A comparison regarding the educational system through Dickens and Kingsley Amis

In 'Hard Times' by Charles Dickens, the Gradgrind family and their sorrowful experiences are narrated. Towards the end of the novel, the readers realize that a rational education system as a guideline to reach the ideal of 'Merry England' actually misguides the family members and turns their lives to grief. In this study, various views and examples of 'Hard Times' are provided in order to demonstrate the proposal that education solely cannot always bring people to happiness. 'Lucky Jim', an English Campus Novel written by Kingsley Amis, can present a comparison to the teaching approaches in 'Hard Times'. In the novel, the academics' cruel rivalry can be seen as influential in their moral corruption. In this academic circle, Jim Dixon, an inexperienced history lecturer, presents a free willed, relaxed character as quite contrary to the academic principles of the 'Post War England'. In this thesis, unlike disregarding of such individuality by the contemporary academics, it is stressed that Dixon can overcome the difficulties in his new working place thanks to his distinguishing characteristics, and his sincerity facilitates him in the quest for happiness. As a result of this thesis; it will be predicted that paying attention to such lively people's personalities as Dixon has can be resulted in directly or indirectly a happiness in everyone's life and as an outcome of an analysis; the reader will also be presented what sorts of education method can be effective to have a pleasant life. Keywords: Mechanization, Science, Strictness, Disregard, Alienation, Happiness, Wonder, Self-Realization, Fancy, Imagination.