Discuss the Ways in Which Dickens and Collins Create an Air of Suspense and Mystery in These Stories.
Josh - Bryan 10DRH Discuss the Ways in Which Dickens and Collins Create an Air of Suspense and Mystery in These Stories. Both The Signalman and The Ostler are Victorian ghost stories, the signalman being written by Charles Dickens in 1866, and the ostler being written in 1855 by Wilkie Collins. Both these stories were relatively scary at the time of which they were wrote (The 19th Century.) Both writers create suspense in their stories by using a certain type of narrative, descriptive and organisational conventions such as in the beginning, they both have someone narrating it without the reader knowing who it is. The oster mentions murder, and the signalman has someone shouting, "Halloa! Below there!" Both of these examples create suspense. They are also set in the dark, and with hardly anyone around, this creating mystery, as mysterious things are more likely to happen in the dark. The main characters in the stories are haunted by ghosts and picked on as targets, making them interesting. The supernatural appear in both of these stories, the signalman using the spectre, which appears to be his cause of death, and the ostler using a witch. Both of the endings in these stories are unexpected, the signalman has a twist at the end, it lead up to just another ordinary day, but then "Signalman killed this morning, sir" is clearly not what the reader expected to happen, very good
Great-Expectations is just one novel that follows a tradition of novelsthat choose to focus on one particular character and their developing life story.
Great-Expectations is just one novel that follows a tradition of novels that choose to focus on one particular character and their developing life story. Other novels that follow this same tradition are Adam Bede (1959) and Jude The Obscure (1894) which I may use as comparative texts due to the fact all three books/novels are written around the same time and tend to high light crime death and poverty using similar techniques. Death, crime and poverty feature strongly in the vast majority of fiction during the Victorian era. Many authors including Charles Dickens thought by repeatedly writing about the harsh inhuman conditions that many poor people were succumb to that the middle and upper classes would gradually begin to change there stigmatisms and prejudices. "Great-Expectations" concentrates mainly on two sections of Pip's life, Pip as a young bashful child and the mature sophisticated Pip that develops as his life unfolds. Both Pips I think paint a very diverce picture of Victorian life one being Pip in a ramshackle unpleasant environment the other being Pip in a lavish gentlemanly one. In the opening paragraph, we are introduced to Pip who is the main character in the novel. We know that Pip is a young child because he describes him self in having an infant tongue that cannot pronounce the word Pirrip his fathers name or his Christian name Philip. Other indications that
How does Dickens create characters that are both memorable and striking? Pay particular attention to chapters one and eight and refer to at least three characters.
How does Dickens create characters that are both memorable and striking? Pay particular attention to chapters one and eight and refer to at least three characters. This term we have been reading a book by Charles Dickens called 'Great Expectations'. It has been very interesting to read, especially since Charles Dickens makes his novel extremely descriptive as he makes each one of his characters unique and different. In this essay I will be discussing how Dickens creates characters that are memorable and striking. I will not be looking at characters through the whole book, just chapters one and eight. I will be looking back at the story and picking out parts of the book, that Dickens has used to describe his characters with interesting detail, that create wonderful images in your mind that are striking, and will stay with you forever. The narrative style of this book is written in the first person. We know this as Dickens uses phrases such as, 'I know' and ' I said'. By doing this we also know that the main character Pip is telling us the story. This is a very effective way of writing and makes it not so dull to read. We learn a lot about Pip in the first chapter, by him telling us about his background etc. We learn his name, about his family, his background, like where he is from and where he lives. In the first chapter, we learn to love Pip. We notice that he is a good
Explore how the theme of the Victorians society is present by Charles Dickens in 'A Christmas carol.' What comments do you think the writer might be making about his own time?specify
Explore how the theme of the Victorians society is present by Charles Dickens in 'A Christmas carol.' What comments do you think the writer might be making about his own time? Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth in 1812 and died in 1870. He was not poor when his parents were not poor when he was born but his dad went bankrupt when he was twelve years old and they were all sent to debtor's prison. Charles Dickens was then sent to work in a blacking factory and earned six shillings a week, he did that until his aunt died and they used the money that was left for them to repay all their debts. When they moved to London he decided to become a writer and decided to write about the poor, to raise the awareness of the rich Victorians who did not care about the injustices of their society. The conditions in London in the Victorian times was not very good because there was a constant smog over it and people drank the unfiltered water from the River Thames. The streets were full of dung, which led to the spread of disease; the houses were overcrowded (30 people to 1 house). There was no proper sewage or housing and many poor people were sent to workhouses or prisons. Many turned to crime as a means of support. Christmas in the Victorian time would have been good if you were rich but if you were poor it was the worst time of the year. The poor would get some coal, nuts and oranges
The Comparison between the visits of Jem to Mrs Dubose in To Kill A Mockingbird with the visits of Pip to Miss Havishamin Great Expectations.
