Compare Several Pre-20th Century Stories By Charles Dickens.

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Compare Several Pre-20th Century Stories By Charles Dickens

All these stories have something in common. Every story has its own mystery or supernatural to it. Charles Dickens likes ghost stories, mystery and supernatural. He creates credibility and realism. He does this in a way to make sure you believe the story. For example ‘The Signalman’.

In ‘The Signalman’ Charles Dickens goes straight into the deep end with this story. The setting in ‘The Signalman’ is essential it gives you the chance to imagine in your mind what the area around him is like. For example the cutting ‘it was made through a clammy stone that became oozier and wetter as I went down’. This shows that you can focus on those words and get a mental picture of the path. Most of this story is conducted at night. For example ‘I will come at eleven’. This shows me that it makes the story more frightening and that there will be some suspense so then you believe the story.

Dickens sets the place where ‘The Signalman’ works as a depressing place. For example ‘dismal, lonely place’. This shows me that ‘The Signalman’ is isolated with no one to talk to and it seems like the place is cut off from the real world, so then I think this is the perfect place for supernatural happenings. I was impressed by Dickens use of language in ‘The Signalman’. For example ‘violent pulsation’ this captures the senses and adds to the tension.

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In ‘Confession Found in a Prison’ Charles Dickens doesn’t use the same setting atmosphere as he does in ‘The Signalman’. The setting atmosphere is good when the narrator is just about to kill the boy because you can imagine being there and seeing the boy and his reaction. For example ‘running back, then my own sword naked in my hand and he lying at my feet-dead’.

Another good atmosphere setting is when the narrator friends come over and he takes them out into the garden. He places the table on the grass and his chair over the grave. ...

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