“The Signalman,” by Charles Dickens

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The Signalman Essay

The story "The Signalman," by Charles Dickens, has the supernatural as its main theme. The author builds up a sense of fear and tension gradually to maintain the interest of the reader. Stories, which include supernatural events, were undoubtedly as popular in the Victorian times as they are today. This is probably because the reader enjoys being scared.

During Victorian times railways were a relatively new invention. People saw trains as huge ogres, because most people did not know much about trains. This meant that some people feared them. An example of this is, "Just then there came a vague vibration in the earth and air, quickly changing into a violent pulsation, and an on coming rush." This makes the train sounds as if it is alive by using personification. The narrator seems to feel disturbed by it.

The author of, "The Signalman," builds up a sinister atmosphere by using descriptive details. An example of this is where he tells us the, "Cutting was extremely deep," and, "Unusually precipitous. It was made through a clammy stone, that became oozier and wetter as I went down." This suggests that the cutting is very dark, eerie,