The wealthy retired merchant Thomas Gradgrind founds a school to teach his philosophy of rationalism, self-interest and fact. Leaving out anything to do with imagination or useless pursuits. Taking in charitable cases he runs the school for many years in the city of Coketown. As his children grow older his daughter marries and old rich man faithfully following her father's teaching where his son tunes out and gets involved in gambling and robbery. As Thomas Gradgrind watches what becomes of his family he realizes that the human heart is still one of the most important things even in an age of industry.