A Christmas Carol - Marley's Ghost.
A Christmas Carol Stave One Marley's Ghost Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a doornail. Mind! I don't mean to say that I know of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a doornail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the country's done for. You will, therefore, permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a doornail. Scrooge knew he was dead? Of course he did. How could it be otherwise? Scrooge and he were partners for I don't know how many years. Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, and sole mourner. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event but that he was an excellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnised it with an undoubted bargain. The mention of Marley's funeral brings me back to the point I started from. There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly
The novel 'A Christmas Carol', by Charles
The novel 'A Christmas Carol', by Charles Dickens was written in 1843 and reflects poverty in Victorian times where poverty and ill health was very common. The book was published a week before Christmas and was presented in a small gold and crimson book - the perfect Christmas gift. Dickens wishes to use the character of scrooge to make the reader see that being selfish and cold hearted gets you nowhere and encourages everybody to be generous and loving. The novel is about a cold and mean hearted man called Ebenezer Scrooge who runs a business. Scrooge is very tight fisted and one Christmas is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley. The spirit shows him how he is now, and how he will become as he grows older. There are 4 ghosts that show him his past, present and future. When visited by the spirits, he is given a chance to change. He turns from a mean old man to a generous one, to the delight of his family and new found friends. Dickens uses many devices to introduce Scrooge's character, such as similes, metaphors and comparisons to the weather. The presentation that Dickens gave of Scrooge was so clear that "Scrooge" is still used in language today, having the meaning of someone who is tight with money, cold hearted and who hates Christmas. I will be examining these points in my essay. Victorian London was a very difficult time to live in. If you
An exploration of the ways in which issues of class and status are presented in Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" and L.P. Hartley's "The Go-Between".
John Nickell A-Level English Coursework An exploration of the ways in which issues of class and status are presented in Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" and L.P. Hartley's "The Go-Between". Both Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" and L.P. Hartley's "The Go-Between" discuss the class assumptions of early Victorian England; around 1807-1823 is when most of the action can be dated too in "Great Expectations" and at the start of the 20th century, the year 1900 in "The Go-Between". Both novels portray a class structure in decline or under threat, as the rise of trade unions and rights for women were to transform the quiet hierarchy that had existed for countless generations. In this essay I will draw out the similarities and differences in how the two authors present the issues of class and status to the reader. Hartley often seems to place great value in the tradition and history of an ancient, aristocratic, ruling class; Dickens regards beyond all else the value of hard work. Dickens argues that social status denotes nothing but money, whereas Hartley seems to glory in the upper-classes natural superiority, such as at sport and at music: none can match Marion in skill. Hartley warns against the social mobility that makes Marion too good for Ted despite their love for each other and subverts the natural hierarchical order and security that has existed for centuries,
Analysing and explaining Charles Dickens' Great Expectations; Chapter 1.
THIS WAS ALL WRITTEN BY CHARLIE MACGILCHRIST OF ST. BENEDICTS RC SCHOOL AND PERFORMING ARTS COLLAGE, DIFFIELD ROAD DERBY Media Coursework- Analysing and explaining Charles Dickens' Great Expectations; Chapter 1 In this essay I am going to "Compare the opening scenes of the two film versions of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations,(BBC's 1999 and David Lean's 1945,) and review how effective they are in creating an atmosphere of tension." The analysis of the films corresponds to Chapter 1 of Charles Dickens' 'Great Expectations' and I shall first of all inform you using a brief summary, of what happens in chapter 1 of Great Expectations: The story begins with pip, who introduces himself and describes an image of himself as a young boy; standing alone, mourning and crying in a church-yard near some open marshes. Young Pip is staring at the gravestones of both his parents who died soon after his birth. This tiny, shivering bundle of a boy is suddenly terrified by the voice of a large, bed ragged man, who threatens to cut Pip's throat if he doesn't stop crying. The man dressed in a prison uniform with a shaven head and a great iron shackle chained around his legs, grabs Pip and shakes him upside down emptying his pockets. The man devours a piece of bread, which falls from one of Pip's pockets, then barks questions at him. Pip tells him that yes, he is an orphan and that yes he
How do circumstances cause characters to change?
How do circumstances cause characters to change? The first time we are introduced to Pip in Great Expectations was when he was visiting his parent's grave. The graveyard was cold and misty. Dickens was trying to create a feeling of sadness and sympathy for Pip. He met a convict who had escaped from prison and wanted "wittles". He demanded Pip brought him some "wittles" and a file. Otherwise "a young man" would come after him and rip his "heart and liver out". Pip's innocence and naivety meant he believed every word of the convict and was scared not to obey him. This was despite the bad temper of Mrs Joe, his sister who brought him up "by hand" and threatened to use "tickler" (a stick she used to hit Pip with). He stole the "wittles" and went to sleep. When Pip left early the next morning, which was in fact Christmas morning, his guilty conscience was noticeable. His conscience was so bad in fact, that when Pip slowly walked down the stairs, every creak in the stairs sounded as if they were shouting "Get up Mrs Joe" and "Stop thief". Also, when he went to meet the convict on the marshes, he imagined the cattle calling after him saying " A boy with Somebody - else's pork pie! Stop him" and "Holloa, young thief!" This proves that despite what he is doing, he knows what he is doing is wrong, hence the guilty conscience. After he met the convict and gave him his "wittles" and
Explain what makes a good mystery story, based on your understanding of 'The Red Room' by H.G. Wells, 'The Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle and 'The Signalman' by Charles Dickens.
