Danielle

“When the Devil goeth about like a roaring lion, he goeth about in a shape by which few but savages and hunters are attracted.  But, when he is trimmed, smoothed, and varnished, according to the mode: when he is aweary of vice, and aweary of virtue, used up as to brimstone, and used up as to bliss; then, whether he take to the serving out of red tape, or to the kindling of red fire, he is the very Devil” (175)

Louisa is frequently described looking at ashes but in this passage the Devil (Harthouse) is described as “kindling of the red fire.”(175)  Unlike Louisa, Harthouse starts fires instead of watching them die out.  Harthouse constructed a fire that turned Tom from a selfish follower, into a savage.  Tom describes Mr. Harthouse’s manipulative offer as “a great kindness” (173) this is contrasted with the next chapter, aptly named, “Explosion”, here Mr. Harthouse is described as a “roaring lion” and describes his shape as something that “savages and hunters” are attracted to, Tom Gradgrind is a savage as when he begs Mr. Harthouse in the above sentence for forgiveness, he “grasps” (173) his hand and Tom is described as “crying” (173) begging for forgiveness.  In book two, fire for the first time is being controlled.  Harthouse is able to manipulate the fire and repel the fire that has taken over the townspeople of Coketown.  He often is seen smoking cigars, which is similar to brimstone, it will do nothing on it’s own but once it’s ignited it can start a fire, which only the person, in this case Harthouse, is able to control.