Friday, October 11, 2019
Charles Dickens create his characters Essay
Charles Dickens is a great writer who has been successful throughout his life. He has written many novels for all age groups which consist of ââ¬ËGreat Expectationsââ¬â¢ (1860-61) and ââ¬ËHard Timesââ¬â¢. Dickens techniques of writing were much noticed by readers, especially his ways of creating characters. There are a number of ways to how dickens would create his characters, he places them in revealing or appropriate settings and describes their physical appearance. He also, allows them to speak so that we hear their vocabulary and tone of voice. His characters actions and movements are well described because he shows how other characters react to them. To understand dickens techniques more clearly, I will be investigating two characters, Abel Magwitch of ââ¬ËGreat Expectationsââ¬â¢ and Thomas Gradgrind of ââ¬ËHard Timesââ¬â¢. ââ¬ËGreat Expectationsââ¬â¢ is about a young orphan named Philip Pirrip, known as Pip. The novel has been set in the Kent Marshes. Pip lives with his shrewish sister and her husband, the simply, kindly, blacksmith Joe Gargery. Chapter one of this novel opens in the country churchyard where Pip is terrified by the appearance of Magwitch, an escaped prison convict who threatens him with awful vengeance unless some food and file for his fetters are obtained smartly. Pip manages to hide some of his own supper, steals more food from the pantry, and after an encounter with a different younger convict, he finds the original one and leaves him filing off his irons. The setting of ââ¬ËGreat Expectationsââ¬â¢ is in the Kent Marshes. Pips first meeting with Magwitch was in the nearby churchyard. ââ¬Å"At such a time I found out for certain, that this bleak place overgrown with nettles was the churchyardâ⬠. Dickens uses the adjective ââ¬Ëbleakââ¬â¢ which also means ââ¬Ëbareââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëdrearyââ¬â¢ this suggests that the churchyard is a place that doesnââ¬â¢t get many visitors. Also ââ¬Ëovergrown with nettlesââ¬â¢ implies to us that the churchyard isnââ¬â¢t cared for, it contains sharp and unpleasant plants which doesnââ¬â¢t attract visitors. Therefore, we can understand why Magwitch chose to hideout at the churchyard, it is a good place for a convict to hide. Dickens also uses the adjective ââ¬Ërawââ¬â¢ which also supports the idea of an unattractive churchyard. The synonyms for the word raw are chilly and damp; these two words strongly describe the churchyard as an isolated area. ââ¬ËRawââ¬â¢ is a harsh and cold word. The reader may also consider the churchyard as a boring and timid place because dickens has used ââ¬Ëlow leaden line of riverââ¬â¢. This describes the river as a heavy, dark and foreboding line cutting across the churchyard. Dickens has deliberately described the churchyard as a boring place with these negative adjectives in order to make the reader believe that it has no visitors. Once again this implies that the churchyard is a good hideout for Magwitch. By now, it is noticeable that the setting in ââ¬ËGreat Expectationsââ¬â¢ reflects Magwitchââ¬â¢s character because Dickens also describes the churchyard ââ¬Ëwith scattered cattleââ¬â¢ which suggests an unpleasant place that is not taken care of very much. The term ââ¬Ësavage lair from which the wind was rushingââ¬â¢ is a metaphor which is an implicit comparison. It is the application of a word or phrase to somebody or something that is not meant literally, but to make a comparison. The same way, this metaphor brings the wind out to life and impersonates it as a wild animal by using the noun ââ¬Ëlairââ¬â¢. A ââ¬Ëlairââ¬â¢ is a den or hiding place where predators would hide from preys, this relates back to Magwitch whom is hiding just like a predator and preys out to poor little orphan Pip. Dickens creates a negative impression of Magwitch by the way he describes him because he uses terms such as ââ¬ËA manââ¬â¢. Straight away this puts a mysterious thought to the readers mind. At this point the reader is busy building up an image of Magwitch in their minds. Dickens also describes Magwitch in ââ¬Ëcoarse greyââ¬â¢ uniform, this gives the reader a full image in their minds of Magwitch as a prison convict, which builds up the negative impression. The adjective ââ¬Ëcoarseââ¬â¢ is a synonym for