Dombey and Son Essay

Submitted By mirandaa711
Words: 384
Pages: 2

Miranda Connelly
Mrs. Hunt
AP Literature
October 18, 2014 Question 1
Having a child is one thing many couples aspire to have, making ones dreams come true. For Dombey, this seems all true, his son being what he needed to continue his success in life. The author used selective detail characterizing Dombey as a selfish man through repetition of the phrase "Dombey and Son". Dombey was described as "rather bald, rather red... too stern and pompous in appearance". At "eight­and­forty years of age", diction suggesting this was written quite a number of years ago, Dombey had already began an excessive amount of balding.
Additionally, he had an overtly red facing, hinting that he may always be flushed with anger.
Dombey's son, named Paul after his father, was to expectantly follow his fathers footsteps, almost immediately after his birth. He too was "very bald, very red, and though (of course) and undeniably a fine infant".

Dombey had greatly looked forward to the birth of his son. The thought of "Dombey and Son" resonating through the room had softened him. The passing of Dombey's father appears to have been a difficult time, for he says ""His fahter's name, Mrs. Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive to this day!"". He wanted to keep the name of

not only himself, but his father ongoing and well in the name of tradition. The author also made mention of ""This house will once again Mrs. Dombey," said Mr. Dombey "be not only in name but in fact Dombey