An Interpretation of Juvenile Images in Charles Dickens’ Novels.doc

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1、查尔斯.狄更斯笔下的少年形象解读An Interpretation of Juvenile Images in Charles Dickens NovelsAbstract: This paper introduces Charles Dickens painful childhood briefly, and then analyses juvenile image in Oliver Twist, Great Expectation and David Copperfield in comparison with Charles Dickens painful grown-up exper

2、ience. The analysis of miserable childhood image and struggling juvenile image show the limit of Charles Dickens humanism. Then it will criticize bourgeoisies selfishness and hypocrisy in the Victorian Age.Key words: juvenile image; bourgeoisie; hypocrisy; interpretation摘 要：本文简介查尔斯狄更斯不幸的童年经历, 结合着作者成

3、长经历对他的作品雾都孤儿、远大前程、大卫科波菲尔这三部作品当中的儿童形象及青少年形象进行分析。通过对少年儿童不幸的遭遇和经历以及青少年的奋斗的分析，勾勒出查尔斯狄更斯的人文主义的局限性，进而来批判维多利亚时期资产阶级社会的自私和伪善.关键词：青少年形象；资产阶级；伪善；解读ContentsI. Background Information.1II. Literature Review.2A. Literary current.2B. Charles Dickens.3III. Juvenile Images in Charles Dickens Novels.4A. The miserable

4、 childhood image.4 B. The struggling Juvenile image.4 C. The lucky Juvenile image6 IV. The Interpretation of Juvenile Images.6 A. The shadow of Charles Dickens life.6B. The weak struggling.7 C. Charles Dickens humanism.8V. Conclusion.9Works Cited.10I. Background InformationIn English literature, the

5、 Victorian Age (1832-1868) is a very important part. Of the thirty-six years, the first fourteen were filled with unrest, alarm, misery, and they contrast with the growing prosperity and general good feeling of the succeeding twenty-two years when English, having committed herself to industrialism a

6、nd free trade, become for a time “the workshop of the world”. During this period of time, many great changes took place in administrations. Since the Industrial Revolution, the class structure in English society had undergone radical changes. The industrial capitalists began to play a more important

7、 role and vied for political power with the old aristocracy. However with the development of capitalism, there arose a powerful working class. The conflict between labor and capital was for some time the same as the struggle between the feudal and the bourgeois classes. But from the thirties of the

8、19th century, the struggle between the workers and capitalists became the fundamental contradiction in English social life. The ignorance, incapacity, and heartlessness of many of these employees moved Dickens and other writers to bitter satire; but the new policy was a change in the right direction

9、. The new law, though an advance upon the old methods of dealing with pauperism, was enforced with a grim Benthamite rigidity and impersonality which caused needless suffering and humiliation. The picture in Oliver Twist (1838) is of the typical workhouse in the years before experience and protests

10、introduced ameliorating modifications in the administration of the law.Amid the multitude of social and political forces of this great age, four things stand out clearly. First, the long struggle of the Anglo-Saxons for personal liberty is definitely settled, and democracy becomes the established or

11、der of the day. Second, because it is an age of democracy, it is an age of popular education, of religious tolerance, of growing brotherhood, and of profound social unrest. Third, because it is an age of democracy and education, it is an age of comparative peace. Fourth, the Victorian Age is especia

12、lly remarkable because of its rapid progress in all the arts and sciences and in mechanical inventions.All these material things, as well as the growth of education, have their influence upon the life of a people, and it is inevitable that they should react upon its prose and poetry; when these new

13、things shall by long use have become familiar as country roads, or have been replaced by newer and better things, then they also will have their associations and memories.II. Literature ReviewA. Literary currentIn Victorian Age of tense class struggle appeared a new literary trendcritical realism. E

14、nglish critical realism of the 19th century flourished in the forties and in the early fifties. The critical realists described with much vividness and criticized the capitalist system from a democratic viewpoint. The greatest English realist of the time was Charles Dickens. “With striking force and

15、 truthfulness, he creates pictures of bourgeois civilization, describing the misery and suffering of the common people” (Liu 118), especially the childrens suffering such as Pip, David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. Karl Marx gave the following characterization of the works of critical realists: “The

