He uses a cane to beat disobedient students, he is
very strict during lessons, and finds an almost sadist pleasure in making the
children suffer by hitting their hands with a ruler. Because of that, the pupils
are scared and even develope a mere hatred against Mr Creakle.
Of course, this does not mean that all 19th century teachers acted this way. But
by the somewhat exaggerated depiction of Creakle, Dickens impersonates and at
the same time criticizes the in those days widely-spread idea that students
should not be treated with understanding and affection, but with physical and
mental terror to make them learn their lessons.
So in a whole, Dickens tries to draw the readers attention the many misstandings
that could be found in educational institutions and that the ways teachers
approached their pupils were far from making the students well-educated and
responsible grown-ups.
