Hopefulness vs Doubt: Constructed Conflicts in Literature

A popular theme that is very often present in any type of literary text is the conflict between good and evil. When these two binaries are combined, they engage in a push-pull type of relationship that are constantly at war with each other throughout a work of literature. This idea is demonstrated in various works of nineteenth century British literature in the concepts of optimism (good) versus pessimism (evil). An author may use this notion of optimism against pessimism to teach a moral lesson, to make opposite viewpoints evident to the reader, or to show a transformation of a character whether it be from an optimistic perspective to a pessimistic one or vice versa. Whatever the reason may be, the conflict between a hopeful outlook and a negative viewpoint provide an interesting and an effective means of grabbing the reader’s attention and pulling them headfirst into the writing.

Stories are sometimes written with a certain moral in mind that is intended to educate the reader about the difference between wrong and right. Often the moral is simple and straightforward as is the case in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The lesson to be gained in this story is that people may derive internal good from many things such as giving, dancing, friends, family, and Christmas even though they have not profited monetarily. By giving and indulging and taking time out to appreciate, one will accumulate a sense of happiness that they may then share with the rest of the world. The binary between good and evil, optimism and pessimism, is present within the piece by the poor, working class (Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and Scrooge’s nephew, Fred) representing the optimistic side and Ebenezer Scrooge playing the role of the pessimistic, stingy, old man who seldom gives anyone the time of day.

Dickens described Scrooge as “hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose blue, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gaitâÂ?¦” (1358-59). Scrooge was the epitome of cynicism. Completely opposite of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol were the people of the town including Fred, Scrooge’s nephew. In the first Stave, Fred greets Scrooge with “a Merry Christmas, uncle!” After Scrooge’s typical ‘humbug’ reply, nephew Fred accurately demonstrates his optimism and Christmas spirit by explaining Christmas, “as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys” (1360). Scrooge undergoes a transformation of self and by the end has shown a complete turnaround from his old and penny-pinching ways. “Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all and infinitely moreâÂ?¦He became a good friend, as good a master, as good a man, as the good old city knewâÂ?¦” (1404). Dickens used this clash of pessimism and optimism to create an ethical purpose for the story and while doing this he also managed to convert the main character, Scrooge, from evil to finally good spirited and quite a pleasant character at the end.

This type of pessimistic to optimistic transformation is also apparent in an early nineteenth century British poem by William Wordsworth called “I wandered lonely as a cloud.” Although it is possible to interpret this poem in an infinite number of ways, one particularly strong reading of the poem has the narrator changing his disposition from that of loneliness and despair to a more happy and cheerful mood by a mere fantastical nature scene. In the beginning of the poem, Wordsworth paints a picture of a person wandering like a lone cloud, seemingly in search of inspiration or simply just wandering about for some company. After seeing a breathtaking view of daffodils “fluttering and dancing in the breeze,” the narrator’s perspective begins to change. No longer does he feel isolated in a bleak and sad world. Now he has seen the beauty that the world has to offer. This beautiful scene was imprinted on his mind and he even mentions, “For oft, when on my couch I lie in vacant or in pensive mood, they flash upon that inward eye which is the bliss of solitude; and then my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils.” The narrator seems to be going from a hopeless, lonely, and pessimistic view on life to one filled with pleasure and bliss by this simple remembrance. Wordsworth even uses pleasing words like “fluttering”, “twinkle”, and “gay” in his poem to describe this wondrous view. When things happen to get rough, the narrator simply thinks of the daffodils and his mood is thus transformed.

But character transformations are not always constructed by the author to go from unhappy to pleasurable. They can just as easily convert the other way. For example, in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the conversion of the wedding guest goes from a delightful and carefree outlook to a much sadder and yet more knowledgeable one. The targeted wedding guest, who has just come from a wedding and is about to dine upon the merry din, is suddenly stopped by a stranger known as the ancient mariner. After the mariner imparts his sad tale onto the selected wedding guest, it seems that the wedding guest’s outlook has suddenly been tainted by what the mariner has said to him. Instead of attending the party, he turns away. “He went like one that hath been stunned, and is of sense forlorn: a sadder and a wiser man, he rose the morrow morn.” Unlike that of the narrator in Wordsworth’s poem, the wedding guest seems to have changed from a merry guest at a wedding party to a sadder and wiser man. Although he too was given a moral that combats evil and that was “to love both man and bird and beast” (542).

Yet there are times when one or both parties are unable to partake in any type of transformation for whatever the reason. It could be that they are unable to understand the others point of view because of a number of factors like status in society, age, or personality. In William Wordsworth’s poem called “We Are Seven,” the seemingly wealthy male passerby is unable to comprehend the fact that a poor little cottage girl still counts her deceased brother and sister among the living. Many would have reason to say that the older gentleman seems to have a pessimistic view on life while the little girl a more optimistic one. Although the man tries to push her into seeing the “correct” answer, she refuses to give in and continues to reply in response to his correction that there is only five of them, “Nay, we are seven.” Wordsworth is trying to show his readers the black and white worlds these two very different individuals inhabit.

The man is much older and wiser and has a scientific perspective on the situation. He is thinking rationally and logically, much the same way an older generation would think. As long as the two little children are not living and breathing, he sees that there are only five children. Also adding to the fact, he never knew these children to be alive so he has had no personal connection with them. It also may be that because they are not of the wealthier upper class but members of the poor lower class that their existence does not account for as much. But to the little girl, her brother and sister were very much a part of this world and are still alive in her memories. Her insistence that her brother and sister still count is quite charming and depicts her childhood innocence. The man soon becomes frustrated that the little maiden would not learn from him. “‘But they are dead: those two are dead! Their spirits are in heaven!’ ‘Twas throwing words away; for still the little Maid would have her will, and said, ‘Nay, we are seven!'” (342) The old gentleman demonstrates his maturity by letting the little girl have her way and get the last word. At the very end of the poem, the reader gets a sense that neither the man nor the little girl is right or wrong (though the child’s view is obviously much more optimistic and hopeful). They are simply two individuals from dramatically different backgrounds and places in life, unable to see the other’s perspective.

In nearly all works of literature, it is essential to have a point of opposition or conflict acting in the piece. In the previously mentioned works of nineteenth century British literature, there is a common theme present and that is the ongoing battle between goodness and evil, more specifically an optimistic attitude and a pessimistic attitude. The contradiction is used in a number of different ways to portray morals, transformations, and to offer up new sides of an argument that may only be visible to certain persons. Without these opposing concepts, there would be no action, no change, and thus; no story.