Because of his position of superiority, he viewed the peasants as inferior beings. Facing his son’s demise, Gaspard is shown “howling over it like a wild animal” (Dickens 84). This scenario establishes the idea commoners are regarded as non-human. Dickens describes the Monsigneur as having a “face like a fine mask” (Dickens 83). Portrayed as a man of fine face, the Monsieur lacks visible evidence of hardship unlike then peasant living in extreme poverty.
Throughout the novel we see examples of characters knowing their place and acting accordingly, however we also see examples of the opposite which leads us to question what kind of society Austen was, in fact, trying to depict through the novel 'Pride and Prejudice'. During the years in which the novel is set (1796-1797) there was a severe class divide that affected the lives of everybody in England. We see this prominently in 'Pride and Prejudice' as it is central to the plot. These class divisions were rooted in family connections and wealth and were very difficult to change, unless you married into wealth or inherited it. As a result of this, social mobility was limited at this time and people socialised in small circles, with only those of a similar class.
Written and set during the first half of the 19th century, Charles Dickens’s novella ‘A Christmas Carol’ presents not only a warning to society but presents his critique of the morality and injustice of the Victorian era. Dickens uses the development of the characters to warn against the consequences of inhumane and selfish actions in constructing his moral message. Furthermore Dickens uses the entertainment value of ‘A Christmas Carol’ to broaden the appeal of the novella to popularise his moral warning. However Dickens’s core objective was to critique the poverty, inequality, and greed of Victorian society which had undergone dramatic change through The Industrial Revolution. Dickens uses the characters of Scrooge, Marley, and Bob Cratchit to develop a moral warning against the consequences of heartless and selfish actions.
Satire being irony, or sarcasm used to expose vice or a moral fault had became the idea for the novel. Thus the setting being World War II made the novel purpose even better. The setting is where the achievement lays “that Heller’s achievement lies in his brilliant use of the setting as metaphor or a satirical macrocosm for many of the macrocosm idiocies afflicting the postwar era in general” (Aldridge). Heller uses satire in order to reveal the idiocy of war (Aldridge). Making Catch-22 the remarkable as well as groundbreaking masterpiece it is today.
Good and Evil in The Adventures of Huck Finn Twain pokes fun at many of the aspects of Southern life in the 19th century, including slavery and feuds, and several characters as well. His fiery attitude about the ills of society shows itself from the first page of this book. One of the main themes in this novel is the conflict between the society's "good" and "bad". Huck believed that a person was "good" if they were educated, well read, religiously trained, and had the ability to follow rules. This, of course, is not the true nature of "goodness", and a key element in Twain's satire.
In the opening paragraph he depicts Scrooges personality as ‘wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching.’ Dickens uses these descriptive words in an elongated list, to emphasise powerfully the callous personality Scrooge has. By Dickens using this technique of a long list of off-putting language, it really makes a horrible impression and sticks in the readers mind. Dickens also uses similes to illustrate the character of Scrooge, ‘as solitary as an oyster.’ An oyster spends its life isolated from everything, as does Scrooge. Dickens also compares the inclement weather as if it was Scrooges personality, ‘no warmth could warm him, no wintry weather chill him.’ This leads us to believe Scrooge has buried his emotions so deep that nothing can break through and that he is .............. Dickens also shows us how people react to Scrooge hoping that we will react in the same way, ‘no beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what o’clock it was’. This shows us that Scrooge has a threatening presence so people would try and avoid him.
Secondly, Dickens and Goodwin utilize figurative language and their organization to establish different styles within their writing. Dickens has a more poetic style and he incorporates personification which helps us mentally envision the fog as a physical object to further help us in fully understanding the actual environment and conditions it was like living under this deadly fog. Goodwin uses statistical and scientific diction forming an informational style. The strict informational style of writing
While reading Pride and Prejudice and Great Expectations, we see the portrayal of social status and snobbery repeatedly represented throughout both novels. It was the common theme in both and it was represented strongly by the characters that evolved throughout them. During the 1800’s, social status was a very important factor in peoples’ lives and we see that through Jane Austen and Charles Dickens’ works, how it influenced both of them and their writings. Great expectations has been described as a story of a 'snobs progress' as we see Pip transition from a young boy at the forge to a gentleman, in this essay I will discuss the ways in which Dickens keeps the readers sympathy for Pip even though at times his rude behaviour has shocked readers. Also I will explore snobbery in other characters in the novel which I will compare to Pride and Prejudice.
In Charles Dickens novel Barnaby Rudge, several patterns of patriarchal dominance are presented. Through manipulation, governance and the traditional values of the class system the dominant figures use their own positions to dictate the futures of the less socially awarded and to manipulate those around them to receive their own desired outcomes. Dickens uses these patterns to establish a historical setting, character conflicts and foils; and lastly to build upon characterization. John Willet, Mr. Chester, their sons and the relationships that they share with the people that surround them, all create definite patterns of dominance, establishment, and the contrasts between them. Gabriel Varden is one of the most balanced and logical of all the men in Barnaby Rudge.
Charles Dickens was known as a social reformist and so particularly wrote novels about social class. Dickens wrote ‘Great Expectations’ to draw attention to the issue of how different the lives were of the rich and the poor. This had never been done before, so it engages the reader. This was done using the characters, language, setting, historical context and narrative perspective. Dickens engages the reader by using different interesting characters.