Little Dorrit

Remember that famous line in Catcher in the Rye about "all that David Copperfield kind of crap"? Well pbbbtt... on you J.D Salinger, Charles Dickens is one of my favorite writers.

Years before, I had read Little Dorrit and I vaguely recall that it is about a seamstress, but admittedly I've completely forgotten the plot. I don't think that it is one of Dickens greater known novels like David Copperfield or Great Expectations. In fact, I was a little surprised to see it in the tiny library that serves my husband's military base.

Thus far, I haven't been disappointed in Little Dorrit but then I have only finished the first and part of the second chapter. My goal is to write about each chapter that I read until I finish. If you've read the novel please feel free to jump into the discussion.

Chapter one opens in a Marseilles prison. Dickens describes the August heat of the region adequately-I really don't think that describing surroundings is one of this writer's strong points.

In a jail cell are two prisoners: Monsieur Rigaud and the Italian, John Baptist. This is the area where Dickens shines as a writer. He is able to make his characters come alive. Already I dislike Monsieur Rigaurd and feel a fondness for the small, good natured, John Baptist.

Rigaurd views himself as a gentleman and to prove this he asks his fellow jail mate: "Have I ever done anything here? Ever touched the broom or spread the mats, or rolled them up, or found the draughts, or collected the dominoes, or put my hand to any kind of work? Have you ever thought of looking to me to do any kind of work?" John Baptist Cavalletto's response of "Never" seems to please Rigaurd.

One part of the chapter that seemed unrealistic to me, was the fact that the jailer brings his young daughter with him when he feeds the prisoners. Perhaps jails were safer in the 1800's then they are now. Having the very young, innocent child pass dinner to the prisoners does help to differentiate between the of the two prisoners.

Someone has sent Rigaurd a large meal to supplement his daily prison share of bread. As the little girl passes the food to him she seems to dread touching his soft, smooth, well-shaped hand. Yet her attitude toward the little dark Italian is notably different. She put the lump of coarse bread into the swart, scaled, knotted hands of John Baptist with ready confidence and when he kissed her hand, had herself passed it caressing over his face.


Once the jailer and his little daughter have left, Rigaurd begins to defend himself to the quiet John Baptist. Rigaurd first points out that there was nothing strange about the death of his wife's first husband. Men over sixty are likely to die after all and the widow was a beautiful woman of twenty-two. Her young age and his handsome appearance made it only natural that she would marry him-according to Monsieur Rigaurd.

Unfortunately, the first husband settled his will completely on his young wife, so she has charge of the purse strings. This, combined with the fact that her family dislikes and distrusts her new husband, is the source of many arguments between the young couple. As Rigaurd says of his treatment toward his wife: I may have slapped her face-nothing more. I have a light hand; and if I have been seen apparently to correct Madame Rigaud in that manner, I have done it almost playfully. Oddly enough, the family of his young wife aren't pleased with his manner of correcting his bride.

One day, the new groom and his bride take a scenic walk along a cliff overlooking the ocean. According to Rigaurd, his wife flies at him in rage, screaming loudly and then throws herself over the cliff. Neither the woman's family or the authorities believes the husband's story and he is imprisoned. Now he is waiting to see the judge who will decide if he goes free or gets the guillotine.

A guard of soldiers arrive to take Rigaurd before the judge. There is fear that an angry mob will tear him apart before he reaches his trial. John Baptist watches him leave under the protection of the guards.

The beginning of the second chapter confused me. It opens with a dialog between two men, Mr. Meagles and Mr. Clennam. At first I thought that John Baptist was talking to someone.

Apparently a group of english travelers have been detained on suspension of carrying the plague. Mr and Mrs. Meagles are traveling with their daughter, Pet,(I assume that this is a nickname) and Pet's maid, Tattycoram.

Tattycoram's real name is Harriet Beadle. At a young age, she was taken from a foundling hospital to work as Pet's personal maid. The name Tatty came about because Mr. Meagle felt that she would be happy to recieve something as fond as a nickname and Coram was the name of the hospital's benefactor. It seems arrogant to change a person's name but it seems that the Meagles meant well.

Their daughter Pet is described as a lovely but spoiled girl of twenty. Alreadyin the novel she seems, to me, to be very close to her parents. Mr. Meagles explains that she was concieved when the Meagles were older. Pet was not always an only child. Her twin sister died while still a toddler. This probably explains why Dickens describs Pet as being a little spoiled.

An interesting character in this chapter is Miss Wade, a very reserved Englishwoman who seems to want no company. She does display some hidden passion while discussing what her feelings would be if she had ever been imprisoned. If I had been shut up in any place to pine and suffer, I should always hate that place and wish to burn it down, or raze it to the ground. I know no more.

I haven't gotten any further in the novel, but I will try and continue to post as I read.

Shameless Plug

By the way, Amazon gives me a tiny bit of money for each book that you buy through my website. If enough books are sold then I can buy even more books! Hooray! So, if you are interested in any of my reviews and want to read the corresponding book, please click on the books that are listed on my blog to do so. I really, really, really want to buy more books. LOL

David Copperfield

I remember clearly the first time that I discovered Dickens-a writer that I have developed a life long love affair with. I was a geeky(not much has changed), shy high school girl who spent most of her free time wandering the school's library in search of something to read. It was a hard choice for me, I wanted to read everything but I dreaded checking out a book only to find out half way that it was a boring read. What compelled me to pick such a thick novel as David Copperfield, I don't know. I suspect that I chose it due to its thickness. After all, I wasn't likely to finish it in one study hall.

