Who Josiah Bounderby is
Josiah Bounderby is loud, proud and eager to describe himself as a practical man. He claims that his mother abandons him and that he builds his success without help. His repeated account of hardship shapes the way he judges people who have less.
What Josiah Bounderby wants
Bounderby wants recognition for the hard work he says brings him wealth. He treats workers' complaints as unreasonable demands rather than reasons to consider their lives. His pride leaves little room for sympathy when someone asks him for help.
Josiah Bounderby and the others in the story
Thomas Gradgrind is his closest friend, and Tom Gradgrind works at his bank. Bounderby wishes to marry Louisa Gradgrind, although he is thirty years older than she is.
Stephen Blackpool works in his mill and asks him about escaping an unhappy marriage. Bounderby responds with scorn, showing the distance between his comfortable life and Stephen's troubles.
Questions
What does Josiah Bounderby do?
He runs a bank and owns a mill in Coketown.
How is Bounderby connected to Louisa Gradgrind?
He is her father's close friend and asks to marry her.
How does Bounderby treat his workers?
He dismisses their complaints and expects them to accept hard labor. He sees their wish for better conditions as a demand for luxury.