Dombey and Son - Narrator's Attitude Towards the Characters
...lel structure between Dombey and Son in the second paragraph further reveals the narrator’s dislike for Dombey. Both characters are described as “red” and “bald” in order to show Dombey’s strong influence on how his new-born son will develop. It is clear that Dombey has been waiting a long time to have a son; it was a “long-looked-for event.” The narrator makes sure to describe Dombey’s “heavy gold watch-chain” in order to introduce the idea of the importance of business in Dombey’s life. One can deduce that Dombey is only excited about having a son because it will help to perpetuate the prosperity of his business. In fact, this is expressed in Dombey’s first words to his wife: “The house will once again…be not only in name but in fact Dombey and Son; Dom-bey and Son!” This phrase shows Dombey’s obsession insofar as he now has a new catchy name for his business. The narrator obviously looks down on this father’s prioritization of business before boy. In the final paragraph of this passage, the narrator again lashes out at Dombey, but this time for his egoism, in an ironic manner. The narrator portrays Dombey as the center of the universe. His excessive use of larger than life concepts, such as the sun and moon, and A.D. (anno Domini/Dombei) are all used in a sarcastic manner to depict Dombey’s obsession with only himself. Mrs. Dombey is a character that the narrator feels great sympathy for. Because of Dombey’s unkind personality, Mrs. Dombey has to deal with much negativity. In the conversation that takes place between Mrs. Dombey and her husband, the rarity in which Mrs. Dombey is treated nicely is very clear. When Dombey refers to his wife as “my dear” (which, as previously described, Dombey hesitates in saying), “a transient flush of faint surprise” is shown on the face of Mrs. Dombey, who is further desc...