Food within Charles Dicken's Novels

To conclude, after researching the ways Dickens’ use of food within his work I have discovered that he frequently employs food as a representation of the social class of characters; food as status is a major theme which can be seen throughout many of his novels. He also uses food as a setting, if multiple character’s attend a meal it gives a valid excuse for as to why characters may be seen in the same location at the same time. Thus opening up the narrative for action; for example, the degradation of Pip during Christmas dinner, or Scrooge witnessing the impoverish representation of the Cratchit’s family meal. Further still, Dicken’s tends to use food to embody a character; for example, Peggotty’s body is compared to apples which represents her status as a cook (the provider of food) and even sheds light on how the character’s physical appearance may be (red and plump). Dicken’s utilizes food as a physical descriptor, social status and emotive exploration. Every r...

To begin the novel Dicken’s employs food as a function to narrate Dickens’ critique of untoward familial relationships. Under the Gargery’s roof, Pip receives enough food to sustain him, however, the food fails to be given with love. Food serves the clinical purpose of physical sustenance and neglects the emotional nourishment which most times go hand in hand. Dickens creates a contrast between Mrs. Joe’s pincushion breast and the way she aggressively provides Pip with food: ‘jammed the loaf hard and fast’, ‘using both sides of the knife with a slapping dexterity’.   This stark juxtaposition of a soft texture to the hostile preparation of food intensifies the indication of a lack of love and care put into the creation of the meal. In this way, the food serves as an object to satiate the physical feeling of hunger rather than nurturing the emotional, maternal warmth that comes with a carer feeding a child. Dicken’s also employs the function of food and meals as a to present t...