Slackbridge

This character is a bit difficult to perceive since he acts according to his own cunning plans. From the first sight, Slackbridge seems to be an ordinary man who works as the representative of the union of the workers on Mr. Bounderby’s factory. He has the gift manipulating people; moreover, he is a trained orator who uses persuasive, sophisticated words in order to gain what he wants. Using provocations, Slackbridge sets other workers against Stephen who has some misunderstandings in the general conception of the planned by Slackbridge union. Honestly speaking, it is rather a wise trick because general conception can organize people in one group with the same ideas, especially when there is one person who rejects their ideas.

On the one hand, there are some motives to respect Slackbridge; however, on the other hand, he is cunning, and his actions are horrible. Ch. Dickens on the background of using the character of Slackbridge shows how poor and mindless are the other workers who do not tend to analyze since they are highly accustomed to do orders and be under control. In the light of being focused on the other characters which are even more horrible, Slackbridge is the pretty normal man who wants some sort of power. The willing of the author not to characterize Slackbridge as a mister can be justified since this man does not want to show his nobility because he is so deeply concerned with money and trickery that there is no place in his life to bother about being called Mister instead of just Slackbridge.