representative of the utilitarian principle of Victorian political economy, a man who valued facts above all else. He is introduced in Hard Times as a harsh, controlling, uncompromising, well-formed-tongued protagonist who looks down on others and his opinions are forcefully conveyed and he uses them to control and obey impetuously. Gradgrind controls his theory of the education system based on the importance of facts and figures. Afterwards, when Gradgrind asks Bitzer for his definition of a horse, after Sissy cannot, he refers to Bitzer as his name and not as a number like Sissy previously. Gradgrind tries to leave his mark on Sissy by applying his way of teaching to her but ends up realizing that there is a flaw in the education system..

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