Part III: Garnering

• What does Jane's appearance signify in Chapter 1?

  A new beginning
• What does Gradgrind recognize in Chapter 1?

  His failure in raising his children under strict utilitarian principles
• What does the reconciliation with Cecilia symbolize in Chapter 1?

  A move away from utilitarianism toward empathy and human connection
• What deepens Harthouse's anxiety in Chapter 2?

  His sense of boredom
• What does the interaction between Cecilia and Harthouse highlight in Chapter 2?

  Harthouse's failed seduction
• What do the chimney-piece and situation rhyme reflect in Chapter 2?

  Harthouse’s realization of his own absurdity
• What is the outcome of Harthouse's departure in Chapter 2?

  It brings relief for Louisa but leaves open questions about her future
• Who visits Gradgrind in Chapter 3?

  Bounderby and Mrs. Sparsit
• What theme is echoed in Chapter 3?

  The theme of incompatibility
• What does Bounderby issue in Chapter 3?

  An ultimatum, asserting his dominance
• What does Bounderby offer in Chapter 4?

  A reward for Stephen’s return
• Who visits Louisa in Chapter 4?

  Bounderby, Rachael, and Tom
• What creates tension in Chapter 4?

  Rachael’s doubts about Louisa’s intentions toward Stephen
• How does Rachael complicate Bounderby’s narrative in Chapter 4?

  By defending Stephen
• What do Louisa and Cecilia's suspicions raise concern about in Chapter 4?

  How the situation will impact Gradgrind
• What is unresolved at the end of Chapter 4?

  The mystery of Stephen's whereabouts
• What important truths are revealed in Mrs. Sparsit’s interaction with Mrs. Pegler in Chapter 5?

  Bounderby’s true biography is exposed
• Who bears witness to unfolding events in Chapter 5?

  Rachael and Cecilia
• What do Louisa's growing suspicions of Tom hint at in Chapter 5?

  A push toward resolution in the plot
• Where do Cecilia and Rachael find solace in Chapter 6?

  In the countryside
• What does the discovery of Stephen’s hat symbolize in Chapter 6?

  His tragic fall into the mineshaft
• What theme emerges with Stephen’s fate in Chapter 6?

  The problem of coincidence
• What does Stephen’s death under the starlight symbolize in Chapter 6?

  Hope and redemption
• What promise does Stephen make at the end of Chapter 6?

  His promise of exoneration
• What causes alarm in Chapter 7?

  Tom’s disappearance
• How does Tom disguise himself in Chapter 7?

  In an attempt to escape justice
• What is the reaction of Tom's father to his disappearance in Chapter 7?

  Disillusionment
• Who complicates Tom’s plans in Chapter 7?

  Bitzer
• What does Gradgrind plead for in Chapter 8?

  Mercy from Bitzer
• What does Bitzer's cold reply to Gradgrind show in Chapter 8?

  The system’s failure
• How does Sleary help in Chapter 8?

  By foiling Bitzer’s plan and rescuing Tom
• What provides a brief moment of levity in Chapter 8?

  Merrylegs and Cecilia’s father
• How does Sleary’s philosophy contrast with the utilitarian worldview in Chapter 8?

  It offers a more humanistic alternative
• What form does Mrs. Sparsit’s vengeance take in Chapter 9?

  A form of personal justice against Bounderby
• What do the novel’s developments beyond its confines hint at in Chapter 9?

  The fates of the characters and society as a whole
• What ties up loose ends in the novel's epilogue?

  The conclusion of the story
• What do the paired chapters emphasize in the novel?

  Key themes and character interactions