Charles Dickens And George Foster: A Literary Analysis

Antebellum writers were presented with the immense task of presenting New York City to readers, causing authors to begin perceiving the city with more than just their eyes. These varying modes of perception allow authors to show their readers both the visible and the invisible city. Charles Dickens and George Foster, two prominent antebellum writers, offer guided tours of New York through their writing styles, even resembling each other at times; however, as a whole, the versions of New York they show us are vastly different. Dickens’ flaneur style in “New York,” guides the reader through the visible city, while George Foster’s New York by Gas-Light delves further, uncovering the invisible city. Even though Foster’s writing takes on fantastical elements at time, his vision of New …show more content…
Broadway, the Five Points. Yet, the versions of New York these writers present are vastly different. Some of these differences stem from the fact that Dickens is merely a visitor in New York, while Foster clearly knows the ins-and-outs of the city. The clearest demonstration of this is when Dickens and Foster guide their readers to the Five Points. When Dickens intends to stroll through the Five Points, he notes that “but it is needful, first, that we take as our escort these two heads of the police, ” because Dickens is not comfortable enough to show the reader around Five Points by himself (Dickens, 99). Comparatively, Foster finds himself and the reader confidently “standing at midnight in the center of the Five Points. Over our heads is a large gas-lamp, which throws a strong light for some distance around” (Foster, 121). Moreover, Foster largely examines the city at night, while Dickens saunters through New York only during the day. The comfort level these men have with New York begins to explain the basic differences in their depictions of the