Some questions were raised in my mind when reading, and
that was why were many of the people who live in the slum are referenced by a
nickname? What is Dickens saying about this? What is the meaning
behind the names of the people living in "Tom-all-Alones?" Let's take
a look first of all at the name of the slum "Tom-all-Alones." This
name signifies that people who live in the slum are all alone.
We know this because people get sick and don't have any family to take
care of them so when they die, they are all alone.
People are given a nickname for many reasons and one of
them is the obvious and that is out of love, endearment and friendliness.
Another is because they are hiding or exclude themselves. Dickens
highlights an important idea with the nicknaming of his characters in that the
slum is also has a nickname. What this tells us is that the slum is
excluded in the same way the residents have excluded themselves. The
"Tom-all-Alones" have been excluded by society with the development
of the slum.
A nickname changes or takes a
person's identity and this is what Dickens was saying about the change in name.
The name given to you is your identity it is who you are. Dickens is
telling us that the Tom-all-Alones have been stripped of that privilege by
society, giving us the idea that they are not worthy of an identity.
I hadn't realized until I read the article that I showed you today that Dickens was a bit obsessed with giving people nicknames (places, too). If you go back to the eighteenth century, the names are obvious indicators of character--Squire Trueworthy, Mr. Thwackum--but Dickens takes it to another level. "Turveydrop" is pretty much a nonsense word, but I really does seem to capture the man's character (as does Jellyby, somehow).
ReplyDeletePretty much all of the names Dickens chooses to be his characters' real names sound nicknamey, but like the post before this describes, the names seem to describe character. Mrs. Pardiggle is always digging into other people's pockets for donations.
ReplyDeleteI think Mr. Vholes' name is particularly well-matched to the man. Even though I think voles are cute, they are pretty horrible rodents from most perspectives. For example, they tunnel underground-so like Vholes, they looooove the dark. The worst thing about voles is how they attack (eat) the roots of plants, causing the plant to die slowly, in spite of how much sunshine, water, and nutrients is is given. That is EXACTLY what Mr. Vholes does to Richard! He nibbles away at Richard's foundations--cutting him off from friends, family, and the support Richard needs. In spite of Esther's wisdom (fertilizer) and Ada's sunshine, Richard withers away.