SOUNDING HOLLOWNESS: A CARTOGRAPHY OF A CHILD'S MIND IN THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP (1840-1841)
Vol.12, Issue 1, 2026, pp. 74-92 Full text: PDF . HTML
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.26.1.6
Web of Science: [WOS=]
Author:
Kristina Yasenova https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2278-9302
Affiliation: Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria 0545p3742
Abstract
The article analyses the interplay between space, time and sound in The Old Curiosity Shop. Focus is on the reflection of these dynamics in Little Nell's mind as well as on Kit's interaction with sounded hollowness. The research methodology is grounded in phenomenology of sound with elements of deconstruction and existentialism. It is suggested that the structure of sounded and ghostly temporality from A Christmas Carol could be instrumentalised as part of the phenomenological analytical platform so as to attune this paradigm specifically to the Dickensian world. The research results show that phenomenological investigation of the auditory dimensions in The Old Curiosity Shop could help understand the functioning of the child's mind while surrounded by hollow spaces. Such a positioning disperses one's temporality/voice and reinforces a painful awareness of a nearing death, which promises a realisation of the novel's silent tragedy.
Keywords: hollow, echo, Little Nell, Kit, child, consciousness, time, Dickens
Article history:
Submitted: 08 March 2026
Reviewed: 12 April 2026
Accepted: 17 May 2026
Published: 20 June 2026
Citation (APA):
Yasenova, K. (2026). Sounding hollowness: A cartography of a child's mind in The Old Curiosity Shop (1840-1841). English Studies at NBU, 12(1), 74-92. https://doi.org/10.33919/esnbu.26.1.6
Copyright © 2026 Kristina Yasenova
This is an Open Access article published and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Handling Editor: Boris Naimushin, New Bulgarian University
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