In an excerpt from Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens, a man's wife just gave birth to their newborn child and he's already planning out the future of his son. Through a god-like view, the reader sees the arrogance of Dombey and feels pity towards his wife and son. Using rhetorical devices, Dickens tells of this man and his thoughts. Dickens' use of diction and detail shows the kind of smugness that the reader finds …showed first 75 words of 281 total…

…showed last 75 words of 281 total…omniscient point of view, Dickens shows both what Dombey thinks and what is thought of Dombey. Dombey obviously thinks the world of his new son in the business fashion, not truly in the family manner. Dickens adds in some small movements of the child, things that if told in first person would not be noticed much. The clenching fists of the infant seem to produce an image of rebellion or a struggle against his father.