The Comparison between the visits of Jem to Mrs Dubose in To Kill A Mockingbird with the visits of Pip to Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. This essay is regarding the many similarities and differences found when comparing the scenes of Jem's visits to Mrs Dubose in To Kill A Mockingbird and Pip's visit to see Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. Both Jem and Pip have been forced to go and visit the two old women. This is because Jem had 'cut the tops of every camellia bush Mrs Dubose owned' and Pip was forced by those who had brought him 'up by hand', especially his sister. However, Pip was very glad to have arrived at Miss Havisham's, probably to get away from his sister, but on the other hand Jem didn't want to visit Mrs Dubose because he had to read to her for a month and because her house is 'dark and creepy' from all of the 'shadows and things on the ceiling'. The other reason for Jem visiting Mrs Dubose was because Atticus, Jem and Scout's father, wanted Jem to help Mrs Dubose, learn from his experience and develop humanity. In contrast to this, Mr Pumblechook and Pip's sister send Pip to Miss Havisham for her to 'favour' him and hand over some of her 'fortune' to Pip. Miss Havisham is a well-known lady in her region as 'everyone miles around' had heard of her 'up town' as she 'led a life of seclusion' and was an 'immensely grim and rich lady' who lived in a
Analysis of Hard Times Chapter 2
Analysis of Chapter 2 Bitzer is a pupil at Mr Gradgrind's school. As we learn in later chapters, he is a bully and is quite offensive to other children. In chapter 2 Gradgrind asks Bitzer for his definition of a horse after Sissy is unable to define it exactly how Gradgrind has taught it. We learn that Bitzer is described as very pale and in the classroom at the time he sits in sunlight, making him even paler. This makes Bitzer seem angelic and innocent. As the title of the chapter is "Murdering the Innocents" the reader may be wandering if Bitzer is to be murdered. However, when Bitzer speaks, he defines the horse like a dictionary. This tells us immediately that Bitzer has learnt definitions, giving the impression of a studious pupil. He gives exactly what is required of him by his teacher. Also, Bitzer's name is like the name of a horse. This is ironic and adds to the sense of the pupils being like animals; required to learn these "facts." Sissy Jupe is the first girl mentioned in the novel. Previously, all the men have been very strict and authoritarian. When Gradrgrind first refers to her, he calls her "Girl number twenty." He does not know her name, perhaps because she is new to the school. This would explain why she is uninformed about the definition of the horse. When Sissy stands up, she blushes and curtseys. This shows sensitivity which had not appeared in the
How does Dickens make us feel for Pip?
Azadhassan Gulamali 10GL Prose Coursework Coursework Question: In the extract where Pip, a boy from a very humble background meets Miss Havisham, a rich but eccentric lady dickens wants the reader to feel sympathetic towards Pip. How does he make us feel this way? In this assignment, I will analyse, discuss and comment on the techniques Charles Dickens (Dickens) uses as a writer to gain sympathy for the main character Pip. I will look closely at setting, language, characterisation, the opening and closing of the extract. I will also quote ideas and phrases from the text to help me analyse and explain. Pip, the main character, is a lonely orphaned child. He lives with his sister and her husband the blacksmith. We know that Pip's family is poor because they live of a blacksmith wages, not very much. The novel is set in the Victorian era where social status played a major role in daily life; we see this in the novel. Pip's sister brought him up by 'hand' and finds he is a burden on her. Dickens chose to make the main character, Pip, lonely and poor to gain our sympathy. This novel is written in the voice first person, as if it were Pip telling the story. Dickens wrote this novel from Pip's point of view. Pip is telling us the story when he is much older, as if he were thinking back to when he was a child. The fact that Dickens chose to make Pip, the main character, the
How does Charles Dickens create suspense and tension in the signalman?
