behind to starve. Her soul is innocent and pure. I feel like this is what Dickens was to trying to get at. Those of pure of heart and maintain it through tough and trying times are usually rewarded with a happy life. Even when times were tough for Sissy she helped others out of her own heart. She never wanted something in return or a reward. She took care of those she loved. Once we get to the end of the novels its Sissy who gets the happy ending and of course Louisa tags along too but it’s not the same experience. Sissy is happily married with children. While Louisa never remarries or has children but loves Sissy’s children; she lives through Sissy in a way. Sissy has no problem with this because Louisa is her friend and cares for her like a sister. This is why Sissy is the most important character she’s the one who give’s emotion and feeling to the novel; the one that never lost her true self.

- Gama