Thanks to a very thorough public school education, I had never heard of Dickens. So, I had no preconceived notions about him or his writing. Yes, I had heard of Scrooge but I certainly didn't know who had written A Christmas Carol.

I fell in love with the novel. Few authors have made characters come as alive or seem as real as Dickens manages to do.

Here are just some of the wonderful, vibrant characters that will remain in the readers memory:

David's faithful nurse Peggoty

the obsequious and sneaky Uriah Heep

the two women who loved David. First the spoiled and immature Dora and then the wiser more worthy Agnes.

The Micawbers-based on Dickens own family. They end up in debtor's prison just like Dickens own father did

The eccentric Betsy Trotwood, David's aunt and eventual guardian

The books plot is simple. It starts with David's birth, his mother's marriage to his cruel stepfather, David's difficult youth and his eventual escape to his aunt Betsy. From there he is educated, marries twice and becomes a novelist. It is a plot summary that on the surface, doesn't sound very exciting. But the book is wonderful.

Parts of the novel are dark. Dickens deals with the very real problems of child abuse, cruelty, poverty and debtor's prison. Yet, Dickens also has a strongly developed sense of the ludicrous and therefore, is able to find humor in even the darkest parts of his novel. He points out the hypocrisy of the Victorian age and yet is sympathetic to his characters weaknesses.

Overall this is a great novel and one that I think is underrated today.

Nicholas

I think that by now, you have already figured out that I am a fan of Dickens. So it should come as no surprise that I am reading Nicholas Nicklby by Charles Dickens. Many years ago I read this book, but I have forgotten most of the plot.

As is true of most of Dickens novels, he mixes the darkness of Victorian life with humor and compassion. I did though find myself wincing at the portion of the book dealing with the boys' school that was run by the Squeers. It speaks to Dickens skill as a writer that I found myself wanting to physically beat Mr and Mrs. Squeers and spank their children! My apologies to Ms. Sally Field, but when it comes to abused children I am as ferocious as any man.

My mother's heart went out to the boys that were caught in this cruel school. Parents, believing in some cases that their children were being well cared for, sent their boys to the Squeers' boarding school. In reality the school is a hellish place where the boys are purposely underfed, stolen from and beaten. The point in which Nicholas beats Mr Squeer for abusing one of his charges made me want to stand up and cheer.

Of course I am not even half way through the novel, but thus far this is what has occurred.

After a failed attempt at speculation, the older Nicholas looses his entire estate and passes away in grief. His death leaves his wife alone to care for her two adolescent children, Kate and Nicholas(I think he is 19). Impoverished, the family travels to London to ask their father's brother, Ralph, to assist them. The Nickleby's desire is not that he support them financially but that he help secure them honest jobs by which they can make a living.

Due to Nicholas' open hearted and boldness, Ralph takes an immediate dislike to the young man. This shouldn't come as a surprise, after all how many older people today automatically are suspicious of older adolescents.

Uncle Ralph's assistance consists of placing his nephew as a tutor in the above mentioned Squeer's school. I suppose that Ralph hoped that his nephew would rot and never bother his uncle again. Of course the open hearted, Nicholas can't stomach the mistreatment of the children. But his pity and wrath is especially moved by the treatment of a wretched, young man named Smike.

Smike is a tall, ungainly man who is dressed in the same clothes that he arrived as a boy at the school. Abandoned by his family, Smike is treated as a drudge and often beaten. There is a pathetic scene in which he hopefully asks if any mail has come for him despite the fact that he hasn't heard from his family since his arrival at the school. He is cruelly mocked for his tears when he discovers that again nothing has arrived for him. It is obvious that Smike is mentally handicapped, although the book doesn't make clear if this condition was present at birth or resulted from his near starvation and cruelty at the hands of the Squeers.

After being dragged back home, Smike is captured and about to be beaten mercilessly when Nicholas intervenes and thoroughly beats Mr Squeer(Hooray!) He and Smike then flee the school.

While this has been occuring, Kate has been give a job as a seamstress to support herself and her mother. She works long hours, which wouldn't be so bad except for the seamstress' assistance, Miss Knag. Miss Knag is an older, vain woman who becomes offended with Kate when the younger woman is complimented and preferred by one of the customers. She makes work very unpleasant for Kate and when the owner of the shop becomes bankrupt, Knag takes over. Of course, Kate is told that her presence is no longer required.

I haven't gotten much further then this but I am really enjoying this work by Dickens. Although it sounds depressing there are some very funny moments in the book. For example, upon leaving the Squeers' Nicholas and Smike are stopped by a giant of a man named John Browdie. Previously Nicholas and John had been drawn into a quarrel over John's fiance. So, when Nicholas sees the larger John carrying a staff he assumes that he is about to be beaten up. Instead John listens to his story and is amused by the fact that Nicholas beat up Mr. Squeer. In fact John roars with laughter and asks Nicholas for his hand. He then pushes some money on the young Nickleby so that the two men won't have to walk the whole way to London.

As I said before, this is as far as I have gotten but so far this is a very entertaining book that makes me happy that I was not born in Victorian England.