“Hard Times” was Charles Dickens' tenth novel. “Hard Times” is a fictional novel set in 19th century England. The novel is set in a fictional city of industrial revelations "Coketown". The story follows a series of characters in events over a long period of time. “Hard Times” is known as an important novel of the nineteenth century. This essay covers the concepts that make “Hard Times” so significant. The three concepts covered in this essay are story, ideas, feelings, and the art of the novel. This essay examines these three concepts and uses three chapters as examples. Hard Times” by Charles Dickens can be used as a unique insight into what England was like during the Industrial Revolution. Using “hard times” of the environment and people to create a picture of life in the nineteenth century. The narrator uses two main methods to illustrate time to the reader. The way “hard times” shows the history of the industrial revolution is by describing the town of “Coketown”. In chapter five of "Hard Times" you can clearly see the time period come to life. In the novel "Hard Times" the first way we are exposed to the time period is through the description of "Coketown", the fictional town that is similar to an industrialized city in 19th century England. In “Hard Times” by Charles Dickens at the beginning of chapter five there are several great examples of the description of “Coketown”. The first example is: “It was a city of red brick, or brick that would have been red if the smoke and ash had allowed it. “ Charles Dickens is beginning to paint the picture of the city. In this first example we begin to see the narrator's antipathy towards the city. The second example of the city description is: “He had a bla...... middle of paper...... son, teaching facts hurt him. Dickens used both of these methods to create this extraordinary novel. Charles Dickens' “Hard Times” was well-rounded; it showed story and setting, ideas and feelings, and the art of the novel. Hard Times” by Charles Dickens can be used as a unique look at what England was like during the Industrial Revolution. Using “hard times” in the environment and people to create a picture of life in the nineteenth century. This essay will focus on the factual and fictional feelings of “hard times,” as well as his views on marriage. A good chapter in the book to review these two ideas is chapter twelve of the second book. There are two important ways in which Charles Dickens added his artistic touch to “Hard Times,” the first by using the narrator and the second through the art of consequences. Overall, “Hard Times” was an important, innovative and insightful work.