Article #460-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The Dawn of a To-morrow, by Frances Hodgson Burnett

FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT

There are always two ways of looking at a thing, frequently there are
six or seven; but two ways of looking at a London fog are quite enough.
When it is thick and yellow in the streets and stings a man's throat and
lungs as he breathes it, an awakening in the early morning is either an
unearthly and grewsome, or a mysteriously enclosing, secluding, and
comfortable thing. If one awakens in a healthy body, and with a clear
brain rested by normal sleep and retaining memories of a normally
agreeable yesterday, one may lie watching the housemaid building the
fire; and after she has swept the hearth and put things in order, lie
watching the flames of the blazing and crackling wood catch the coals
and set them blazing also, and dancing merrily and filling corners with
a glow; and in so lying and realizing that leaping light and warmth and
a soft bed are good things, one may turn over on one's back, stretching
arms and legs luxuriously, drawing deep breaths and smiling at a
knowledge of the fog outside which makes half-past eight o'clock on a
December morning as dark as twelve o'clock on a December night. Under
such conditions the soft, thick, yellow gloom has its picturesque and
even humorous aspect. One feels enclosed by it at once fantastically
and cosily, and is inclined to revel in imaginings of the picture
outside, its Rembrandt lights and orange yellows, the halos about the
street-lamps, the illumination of shop-windows, the flare of torches
stuck up over coster barrows and coffee-stands, the shadows on the faces
of the men and women selling and buying beside them. Refreshed by sleep
and comfort and surrounded by light, warmth, and good cheer, it is easy
to face the day, to confront going out into the fog and feeling a sort
of pleasure in its mysteries. This is one way of looking at it, but
only one.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Dawn of a To-morrow by Frances Hodgson Burnett**

Context of the Work

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924), best known for The Secret Garden (1911) and Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886), was a prolific Anglo-American novelist who often explored themes of transformation, social class, and the contrast between outer hardship and inner resilience. The Dawn of a To-morrow (1906) is a lesser-known novel that follows a wealthy but disillusioned man, Sir Nigel Anstruthers, who undergoes a moral and emotional awakening after a near-death experience. The novel blends realism with a touch of spiritual introspection, characteristic of Burnett’s later works.

This excerpt opens the novel, setting the tone by contrasting two perspectives on a London fog—a natural phenomenon that becomes a metaphor for perception, mood, and the duality of human experience.

Themes in the Excerpt

Duality of Perception The passage emphasizes that reality is subjective—there are "always two ways of looking at a thing." The fog, an ambiguous and oppressive force, can be seen as either "unearthly and grewsome" or "mysteriously enclosing, secluding, and comfortable." This duality reflects the novel’s broader concern with how individuals interpret their circumstances, particularly in moments of crisis or transformation.
Comfort vs. Harsh Reality The narrator contrasts the warmth of a domestic interior (a crackling fire, a soft bed) with the cold, choking fog outside. This juxtaposition highlights the human capacity to find solace in small pleasures even amid adversity—a recurring theme in Burnett’s works, where characters often retreat into imaginative or emotional sanctuaries (e.g., Mary’s garden in The Secret Garden).
The Power of Imagination The passage celebrates the mind’s ability to transform the mundane or unpleasant into something "picturesque" and "humorous." The fog, though physically oppressive, becomes a canvas for artistic vision—"Rembrandt lights and orange yellows"—suggesting that beauty and meaning are often constructed by perception.
Class and Privilege While not explicit, the excerpt hints at the privilege of the speaker. Only someone with a "healthy body," a "clear brain," and a "soft bed" can afford to romanticize the fog. The working-class Londoners (the "men and women selling and buying" at coffee-stands) likely experience the fog very differently—less as a picturesque mystery and more as a daily hardship. This subtle class awareness aligns with Burnett’s frequent critiques of social inequality.
Time and Atmosphere The fog distorts time, making "half-past eight o’clock on a December morning as dark as twelve o’clock on a December night." This temporal disorientation reinforces the fog’s role as a liminal space—neither fully day nor night, neither comforting nor threatening—mirroring the protagonist’s psychological state in the novel.

Literary Devices

Juxtaposition The passage contrasts:
- Physical discomfort ("stings a man’s throat and lungs") vs. psychological comfort ("mysteriously enclosing, secluding").
- Darkness (the fog’s gloom) vs. light (the fire’s "leaping light and warmth").
- Outer reality (the fog) vs. inner perception (the imagination’s "Rembrandt lights").
Sensory Imagery Burnett engages multiple senses to immerse the reader:
- Visual: "yellow gloom," "halos about the street-lamps," "flare of torches."
- Tactile: "soft bed," "warmth," "stings a man’s throat."
- Auditory: "crackling wood," "blazing and crackling fire."
Personification & Metaphor
- The fog is quasi-sentient—it "encloses," "secludes," and "stings."
- The fire is alive: it "dances merrily," "leaping light," and "filling corners with a glow."
Symbolism
- Fog: Represents ambiguity, the unknown, and the boundary between comfort and hardship. It also symbolizes the protagonist’s initial moral and emotional confusion.
- Fire: Symbolizes warmth, clarity, and vitality—a counterforce to the fog’s obscurity.
Irony The narrator acknowledges that their pleasant perspective is conditional ("only one" way of looking at the fog), implying that others (the poor, the sick) might not share this luxury.
Allusion The reference to "Rembrandt lights" invokes the Dutch painter’s use of chiaroscuro (strong contrasts between light and dark), reinforcing the passage’s thematic focus on perception and duality.

