Analyzing The Character Of 'Nancy In A Christmas Carol'

How does dickens use language to create the character of Nancy and its effect on the reader’s interpretations of her?
Charles Dickens uses language to create the character of Nancy, as he displays her to be able to comprehend and is capable of both good and evil, being a criminal on the streets and a caring mother towards Oliver. At the beginning of the novel when Nancy was first described Dickens refers to her in a negative light. His reference to her “free and agreeable . . . manners” indicates that she is a prostitute. The use of “free” and “agreeable” gives a powerful impact which helps the reader to simply understand what her occupation is and how this may affect the reader to believe that it has impacted her personality and also her moral conscience.
We can tell that Nancy is a very determined and passionate person, she is open with her opinions. We can realise this in the way that she speaks to Fagin; “Aye, it is. It is my living. And you're the wretch that drove me to them long ago, and that'll keep me there, day and night, day and night, DAY AND NIGHT!” This helps the reader to see that she isn’t happy in her life, she isn’t happy with how she treats herself and how others treat her. Also makes the reader think that she is trying to change and become better as a person.

Additionally, the character of Nancy at first demonstrates that before she meet Oliver she was concerned about her self only. Dickens use of “he’ll blow on us Fagin, for certain” shows that see is only concerned about herself and her own well-being however she says this before even meeting Oliver, Which leads the reader to think that her affections towards him are true and