16、 present brilliant school of novelists in England, whose graphic and eloquent descriptions have revealed more political and social truths to the world than have all the politicians, publicists, and moralists added together, has pictured all sections of the middle class, beginning with the respectabl

17、e renter and owner of government stocks, who looks down on all kinds of business as being vulgar, and finishing with the small shopkeeper and lawyers clerk” (Wu 153).The greatness of the English realists lies not only in their satirical portrayal of bourgeosie and in the exposure of the greed and hy

18、pocrisy of the ruling classes, but also in their profound humanism which is revealed in their sympathy for the labouring people. These writers create positive characters who are quite alien to the vices of the rich and who are chiefly common people.Humorous scenes may attend the actions of the posit

19、ive characters, but this humour is tinged with lyricism and serves to stress the human qualities, the sincerity and kindness of such characters. At the same time, bitter satire and ever grotesque is used to expose and criticize the seamy side of reality.The English working class, however, created a

20、literature of its own which can be, in full justice, called the Chartist literature, for it developed among the participants of the Chartist movement before and after the revolutionary events of 1848. The Chartist writers introduced a new theme into English literaturethe struggle of the proletariat

21、for its rights.B. Charles DickensCharles Dickens is one of the most popular English novelists of the Victorian Age and one of the most popular of all time. He created some of literatures most memorable characters. His novels and short stories have never gone out of print. A concern with what he saw

22、as the pressing need for social reform is a theme that runs throughout his work. Much of his work first appeared in periodicals and magazines in serialized form, a favored way of publishing fiction at the time. Other writers of the time would complete entire novels before serial publication commence

23、d, but Dickens often wrote his in part, in the order in which they were meant to appear. The practice lent his stories a particular rhythm, punctuated by one cliffhanger after another to keep the public eager for the next installment. Critics and fellow-novelists such as George Gissing and G. K. Che

24、sterton have applauded Dickens for his mastery of prose, and for his teeming gallery of unique characters, many of whom have acquired iconic status in the English-speaking world. Others such as Henry James and Virginia Woolf have accused him of sentimentality and implausibility.He was born in Portsm

25、outh in 1812. He was the second son of a clerk in the Navy Pay Office. His childhood, like many of those portrayed in his novels, was not particularly happy, mainly due to his fathers inability to stay out of debt (Sun, Chen 89). This led in 1824, to his fathers imprisonment in Marshalea Prison and

26、Dickens being sent to work in a blacking warehouse, labeled bottles. Memories of this time haunted him for the rest of his life. In defiance of his parents failure to educate him, Dickens worked hard, teaching himself shorthand, studying hard; becoming first a Clerk in a solicitors office, then a fr

27、eelance reporter for the court of Doctors Commons. Around 1830 he had fallen in love with Maria Beadnell, a bankers daughter, however by 1833 this was over. He became a reporter of parliamentary debate for the Morning Chronicle. It is from here that Dickenss talent for caricature stemmed and his Ske

28、tches by Boz, which appeared in Monthly Magazine and the Evening Chronicle, became immensely popular.Dickens carried the good traditions of realism novels since 18th century of England and also developed it. He created his unique technique and formed his own style. Dickenss works are very important

29、in English literary history. They established the base of critical realism and had effect upon the development of the whole European realism novels.His main works: Oliver Twist; A Christmas Carol; David Copperfield; Great Expectations; Sketches by Boz; The Pickwick Papers; Dombey and Son; A Tale of

30、Two Cities; Hard Times; The Old Curiosity Shop ects.III. Juvenile Images in Charles Dickens NovelsA. The miserable childhood image If we refer to juvenile image in Charles Dickens, we have to begin from their childhood. It is acknowledged that most of Charles Dickens characters in his novels have bi

31、tter childhood. Oliver Twist in Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse as an orphan. No child could have warm clothes and enough food here. Fortunately he was still alive in poor condition. When he was nine years old, he asked for more porridge because he was too hungry. Everyday he got up at six and

32、worked hard. However he was punished and sold to a coffin-maker. The undertaker treated Oliver Twist very unfairly and badly. After serving an unhappy apprenticeship to the undertaker, Oliver runs away to London. Whats worse, he was aimed by a crowd of thieves. He was forced to steal. In the end he

