Signaling the Intersection of Two Worlds and Dual Narrative Progression: The Functions of Chimes in A Christmas Carol

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore the functions of chimes in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, with Shen’s theory of dual narrative progression. It offers a close reading of the novella and discovers that at the level of plot development, the chimes signaled the emergence of spirits and the intersection of two worlds. In the meantime, they cater to identifying the covert progression of this novella. While reading other similar works, we may be inspired by the functions of chimes as signals.