Dicken’s decadent descriptions and
listing of the food available for purchase show the greed and excessiveness of
the rich, it then, due to his choice to then show the poor waiting in line for
food donations- this juxtaposition further highlights the gulf between the rich
and poor.
Consider the underlying messages
about the rich and poor that Dickens is giving through the contrasting food
‘situations’.
“tumbling out into the street in
their apoplectic opulence”.
“Spanish onions, shining in their
fatness of their growth like Spanish friars” – references to religion perhaps
further being critical of the so called Christian Victorian society.
Dickens often refers to the fatness
and largeness of certain people – the capitalists.
Dickens described the fruits that are
mere decorations “pears and apples clustered high in blooming pyramids”.
There is an almost cruelty in the
decorations and descriptions of the food which are deliberately there to
entrance people – but many would never be able to afford.
Dickens here (pages 63 – 64) uses
very long sentences which are crammed with lists of all of the food – this
structural device furthers highlights the extravagance of the foods on offer to
the rich in the Victorian era.
The beginning of the paragraph with
“but” shows there is a change, and we are about to see how the other half live.
People are valued by how much they
earn.
The Cratchit’s meal (compare with
food in shops)
One goose for multiple people. Shows
the lack of resources and sharing.
Compare the shoppers who forgot their
purchases with the Cratchits response to the goose.
Also compare the Cratchit’s elegant
movement to the shoppers. Dickens is suggesting
a beauty in the Cratchits through the description of their movements compared with
the shoppers.
The facts that the Cratchit’s repair
and try to brighten their clothes, and tend them, show their lack of greed and also their ability to accept and try to
improve their situation with very little resources.
The care and concern for Martha shows that people matter more to the
Cratchits than food.
The fact that the young boys listen to the “pudding singing”… Dickens
personifies the food to…
Why does Dicken use the word Tiny constantly for Tim – is he highlighting
his insignificance in society? Also it is emotive language that evokes sympathy
and possible pity.
Dickens juxtaposes the physical size of the Capitalists and the “tiny”
size of tim – is he highlighting the societal inequality and also the unequal
sharing of resources.
“crammed spoons into their mouth, lest they should shriek for goose before
their turn” – tragic but shows their respect for others, and highlights the
rarity that food is to them.
“eked out by the apple sauce and mashed potatoes”. The word choice of
eked out suggests the lack of resources etc.
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