33、was saved by his fathers friend and got his own property. David Copperfield in David Copperfield, a posthumous child, was born soon after his father died. His mother, a gentle weak woman, married again. Her second husband, Mr. Murdstone is a vile natured man. Under the guise of teaching David and fa

34、rming his character, he tortured both David and his mother, drove the poor young mother to an early grave. David was sent to school, where he was badly treated by the sadistic-head-humored. When Davids mother died, he was taken from school, and as a child he was, set to work as a child-labor in a bl

35、acking factory. He lived a life of poverty and misery, and he decided to run away.Pip in Great Expectations is an orphan, too. His sister had brought him up “by hand”. But in fact, his sister often beat him with her hands. So when she said these words, it seemed her very ridiculous. He had no normal

36、 education and lived in poor conditions, but he didnt know. B. The struggling Juvenile image Oliver Twist cant bear the suffering from the coffin maker and he ran away to London. During these days he carried on his struggle with hunger and exhaustion. This is the first step that he struggled for him

37、self. He wanted to be out of suffering. However, he becomes a chief as soon as he arrived in London unwillingly. Other thieves wanted to make Oliver be a member of them; however Oliver didnt follow them from his heart. When the thieves are doing their housebreaking in plan, Oliver didnt do what they

38、 told him. On the contrary, he asked for Gods help. There were some sentences narrating the scene. “Oh! For Gods sake let me go! cried Oliver; let me run away and die in the fields. I will never come near London; never, never! Oh! Pray have mercy on me, and do not make me steal. For the love of all

39、the bright Angles that rest in Heaven, have mercy upon me! ”In the short time he had had to collect his senses, the boy had firmly resolved that, whether he died in the attempt or not, he would make one effort to dart up stairs from the hall, and alarm the family. Filled with this idea, he advanced

40、at once, but stealthily. Although threatened by the two thieves, Oliver Twist neither became a thief nor helped others damage other people. He had a kind and righteous heart. David Copperfield didnt want to be a child labor and have a future. So he walked from London to Dover to throw himself on the

41、 mercy of his great-aunt, Bestey Trotwood, an eccentric but good-hearted old lady. His aunt adopted him and sent him to a good school. Therefore he ended the bitter childhood and started a new life. However this was a changeable world. His aunt went into bankruptcy and David must earn his bread by h

42、imself and support his aunt. So he worked as Dr. Strongs secretary very hard. Here he worked with courage and looked into the future. With the help of Mr. Micawber, he recovered Davids aunts money and gave it back to her. This was a piece of good news. After his wifes death he went aboard and came b

43、ack 3 years later. He got rid of melancholy in his heart and married an ideal wife Agnes who can be near him forever and point him upward. At last they are happy. This was a process that David Copperfield struggled for his future and life. Pip from Great Expectations was a poor and untutored boy. He

44、 met Estella by chance and fell in love with her. After their meeting he always wanted to be a gentleman and marry her. However he got the support from Mr. Magwitch who was a criminal and starts his study. Meanwhile he tried his best to adjust himself to be a gentleman. Whats more, he also got used

45、to a luxury and weary life which the rich always lived. He became vainglory and hypocritical. He even looked down upon his brother-in-law Joe Gargery who gave him much love and care when he was a little boy. After the arrival of Mr. Magwitch, he knew the supporter wasnt Miss Havisham who adopted Est

46、ella but a criminal Mr. Magwitch. Pips dream awoke. The life was kidding on him. However he was serious with his life and started his new life as everyman. This was a process that Pip struggled with his life.C. The lucky Juvenile image Unfortunately Oliver is forced to help Sikes and Toby the two ro

47、bbers open the Maylies house. While he tried his best to alarm the owner, he was shot by a myrmidon and hurt badly. The two robbers escaped soon without Oliver. He experienced a sea of tribulations and got better by the taking care of the two ladies. He led a happy time and acquired knowledge as a y

48、oung master. This was a beginning of his happy life. He met his helper Mrs. Brownlow, his fathers friend. Mrs. Brownlow and his aunt Miss Rose found Olivers elder brother Monks and made out Olivers life experience. Whats more, Mrs. Brownlow helped him gain his own fortune and adopted him as his own child. At last, Oliver found his relatives and