ââ¬Ëroughââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëharshââ¬â¢ which allows the reader to consider Magwitch as an untidy and messy person. In order to make it sound more obvious that Magwitch is an escaped convict Dickens uses terms such as ââ¬Ëiron on legsââ¬â¢. This suggests to us that Magwitch has shackles on his legs which bring the reader to certainty that Magwitch is an escaped convict. He is a bad man; Dickens has also mentioned that Magwitch is not wearing a hat. This implies that Magwitch is no gentleman, he is not well bred and he doesnââ¬â¢t have a decent background. Dickens describes Magwitch through a list of injuries he faces. ââ¬Ësoaked in waterââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ësmothered in mudââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëlamed by stonesââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëcut by flintsââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëstung by nettlesââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëtorn by briarsââ¬â¢. Dickens has listed all these injuries to show how Magwitch has been through a lot. He has travelled tough which suggests that he was very determined to get out of prison. It also suggests that Magwitch is a strong and fearful man who is able to resist a lot, he is a frightening man. ââ¬Å"Old rag tied around his headâ⬠. From this we can understand that Magwitch is trying to hide his injury or as a disguise. We can understand that Dickens has done a clever job with creating a negative impression of Magwitch. Dickens has deliberately used the name Magwitch which also creates a negative impression because it contains the word ââ¬Ëwitchââ¬â¢. This symbolises ââ¬Ëevilââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëfearââ¬â¢. Dickens has used exclamation marks to illustrate shouting. ââ¬Å"Tell us your name! Said the manâ⬠. From this technique we can understand that Magwitch was a very temperamental and violent man. ââ¬Å"Pint out the placeâ⬠, this suggests that his accent is also different. Dialect has been used which is when a characters speech is often grammatically incorrect. In Magwitchââ¬â¢s case, his use of dialect suggests to us that he has lack of education. We can understand that he may have been on the prison ship for a long time. Magwitch is also very violent as he speaks. He threatens Pip in a way to show readers that he is the villain of this novel. Also, we can realise that Dickens has made Magwitchââ¬â¢s speech short with shuddering sentences. This implies that Magwitch is afraid of being caught; he is shortening his sentence to hurry up the conversation and get back into hiding. Dickens has also used imperatives, ââ¬Å"You get me a fileâ⬠. Imperatives are performed by a character to give orders; they are used to express a command or request. Magwitch has used his power advantage. Dickens has also used strong language which reflects Magwitchââ¬â¢s character once again, ââ¬Ëuncouth and coarseââ¬â¢. Magwitchââ¬â¢s actions are very violent and threatening. While threatening little Pip he tends to keep looking over his shoulder. This implies that he is nervous and afraid of getting caught. The violence side of Magwitch is exposed when he turns Pip upside down and shakes him. By now, the reader is afraid of Magwitch, and he is definitely the villain of this novel. However, the reader may also feel pity for Magwitch from the way he limps and shivers. This explains how Dickens was able to create two sides of the character Magwitch, this way the reader is able to feel some sympathy but, they are also afraid of him because he is a criminal and he is relying on the help of a child. Magwitch tries to be evil, but between that he shows his vulnerable side. Dickens uses adjectives such as ââ¬Ëravenouslyââ¬â¢. The purpose of this is to give the reader an image of a wild animal in their minds. Dickens is comparing Magwitch with a wild animal to once again remind the reader that Magwitch is uneducated and deprived. Magwitch used his gaze to overpower Pip. This suggests that Dickens was able to write in a way to show whoââ¬â¢s in power. Also, Magwitch tilts Pip over a grave to frighten him and show power. However, we can understand from the novel that Magwitch is also afraid of the graves as he creeps over them.
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