The Utilitarian Ambitions of Mr. Gradgrind in Hard Times

In the context of Charles Dickens's novel Hard Times, Mr. Thomas Gradgrind hopes that after Stephen Blackpool's death, his son Tom Gradgrind will be able to distance himself from Stephen's death and focus on his own success. This reflects the utilitarian and self-serving values that Mr. Gradgrind has taught his children.

The scene where Tom's fellow inmates are engaging in futile efforts to escape their debts by schemes like alchemy and resolving the national debt crisis underscores the harsh realities of Georgian Britain's economy and the difficulty of escaping debt during that period.

Mr. Gradgrind, a character in the novel, 'Hard Times' by Charles Dickens, hopes that Tom will distance himself from Stephen's death and focus on his own success. This can be seen in the novel when Gradgrind tells Tom, 'You have been taken out of your own trustfulness and straightforwardness, Tom, and can be made to suspect that there is something to be got before it can be eaten, and that you must hunger for money before you can lay hands upon it.'

By encouraging Tom to prioritize success and financial gain, Gradgrind hopes that he will detach himself from Stephen's death and embrace a more utilitarian approach to life.