English coursework The signal man. How does Charles Dickens create suspense and tension in the signalman? In the Charles Dickens' story the narrator meets the signalman who is confessing to him his problems. The narrator comes every night to find out that the signalman was seeing a ghost of a man, who was pointing out that certain train accidents are going to happen. After a few days the narrator goes peacefully to the signalman's shed, and finds out that he mysteriously died. The signalman at the train station sees sightings of a ghost in the distance. However the figure is trying to tell the signalman something important, but each time the signalman sees this figure doing some actions something bad always happens, this is where Dickens creates the suspense and tension. To add to the tension Dickens adds a narrator to the story, this is done to emphasise various points more and to spook the audience out. The suspense and tension is created in various different ways I am going to explore these factors: the characters, the setting of the place and the time at which incidents happen. The very first line spoken by the narrator is negative, and puts thoughts into our minds about bad things happening because it portrays the fact about height and if something is down, it makes it seem very mysterious: "Halloa! Below there!" The word halloa is a very old fashioned word and
Examine the settings and characters which the writers have chosen for their stories in 'The Signalman', 'The Man With The Twisted Lip' and 'The Red Room'. Consider the effects that each writer has created and how they contribute to atmosphere.
Prose Study Examine the settings and characters which the writers have chosen for their stories in 'The Signalman', 'The Man With The Twisted Lip' and 'The Red Room'. Consider the effects that each writer has created and how they contribute to atmosphere. 'The Signalman' was first published in 1865, written by Charles Dickens, 'The Man with The Twisted Lip', by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was published in 1891 and 'The Red Room' by H.G. Wells was published in 1894. These are three stories, which create tense atmospheres. The Signalman was written nearly thirty years previous to the other two stories, society moved on so much through innovation and invention during this time that the stories were written in very different eras. Charles Dickens was influenced in his story, 'The Signalman' by a train crash, which he had been involved in just a year previous to writing the story. As the railway was a relatively new invention at the time, the story was modern and contemporary at the time of press. However today's readers are given a very historical context view with references to steam trains and old signal boxes being permanently, manually operated. In 'The Man with the Twisted Lip' Sir Conan Doyle would have been influenced by the conditions of London at the time, such as; the large amounts of crime going on in London and the publics view of the Police as incompetent. 'The Red
'The role of horror in entertainment.'
'The role of horror in entertainment.' Its as if some strange force is at work inside us. A certain curiosity which feeds on fear. An intrigue hidden away, deep inside, which wills us towards dark horror. Something woven into our genetic make-up, which makes us get a kick out of pain. It's somewhat unsettling to think that something quite so unnatural can make us more human. Furthermore, the feeling of intrigue is so strong that we're even willing to pay to be frightened. Travelling 'Freak Shows' were extremely popular back in Victorian times. Upper, middle and working class alike took great delight in visiting such events. They'd pay their few pence to the patron, and then, after a deep breath, they'd pluck up the courage and walk through the doors. The doors of mystery. What lay behind those doors were cages and cages of quivering silhouettes, stripped of their humanity, lowered to the status of performing animals. People with missing or abnormal limbs, Dwarves, Siamese twins, Giants, all seen as dire monstrosities, yet today viewed as mere disabilities. Visitors would be horrified at such unusual sights. They'd turn away in disgust or look on in wonder. They'd feel shock and relief simultaneously, as they gaze at the spectacle of these 'freaks'. Part of the reason for going was to feel better about themselves and feel glad at how lucky they were to be
