HT: Analysis

“It is a dangerous thing to see anything in the sphere of a vain blusterer, before the vain blusterer sees it himself...In virtue thereof, it had become her habit to assume a woeful look; which woeful look she now bestowed upon her patron.” (Dickens 283)

Analysis: The start to the very last chapter of the book is important to the characterization of Mr. Bounderby and also Mrs. Sparsit. The narrator takes on a very negative view towards Mr. Bounderby because the passage starts with the narrator describing Bounderby as a “vain blusterer”. The narrators negative bias towards Mr. Bounderby builds throughout the book by characterizing him. By this point the narrator just outrightly insults Bounderby by calling him a “vain blusterer”. It is important to know that Bounderby has fallen in status slightly because he has lied about his upbringing. The narrator takes on this negative voice towards Mr. Bounderby because it helps convey the failure of the system that Mr. Bounderby has worked so hard to retain: the world of facts. 
   
The narrator also characterizes Mrs. Sparsit in this passage. She is conveyed as someone who takes advantage of Mr. Bounderby by flattering him. The narrator makes it well known that Mrs. Sparsit was behind the “triumphant discovery of Mrs. Pegler”, which shows how she was proud of bringing Bounderby down a notch, but also how he underestimates her intelligence. She clearly outwits him here, however, she “covered her pity” for Bounderby and instead assumed a “woeful look” when he was near. Thus, she is using her high position to manipulate him for what she wants.
   
The importance of the narrator and his characterizations in this passage is that Bounderby wants to punish Mrs. Sparsit for bringing out the truth of his past. The narrator uses the bias against Bounderby to make him look even more evil. By kicking out Mrs. Sparsit it would be “the utmost possible amount of crowning glory” for Bounderby while also punishing Mrs. Sparsit “according to her deserts”. The narrator makes Bounderby look like the bad guy because he is finding “glory” from punishing an old woman who only found a way for the truth to be told. It was he who had done wrong not her. Yet, he will find satisfaction out of punishing her.

This narration at the very end of the book proves to be very important because it
is further showing the downfall of the Gradgrind and Bounderby society of facts. The plotting and lying that is portrayed as greedy and sly throughout this narration shows the final fall of those who still belonged to the world of fact. It also is a passage that shows that Bounderby and Mrs. Sparsit are stuck in a world of deceit which is important because it shows that “their world” isn’t as perfect as everyone believes it to be.