Sarah Hadi 5/02/2023

Nick
Nick's Character Vices
-Spiteful:
Nick is rarely happy for another individual
-Maliciously envious:
motivated by anger
when he notices that one of his
neighbours may have achieved something
-Ingratitude and Discontent:
Neighbours not discontent with their possessions
until Nick wishes to take a different
form through his wishes, cause
havoc making neighbours unhappy
-Appear competitive and unsatisfied:
feels the need to achieve something better
driven by a desire to better himself
-Avariciously Jealous:
jealous of all those around
him who may be prospering
his unhappiness or jealousy brings
disturbance to his neighbours' lives
Rossetti may be highlighting how an internal
emotion like jealousy can have an external effect
-Insecure:
Nick is exceptionally insecure
noticeable by most of the wishes
he wishes for during the story
-Destructive:
destructive owing to the sense of insecurity
and jealousy he feels towards others
Human:
a human trait can be seen by the fact
that when Nick wishes to be wealthy
others rob him and try to kill him
Contentment:
Noticeably, Nick himself only feels
content when he makes his last wish, as
though the lesson learnt is understood
realises better to appreciate what he has
rather than focusing on what others might have

Theme of Redemption
Eventually, Rossetti explores
the theme of redemption
After being transformed back into
himself he redeems himself by repairing
the damage he has caused to others
becomes generous and attempts to make amends
to all the neighbours that he has wronged
has learnt to be grateful
Nick far happier man when he
no longer is jealous of others
Interestingly, Rossetti introduces the
theme of redemption by suggesting that
everybody has the opportunity to change
learnt better for an individual to help others
 Nick has helped his neighbours,
rather than to be envious of them
suggest that an individual is showing a degree
of kindness to another person but within
themselves will while being happier too
Having experienced what it is like
for wishes to come true, realises that
it is better to be respectful of others
To admire another person’s achievements or
good fortune and not to be overly concerned
about what he may not have but to focus on
and thankful for one's own belongings
By doing so, Nick becomes a happier man

Short Story 'Nick' by Christina Rossetti

SUMMARY
-Nick lives in a small village near Fairyland.
-seems to have everything that anyone could want, but
his sour disposition makes him envious of his
neighbours.
-One day,he is wishing he could be a flock of sparrows
or a blight to destroy his neighbour's cherry trees
-a fairy tells him that, from this time onward, for an
hour, he will become whatever he wishes to be
- Nick turns into a flock of sparrows and attacks the
cherries, but his neighbour shoots all the sparrows but
one
-A cat attacks the sparrow, and Nick wishes he were a
dog and attacks the cat
-He then leaps at the cat's owner, who cries out: "Mad
dog!"
-This brings out the villagers in pursuit of Nick and
chase after him with bludgeons
-he wishes that he were the stick of the one of the
villagers who is running at the front of the pack, since
this stick is about to hit him
-Nick becomes the stick, the stick breaks, and the
villager takes the pieces home and throws them on the
fire
-Nick is angry that not only is he burning, but he is
providing warmth and comfort for others in the process
-He wishes he were the fire, so that he could burn
down the cottage
-when he does so, neighbours come with water and
reduce him to a small, smoldering flame
-Nick reflects that he has done more harm to himself
than to anyone else and decides that his next wish will
not be malevolent
-He wishes to be a rich old miserly man who lives
nearby
-However, that night, while lying in his bed, robbers
break into the old man's house and murder him
-Nick, however, is able to wish to be himself again and
frightens the robbers away by apparently returning to
life
-He makes his way home and, the next day, repairs the
harm he has done to all his neighbors.
-No one ever hears him wish for anything again.
Themes Nick
1. Theme of Discontent
2. Theme of Jealousy
3. Theme of Insecurity
4. Theme of Vengenance
5. Theme of Redemption
6. Theme of Change

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Narration:
First Person Anonymous Narrator
-Predominant theme:
Theme of discontent
Despite comforts Nick's dissatisfaction with life
driven by coveting others belongings and fortune
Materially Nick affluent, it is
clear that Nick is jealous of others
Moral:
Rossetti suggesting that people lose sight
of themselves or be blinded by jealousy,
as a result taking legally inappropriate
and morally corrupt course of action
despite all his wishes with the
exception of the last one, he never
achieves contentment or happiness
always someone or something better than him
Rossetti is suggesting that an individual should
be happy with what they have without looking
at their neighbour as a point of reference

Christina Rossetti
-Christina Rosetti, a writer and poet of the Victorian era
in England
-a romantic poet, writing poetry mainly meant for
children that was influenced by the romantic era stylistic
element
-Her main work reflected religious themes with social
moral and values