Dickens and his Memorable Characterization

Dickens and his Memorable Characterization

ÇAKIR, Dr. Hasan

Charles Dickens is a distinguished novelist and an influential figure in the Victorian period. In spite of that, some superficial observation and generalization is rife in critical commentaries about his novels. Such repeated assertions are not always the case when respectively applied to the characters and the novels of the writer. One of the achievements that Dickens possesses in connection with the art of his novels is his obvious success in creating memorable characters in his substantial novels. The power that lies under his striking success is that he uses so many interesting techniques to describe characters in detail. He uses many fixed phrases, styles of clothing, parts of jewelry, typical pets, chronic diseases, handy tools, elements of decorations, positions of the body, and mannerisms in using some external organs and the manners associated in daily life. Characters are marked with such techniques and these become indispensable parts of their characterization. Based on the actions and the manners, characters seen with these objects are easily recognized and remembered by the reader to the end of a particular novel. The vivid, colorful, credible and lifelike characters and the techniques used for their creation prove the matchless mastery of the writer.

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2011-05

86