TERM PAPERS ON CHARLES DICKENS
A Biography of Charles Dickens
There is something about Charles Dickens' imaginative power that defies
explanation in purely biographical terms. Nevertheless, his biography
shows the source of that power and is the best place to begin to define
it.
Joe Gargery
Joe Gargery might not be the smartest or wisest of
Dickens' characters, but he is definitely one of the kindest
and most humane. Although Miss Havisham gets much
attention for being different, I think that you will soon be
convinced that Joe, however simple he may be, is definitely
a unique character. It is my opinion that Dickens made an
effort to raise the readers respect for Joe by the sharp
contrast between him and his wife.
Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol, although occurring at a
different time period than today, still holds values and lessons that
are important in society today. The main character, Ebeneezer Scrooge,
starts off having no feelings for others or any Christmas spirit, but
changes from his gloomy, dark appearance to a carefree, child-like
persona at the end. Dickens shows in A Christmas Carol that personal
greed will lead to peril, while kindness and generosity lead to personal
happiness.
A Tale of Two Cities
When writing a book, most authors are writing about an issue they have.
However, other themes become apparent through the course of the piece,
either
consciously or subconsciously. One such theme is a reversal of
characters in A Tale of
Two Cities. Individuals and groups of people change dramatically from
the outset of the
book all the way up to its conclusion. Three of the most obvious changes
in character are
Sydney Carton, Madame DeFarge, and the French people as a whole.
David Copperfield
Charles Dickens’, David Copperfield recorded the journey of a human
being from before birth to a happily prosperous marriage. In the way he
suffered tortures from his stepfather and one of his closer friends. He
obtained comfort, however from his aunt, his nurse and her family, and
the Micawbers. David had two marriages. One to the beautiful yet
immature Dora Spenlow, and to Agnes Wickfield, his perennial confidante.
These two women both contributed to fulfilling Davids’ different needs.
God's Law vs Human Law in Great
Expectations
In his book Great Expectations, the
problematic nature of moral judgement and justice that stems from a
conflict between God's law and human law is one of several topical
themes that Charles Dickens addresses. This paradox regularly surfaces
in his treatment of plot and setting, and is more subtlety illustrated
in his use of character. To facilitate the reader's awareness of such a
conflict, the narrator often uses language that has Christian
connotations when relating his thoughts and when giving descriptions of
the environment, characters and events that take place. While these
things allude to divine and moral law, the story itself revolves around
crime and criminals, thereby bringing issues of human law into focus.
Hard Times
CharlesDickens' novel, Hard Times, is a story of two struggles--the
struggle of
fact versus imagination and the struggle between two classes. It takes
place in
Coketown, and industrial-age English city. The novel is divided into two
sections. One
deals with the struggle of upper class members of society and their
struggle to learn the
value of imagination. The other involves a working class man who is
trapped by those in
that upper class who trap him in a dreary existence.
Literary Criticism
Something about Charles Dickens and his
ability to take his reader to unbelievable places with his imaginative
powers allows him the honor of being the most popular English novelist
of the 19th century. Dickens has thrilled his readers for many years
with his down-to-earth stories about real people forced into real
situations. Charles Dickens has the ability to tell his stories from
personal experiences. He fine-tuned his ability to tell his own story
through the life of another character or cast of characters.
Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist - A loving, innocent orphan child; the son of Edwin Leeford
and
Agnes Fleming. He is generally quiet and shy rather than aggressive.
Oliver's
affectionate nature, along with his weakness and innocence, earn him the
pity and
love of the good people he meets. Dicken's choice of Oliver's name is
very
revealing, because the boy's story is full of "twists" and turns.
Dickens uses his
skills at creating character to make Oliver particularly appealing.
The Scarlet Letter
The ninth commandment tells man not to
give false witness. (Exodus 20:16) Nathaniel Hawthorn and Charles Dickens
in their novels The Scarlet Letter and A Tale of Two Cities,
respectively, both use punishment for deception as a recurring theme.
Although they do so to different degrees and in dissimilar manners, both
authors agree that deception is a sin that requires punishment.
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