Examine the narrative techniques used by Victoria writers of short stories.

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Examine the narrative techniques used by Victoria writers of short stories.

Sikes and Nancy-Charles Dickens

The Ostler- Wilkie Collins

Captain Murderer- Charles Dickens

The Signalman- Charles Dickens

The tell tale heart- Edgar Allen Poe

The treasure in the forest- H.G. Wells

London in the beginning of the 19th century was the largest city in the world and by the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign the population had doubled.  Because of the large growth in such a short time, many of the areas of housing were suburban and there was inadequate sewage.  However this only applied to the poor people, the upper class could afford large houses with everything they needed.  There was a huge difference between the two classes and class was very important to the Victorians.  

The Victorian culture was very contrasting to the culture that is now part of our lives.  However, England was becoming more cultured throughout the reign of Queen Victoria.  Many rich families would watch plays and visit the opera.  Also, many rich families would spend the evenings making their own entertainment.  They would play the piano, sing, and read aloud.  As the country developed, more people would visit parks, zoos and museums.  In addition, as sport became increasingly popular they made a good family day out.  

        Literature became progressively more important.  Short stories were a main source of home entertainment.  They were popular and were often serialized in magazines and read aloud by their authors.  The short stories were widely read by everyone: everyone loved a good story.

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        All the Authors had their own style of writing.  Some writers used formal language and some used imagery and other techniques.  Charles Dickens, who wrote The Signalman, used lots of imagery to develop the main setting of the story.  “Barbarous, depressing and forbidding air” are a few of the words he selected.  The effect of these words are that the reader can capture what the author was thinking when he wrote it.  

The description of the setting The Signalman does describe what most work was like.  Also the words “Solitary position” are used and this suggests that he was ...

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