Charles Dickens Hard Times Analysis “When the cat's away, the mice will play” Apply this to the story of Hard Times.

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Out of selfishness and boredom the two rats Tom and James used malevolence, manipulation, dirty betrayal and cheating to achieve their ugly aims. 

In a way, Harthouse was just like Tom: both used the absence of morality to justify their own bad behavior. Though the actions are different (theft on one side and attempted adultery on the other), the attitudes behind these actions can be easily covered up by Utilitarian thinking. 

Bounderby (the cat) was a successful capitalist who owned a factory and a bank. He bragged about having grown up an orphan, and married Louisa Gradgrind hoping to make her a trophy wife.
Bounderby was awful, obnoxious and completely self-centered, He was a stupid reader of people as he totally failed to see that Stephen was the only loyal worker in his factory. He also did not get that Harthouse was after his wife. He certainly never figured out that Tom was the bank robber.
James Harthouse: (A mouse)
He was the second face of the aristocracy. He was a well-born young guy who was trying to get into Parliament. James came to Coketown because he was bored with life. When introduced to Louisa, he became infatuated with her and sought to arouse her love and seduce her and almost succeeded. Taking advantage of Bounderby's absences from home, he went to see Louisa on various pretexts. Outwardly, he was all handsomeness and gentlemanly good manners. He had the kind of slick, smooth social ability that made him instantly likable. His philosophy of life was that everything was worth nothing, and that there were no honest people. Basically, he thought that caring very much about anything was a big old waste of time. It was a measure of just how lost and confused Louisa was that this kind of nonsense really appeals to her.

Outwardly, he was all handsomeness and gentlemanly good manners. He had the kind of slick, smooth social ability that made him instantly likable. His philosophy of life was that everything was worth nothing, and that there were no honest people. Basically, he thought that caring very much about anything was a big old waste of time. It was a measure of just how lost and confused Louisa was that this kind of nonsense really appeals to her. So, Louisa refused to elope with him and he left Coketown for a foreign country. The only hurt he had received was a blow to his vanity.
Tom Gradgrind ;( A mouse)

Tom is Louisa's brother, and was raised in the same manner that she was, never to wonder, never to doubt facts, and never to entertain any vice or fancy, he rebelled as a young man when he left his father's home, Stone Lodge, to work in Bounderby's bank. He used Bounderby's affection for Louisa to gain money for gambling and drink. He persuaded Louisa to marry Bounderby since it would be to his own benefit if she did.
Tom staged a robbery and framed Stephen Blackpool. Just as he used others, so was he used by James Harthouse, who had designs on Louisa.
Tom then had to be smuggled abroad in order to avoid going to prison. After many years in exile, he died on the trip back to England.
The only redeeming feature of his character was that he truly loved his sister and ultimately regretted that he had brought her heartache.
Tom and Louisa both met an evil person around whom a crime would happen. However, in both cases, the idea initially was to interact with this person in some positive manner. With Harthouse, Louisa finally had someone to talk to about Tom and who promised to help set him straight With Stephen Blackpool, Tom had an opportunity to help a man who was much less fortunate.
After meeting Harthouse, Louisa realized that she had thrown away her life. Harthouse seemed to bring with him some hope of life. However, he just taught her a similar kind of thinking as her father, only covered some sneers and cynicism. Louisa was entangled even further in a world view without morality. Some of her feelings were released – she cared for Harthouse. Her friendship with Harthouse progressed to love and desire.
As her feelings of attachment to Harthouse bloomed into love, Louisa realized just how trapped she had become, since divorce was an impossibility. At the same time, all her hopes of helping Tom were dashed. He totally rejected her, becoming a gambler and bank robber in the process. Louisa gave up trying. Instead she was more and more deeply entwined into a relationship with Harthouse.
Louisa and Bounderby ended up living apart, probably for the best, since she hated him and he looked down on her. Tom ended up living in exile.
The evil people were punished and the good rewarded; Louisa, Tom and Gradgrind made peace with their mistakes.