What may the reader infer about the historical period in which this story is set?

Hard Times is set in London during the Industrial Revolution. Because the novel deals with the societal issues of the time, particularly the plight of the working poor, the novel has two distinct settings which include the setting for the working poor (Coketown) and the middle class. Coketown is perhaps the more distinct of the two settings. It is described as dark, dirty streets of identical red brick buildings. The uniformity and pollution make it impossible to differentiate between the hospital and the laundress. Perhaps what is most striking about Coketown is the black smoke (often described as “serpentine”) that billows from the factory smokestacks. This smoke not only represents the industrialization of London, but on a symbolic level, represents the blindness of the business owners (like Bounderby) who, in their pursuit of wealth, have ignored the plight of their working class. Men like Bounderby are blinded not only to the ways they are polluting their beautiful town, but also to the ways they are harming an entire class of people.

On the flip side, the Gradgrinds and Bounderbys live in relative wealth. They have large estates surrounded by woods, fields, and plenty of fresh air. However, even though these families have the money to “buy their happiness,” their homes are described as cold and unwelcoming. Growing up in the aptly named Stone Lodge, Louisa never felt a sense of familial sentimentality. Therefore, she views her childhood house as a morgue rather than a welcoming home. Similarly, Louisa feels alone and lonely in the cavernous estate she moves into when she marries Bounderby (whom she never truly loves). Although the estates are impressive architecturally – and perfect for superficial women like Mrs. Sparsit – they fail to ever feel like home. This is in direct contrast to Stephen Blackpool, a factory worker's home that, although small and dingy, feels much more welcoming and homey than anywhere Louisa Bounderby has ever lived.