Hard Times Book 2, Chapter 3

The Whelp

• Tom definitely sees Harthouse as the cool, popular guy, and so is thrilled when Harthouse wants to chill with him.
• Harthouse gets him drunk, gives him a cigar, and then starts to ask him questions about Louisa.
• Tom volunteers every piece of information about his sister – pretty much just to look sort of cool in front of this total stranger.
• Tom reveals:

1. that Tom can get away with whatever he wants to because Louisa smoothes it over with Bounderby;
2. that Louisa dislikes Bounderby, that she married him without feelings and only so that she could be useful to Tom;
3. that Gradgrind raised his daughter to not have any normal emotions and to just try to be as rational as possible about everything;
4. that Mrs. Sparsit is jealous of Louisa.