Isolation: The Gothic Implications and Enhancement of Character Perception Isolation plays a major part in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. The theme of isolation is very important to understand the individual characters and the pain that they suffer from in each of the novels. Although each novel has unique implications of isolation in their individual plots, there can also be seen a clear connection between the two. The connection between the novels can be seen in how isolation is used to enhance the gothic elements of the narrative as well as better educate the reader of the main characters and how they turned out to be the hardened souls that they are introduced as. In Frankenstein, the reader is immediately
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The novel starts off describing the death of Marley and the relationship between him and Scrooge. It then goes on to compare the importance of Marley’s death to supernatural occurrences in the Shakespeare play Hamlet. As if the ghost story presented were not enough to give off the gothic feel, Scrooge is then described in detail to be that of a tyrannical boss that was supernaturally resistant to the coldest of winters. The setting is a counting house with fog so thick that it “obscure[ed] everything” and seemed to almost isolate the building from the houses across the street (Dickens 13). Although the street was not very wide, the houses were described as looking like “phantoms” (Dickens 13). The isolated setting is key to establishing the gothic elements of the novel. Throughout the novel the ghosts, who have isolated Scrooge to only be able to see from the outside in but not to be seen by any others, also help to give off a truly gothic theme to this work. Scrooge is constantly put through fearful and frightening experiences as he travels with the ghosts. Dickens uses the ghosts not only to help create a setting of isolation but also to enhance the gothic feel of the …show more content…
Isolation enhanced the gothic elements in the novels through the setting and supernatural characters. In Frankenstein, the isolated Arctic Ocean setting and the monster help to truly hit the elements of a gothic. Respectively, in A Christmas Carol, the ghosts and the isolated environment that Scrooge is put in help to give Christmas a more gothic feel. It also helps display the true stories behind the presumed destroyed characters as described in the beginnings of the novels. During the early years of each character’s life, isolation caused them to turn down the wrong path and completely disregard others around them. They isolate themselves for causes driven by completely selfish intentions. For Victor it is knowledge and discovery, the idea that he could create life again and go down in history for doing something no other has ever done, for the monster it is getting revenge on Victor and making Victor create him a wife to do with as he pleases, and lastly for Scrooge it is the want for more wealth and power. In the end it is the isolation that also caused each character extreme remorse and pain. In some way isolation had taken a part of each character away that could not be given back. Victor could not take back the deaths of his family, the monster could not take back killing Victor, and Scrooge could not take back the way he had
The novel starts off describing the death of Marley and the relationship between him and Scrooge. It then goes on to compare the importance of Marley’s death to supernatural occurrences in the Shakespeare play Hamlet. As if the ghost story presented were not enough to give off the gothic feel, Scrooge is then described in detail to be that of a tyrannical boss that was supernaturally resistant to the coldest of winters. The setting is a counting house with fog so thick that it “obscure[ed] everything” and seemed to almost isolate the building from the houses across the street (Dickens 13). Although the street was not very wide, the houses were described as looking like “phantoms” (Dickens 13). The isolated setting is key to establishing the gothic elements of the novel. Throughout the novel the ghosts, who have isolated Scrooge to only be able to see from the outside in but not to be seen by any others, also help to give off a truly gothic theme to this work. Scrooge is constantly put through fearful and frightening experiences as he travels with the ghosts. Dickens uses the ghosts not only to help create a setting of isolation but also to enhance the gothic feel of the …show more content…
Isolation enhanced the gothic elements in the novels through the setting and supernatural characters. In Frankenstein, the isolated Arctic Ocean setting and the monster help to truly hit the elements of a gothic. Respectively, in A Christmas Carol, the ghosts and the isolated environment that Scrooge is put in help to give Christmas a more gothic feel. It also helps display the true stories behind the presumed destroyed characters as described in the beginnings of the novels. During the early years of each character’s life, isolation caused them to turn down the wrong path and completely disregard others around them. They isolate themselves for causes driven by completely selfish intentions. For Victor it is knowledge and discovery, the idea that he could create life again and go down in history for doing something no other has ever done, for the monster it is getting revenge on Victor and making Victor create him a wife to do with as he pleases, and lastly for Scrooge it is the want for more wealth and power. In the end it is the isolation that also caused each character extreme remorse and pain. In some way isolation had taken a part of each character away that could not be given back. Victor could not take back the deaths of his family, the monster could not take back killing Victor, and Scrooge could not take back the way he had