Sympathy for Characters in Dream Life and Real Life and The Half-Brothers

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Sympathy for Characters in Dream Life and Real Life and The Half-Brothers

The two texts begin very differently, Schreiner, in Dream Life and

Real Life, immediately begins to build a sense of sympathy in the

reader. She begins repetitive use of adjectives like "little" and

"alone". On the other hand, Elizabeth Gaskell, in the Half-Brothers,

is far more implicit, throughout the story, in her use of language to

describe Gregory. She focuses more on the ill treatment of others

toward him; how he is described as "stupid" and "sulky". Gregory

himself speaks very little throughout the story, though in my own

opinion, he is the main character. We feel sympathy for him, and the

verbal abuse he receives from others, as opposed to the obvious

physicality of Jannita's mistreatment in 'Dream Life and Real Life';

"He asked her why her feet were bare, and what the marks on her back

were".

There are however, many similarities between the two texts, and indeed

the two characters. Both are quite alone in the world, having lost

their parents early on in their lives. 'The Half-Brothers' begins with

an account of the birth of Gregory, and the death of his mother, and

preceding it, his father's. Jannita's mother is never mentioned, but

we are told of her father's death very near to the beginning of the

story. As a result of these tragic losses, neither child has anyone to

look after them, and both have to endure the treatment of their

respective 'families'. They are both very vulnerable, and this is an

attribute that becomes very easy for the reader to sympathise with.

Affection for each character is shown in some form, however. Gregory

has a dog, Lassie, whom he looks after, and attends him in his

shepherding duties. The animal is treated just as badly by the others

in the story, as Gregory is, "Partly for its own demerits, partly

because it belonged to Gregory".

Jannita herds angora goats for her masters, and while she is sleeping,

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