Explain what makes a good mystery story, based on your understanding of 'The Red Room' by H.G. Wells, 'The Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle and 'The Signalman' by Charles Dickens. Introduction In the following essay I intend to analyse the three short mystery stories, 'The Red Room', 'The Speckled Band' and 'The Signalman'. For each of the three stories I will explain how mystery and suspense is created with the use of language, characters, and setting. The Victorian era was a period of dramatic change with the advancement in industry, science, technology, medicine and travel and there was a growing interest in the supernatural, which is reflected throughout the three short stories I have decided to analyse. Each of the three stories is based on these changes in their own different ways which made them popular amongst the audience of the Victorian period. Ghost stories were most popular in the Victorian era around the gothic genre. The setting was most likely to be in an old house or building, a graveyard or somewhere secluded. Pathetic fallacy was often used to create a gloomy atmosphere. The horror or ghost in the story was often not fully described, leaving room for the readers own interpretations. The victim was most likely to be someone sensible and blind to the supernatural, which is reflected in the Red Room as a scientist tries to unfold the mystery of
Great Expectations
Great Expectations There are many common, familiar cliches about illusion versus truth. "All that glitters is not gold" and "Things are seldom what they seem" are the most universal hackneyed phrases, but they do not cover entirely every aspect of appearance versus reality. In Charles Dickens' novel, Great Expectations, there are several differences between the illusion and the truth. The appearance of certain things is often detrimental to the outcomes of characters when the reality of a situation is revealed. These illusions are revealed through Pip, a lower class boy caught in the struggle of the social classes of 19th century England. Throughout the book, Charles Dickens emphasizes the difference between appearance and reality through Pip's expectations of something better, social status, and settings in the book. The most important illusion Great Expectations is Pip's confident expectations of a better life. Pip began the book out poor, and was sent for to spend time every week with an upper-middle-class crazy woman and her heartless adopted daughter, Estella. From the moment he met Estella, he was in love with her. Later on in the book, he was provided with financial support from an un-named benefactor that should be used to go to London and become a gentleman. Pip assumed that Ms. Havisham, Estella's adoptive mother, was the benefactress. "My dream was out; my wild
How effectively does Charles Dickens use language to portray 19th century London society in his novel, 'Oliver Twist'?
Q. How effectively does Charles Dickens use language to portray 19th century London society in his novel, 'Oliver Twist'? T he world's most popular author and novelist who belonged to the Victorian era requires no introduction. Charles Dickens is the man behind great novels like, 'Oliver Twist,' 'Hard Times,' 'Great Expectations,' and many other fascinating and insightful novels that are considered, and quite rightly so, works of true genius. The man, himself was a worker in a blacking factory during his childhood. His father was unable to pay off the family debts so young Dickens was left without a proper education and so spent his childhood and most of his youth in poverty. This left an indelible wound on Dickens. Needless to say, in each of his novels, we see that Dickens reflects on his own life and highlights the miseries of the Industrial Revolution because of which he was robed of the best years of his life. Dickens was a social critic. This is quite expected because of the life Dickens led and what he had experienced. He manages to portray society exactly how it was during the Industrial Revolution. At the time many authors only portrayed the positive aspects of the Revolution but Dickens highlighted even the negative aspects of the changes that were taking place. Dickens was not particularly moved by the changes caused by the Revolution. He
Charles Dickens's writing techniques in Great Expectations.
Charles Dickens's writing techniques in Great Expectations There are several techniques of writing that Charles Dickens constantly demonstrates in his novel Great Expectations. These techniques include his theme of money and social power, his eccentric characters, and his use of repetition. With out these qualities Charles Dickens's novel Great Expectations would not be nearly as enjoyable. No other author in history quite compares to Dickens when it comes to his eccentric characters. Most, if not all, of Dickens characters in this novel have such peculiar way about them. The most eccentric of all the characters in this novel would undoubtedly be Miss Havisham. She is dressed in a tattered wedding dress, even though she has enough money to acquire more cloths than anyone else in that area. She refuses to keep her house up to date, and has the most bizarre ways about her. She is just one of many of Dickens uncanny characters. One of the last qualities that Dickens presents in this novel is his use of repetition. He constantly repeats words and phrases to try to get his point across. One of these phrases is used by Pip's relatives. The phrase is "brought you up by hand", which is referring to how Mrs. Joe raised Pip. The point that Dickens is trying to make is that she raised him all by her self. However, there is a little bit of humor behind this matter in the way
Great Expectations Role of Magwitch
Magwitch Appears Twice Unexpectedly in Pip's Life, With Traumatic Effect and Dramatic Consequences. Show how Dickens Brings These Episodes to Life, Commenting on his Style and how the Character is Portrayed. In Your Answer, you Should Concentrate on Close Analysis of Chapter 1 and 39. Charles Dickens, the author of Great Expectations was born in 1812 and spent his early childhood living in Portsmouth. His family then moved to Chatman which was located next to the River Thames marshes, and it is here that the scene of Great Expectations was set. Great Expectations is regarded, as one of Dickens's darkest and more reflective novels as it contains passages of grim realism based on criminal London and within Great Expectations, Dickens's uses a fairy tale plot, which he treats ironically. Dicken's uses his own personal experiences within Great Expectations, as when he was a small boy his father became a criminal by not paying his debts. This gives the reader of Great Expectation's a grim realisation that the character of Magwitch could have been based on his criminal father. Dicken's also grew up as a poor boy, because of his father's time in prison. Dicken's had to work within factories to earn money, but then began writing and became what he is today, one of the best authors of English literature. These characteristics shown by Dicken's are also expressed by Pip in great
