In the story, the signalman reports a number of abnormal goings-on while he is at work. The first of these occurs about a year before the signalman meets with the narrator. In this strange incident, the signalman sees a ghost for the first time. It startled him because it called out, “Halloa!
« I have never made a mistake as yet, » he tells the narrator. Still, he fears some calamity. Early in « The Signal-Man, » the narrator suspects that the signalman might be suffering from mental illness, as he comments in the text: « I have speculated since, whether there may have been infection in his mind. »
What does the narrator find unusual about the signalman Behaviour?
As the narrator talks with the signal-man, he learns that the man’s strange behavior arises from his conviction that he has seen a « spectre » on the railway tracks and also emerging from the railway tunnel.
Why is the signalman unable to respond to the warning?
The signalman is unable to respond to the warning because he never quite grasps its meaning and so cannot act upon it. He knows that danger is on the way; every time the ghost makes an appearance a tragic incident inevitably follows. . At the same time, he can’t ignore these apparitions, either.
How was the signalman killed and what makes his death particularly disturbing?
The signal man is killed as he is coming out of the tunnel holding a lamp with his back to an oncoming train. The driver says that he tried to attract the signal man’s attention, first by using his whistle and then by shouting out, but the signal man didn’t hear him, and the driver didn’t have the time to stop.
How did the signalman die?
The narrator discovers that the signalman is dead, having been struck by an oncoming train. He had been standing on the line, looking intently at something, and failed to get out of the way.
What was the function of the signal man?
A signalman or signaller is an employee of a railway transport network who operates the points and signals from a signal box in order to control the movement of trains.
What is the theme of the signalman by Charles Dickens?
In The Signalman by Charles Dickens we have the theme of uncertainty, fear, isolation, madness, trust and respect. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader after reading the story that Dickens may be exploring the theme of uncertainty.
What happens in the signalman?
The narrator discovers that the signalman is dead, having been struck by an oncoming train. . The driver of the train explains that he attempted to warn the signalman of his danger: as the train bore down on the signalman the driver called out to him, « Below there! Look out!
How does Dickens present the signalman?
In The Signalman by Charles Dickens we have the theme of uncertainty, fear, isolation, madness, trust and respect. . All that is known is that the signalman believes he is seeing a spectre or ghost and he cannot be persuaded by the narrator that there is nothing to see.
Where is the signalman set?
Dickens’s « The Signal-Man » takes place in a remote train signal box. The box is surrounded by a dripping wall of jutting stones that blocks out the sunshine and sky almost entirely. In one direction, the wall continues, and in the other, it leads to a tunnel whose architecture is notable for its gloominess.
What are the exact words with which the narrator greets the signalman?
When the narrator arrives in the vicinity of the signal box, he greets the signalman with the following words: « Halloa! Below there! » On hearing these words, the signalman does not look up towards the narrator, as expected, but looks down the line.
How does the narrator describe the place in which the signalman carries out his work?
In Dickens’ story, the signalman is described from the perspective of his male visitor. . The signalman’s place of work is his signal box. The descent to this box and its surroundings are described in very dark and gloomy terms by the narrator: His post was in as solitary and dismal a place as ever I saw. .
Where does the signal man work?
Each spectral appearance precedes a tragic event on the railway on which the signalman works. The signalman’s work is at a signal-box in a deep cutting near a tunnel entrance on a lonely stretch of the railway line, and he controls the movements of passing trains.
What is a signal man?
A signalman is a person who historically made signals using flags and light. In modern times, the role of signalmen has evolved and now usually uses electronic communication equipment. Signalmen usually work in rail transport networks, armed forces, or construction (to direct heavy equipment such as cranes).
What influenced Charles Dickens to write the signalman?
« The Signalman » is thought to have been inspired by the 1861 Clayton Tunnel rail crash which killed 23 and injured 176. Another railway accident, the 1865 derailment at Staplehurst in Kent which Dickens himself survived, also likely influenced the author.
What is the theme of the signalman?
A major theme in »The Signal-Man » is responsibility. The signalman is haunted not only by his own future ghost but by his duty to protect train passengers, conductors, and other crewmen on his line.
Last Review : 16 days ago.
Don’t forget to share this post !
References