Significance of the Passage

Sets the Novel’s Tone The excerpt establishes a mood of introspection and contrast, preparing the reader for a story about transformation. The fog’s ambiguity mirrors Sir Nigel’s internal state—confused, oppressed, yet capable of change.
Introduces Key Themes
- The subjectivity of experience (a major theme in the novel, as Nigel’s near-death experience alters his worldview).
- The redemptive power of perception (finding beauty or meaning in hardship).
- The divide between appearance and reality (the fog obscures, but the mind can illuminate).
Reflects Burnett’s Style Burnett often uses domestic details (fires, beds, morning rituals) to ground her stories in realism while exploring psychological and spiritual themes. The passage’s focus on light vs. darkness also recalls her other works, where enlightenment (literal or metaphorical) signals growth (The Secret Garden’s hidden garden, A Little Princess’s attic window).
Social Commentary The brief mention of "coster barrows and coffee-stands" subtly critiques class disparity. The narrator’s ability to "revel in imaginings" of the fog’s beauty is a privilege not shared by those who must labor in it.

Line-by-Line Analysis (Key Sections)

"There are always two ways of looking at a thing..."
- Opens with a philosophical claim about perspective, immediately framing the fog as a test case for how humans interpret their surroundings.
"an unearthly and grewsome, or a mysteriously enclosing, secluding, and comfortable thing."
- The oxymoronic pairing ("grewsome" vs. "comfortable") emphasizes the fog’s dual nature. "Secluding" suggests both isolation and safety—a refuge from the world.
"If one awakens in a healthy body, and with a clear brain..."
- The conditional clause underscores that this pleasant perspective depends on privilege (health, rest, positive memories). Those without these may see the fog only as "grewsome."
"lie watching the housemaid building the fire..."
- The domestic scene creates intimacy, contrasting with the public chaos of the fog outside. The fire becomes a symbol of human control over nature’s chaos.
"Rembrandt lights and orange yellows..."
- The artistic allusion elevates the fog from a nuisance to a masterpiece, showing how imagination can transfigure reality.
"This is one way of looking at it, but only one."
- The final line is a humble acknowledgment that other perspectives exist, hinting at the novel’s exploration of empathy and moral awakening.

Connection to the Novel’s Plot

In The Dawn of a To-morrow, Sir Nigel Anstruthers is a wealthy but cynical man who, after a suicide attempt, is given a second chance to see life differently. The fog in this opening passage foreshadows his initial state—lost in a moral and emotional haze—while the fire hints at the warmth and clarity he will eventually find. The excerpt’s focus on perception and transformation mirrors the novel’s central question: How can one move from darkness to light?

Conclusion

This excerpt is a masterful blend of realism and lyricism, using the London fog as a lens to explore human perception, class, and the power of imagination. Burnett’s rich sensory details and thematic depth invite readers to consider how their own perspectives shape their realities—a question that resonates throughout The Dawn of a To-morrow and her broader body of work. The passage is not just about fog; it is about how we choose to see the world, and how that choice can define our lives.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of the fog as both "unearthly and grewsome" and "mysteriously enclosing, secluding, and comfortable" primarily serves to:

A. illustrate the narrator’s indecision about whether to venture outside.
B. establish the fog as a metaphor for the duality of human perception.
C. critique the romanticization of poverty by the privileged classes.
D. contrast the sensory experiences of the wealthy and the working class.
E. foreshadow the protagonist’s eventual descent into madness.

Question 2

The reference to "Rembrandt lights and orange yellows" functions in the passage as:

A. an ironic juxtaposition of high art with the squalor of London streets.
B. a literal description of the fog’s color palette as observed by the narrator.
C. a metaphor for the transformative power of imagination over reality.
D. an allusion to the Dutch Golden Age to emphasize London’s cultural decline.
E. a critique of the narrator’s pretentious aesthetic sensibilities.

Question 3

The narrator’s observation that "this is one way of looking at it, but only one" is most effectively interpreted as:

A. an acknowledgment of the limitations of their own privileged perspective.
B. a dismissal of alternative viewpoints as less valid or less refined.
C. a transition to a more objective description of the fog’s physical properties.
D. an invitation to the reader to adopt the narrator’s optimistic outlook.
E. a rhetorical device to underscore the fog’s inherent ambiguity.

Question 4

The passage’s contrast between the "blazing and crackling wood" and the fog outside is structurally analogous to:

A. the tension between inner resilience and external adversity.
B. the conflict between industrial progress and natural decay.
C. the divide between urban sophistication and rural simplicity.
D. the opposition of scientific rationality and supernatural belief.
E. the struggle between individualism and collective identity.

Question 5

The narrator’s description of the fog’s effect on time ("making half-past eight o’clock on a December morning as dark as twelve o’clock on a December night") is primarily intended to:

A. emphasize the fog’s disruptive impact on daily routines.
B. highlight the narrator’s disorientation and psychological distress.
C. evoke a sense of liminality and suspended reality.
D. contrast the artificiality of clock time with natural rhythms.
E. symbolize the cyclical nature of human suffering.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: B

Why B is most correct: The passage explicitly opens with the claim that "there are always two ways of looking at a thing," and the fog is presented as a case study in this duality. The contrasting adjectives ("grewsome" vs. "comfortable") are not merely descriptive but metaphorical, illustrating how the same phenomenon can be perceived in radically different ways depending on one’s mental and physical state. This aligns with the passage’s broader exploration of subjectivity and perception, making B the most defensible answer.