A Christmas Song by H E Bates. Theme and Character

Nastya Stepicheva. 4aG.

A Christmas Song by H E Bates. Theme and Character.

A Christmas Song is the wonderful story, which consist of several themes, but I consider the main theme is the Christmas. This story about young woman who lives in a small, industrial town. She is a talented music teacher who works in a music shop. People who are around her, completely different from her. But one day a young man comes into the store in search of a Christmas song.

There are several characters in the story. The central and static character is Clara. Clara is dreamy, talented, and romantic and lives in another world. It will probably be hard for her to be happy in Evensford. She dreams about snow, which can change the atmosphere in the small, industrial town. I also think, that she is a static character, because she so talented and ambitious woman, who easily can change her life, but she does not do it. Clara has a sister, Effie, who is minor, static and foil character. Effie also do not change her life, because he really like it. She is happy and beautiful young woman, who prefers to visit different parties and to spend her times with handsome men. She is a foil character because her character is the opposite character of Clara. The young man, which comes to Clara to find a Christmas song for his girlfriend, is timid and shy. He is definitely minor, static and symbolic character. He symbolizes the existence of the same refined, romantic and educated person as Clara in this small town. But he does not have a full personality in the story. However, there is another man in the story, who has a full personality. His name is Freddy. He is also static and foil as Effie. Freddy is opposition of the young man. Freddy is energetic, boisterous, unpleasant and a bit of a bully. He is used to having his own way. He is clumsy and rude though he tries to say nice things to Clara. Bates compares him to a big dog. Freddy is opposition of the young man.