What do you think?
The Chimes
"The Chimes" is Charles Dickens 1844 novella that concerns the disillusionment of Toby "Trotty" Veck, a poor working-class man. When Trotty has lost his faith in Humanity and believes that his poverty is the result of his unworthiness he is visited on New Year's Eve by spirits to help restore his faith and show him that nobody is born evil, but rather that crime and poverty are things created by man.
116 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1844
About the author
Charles Dickens
13.6k books32.3k followersCharles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
December 16, 2021
Dickens kohe oskas vaeste elust kirjutada. See konkreetne raamat oli lühike, võrreldes teiste, n-ö tellistega, mida temalt lugenud olen (nt Oliver Twist, David Copperfield). Tegevus toimub vana-aasta õhtul, millele järgneb öö, kui peategelasele (Trotty) saadetakse nägemus tuleviku kohta. Ent isegi nii lühikese looga suudab Dickens pöörata lugeja tähelepanu pragudele tollases ühiskonnas.
Dickensi lugemisel on selline mõju, et pärast ei julge oma esimese maailma probleemidest iitsatadagi. 😃 Raamatu keskmes on vaesed inimesed, kes üritavad oma elu elada ja ots otsaga kokku tulla, ja siis paar paremal järjel tegelast, kes vaatavad vaeseid kui alama järgu inimesi, kellest tuleb maailma vaid häda ja viletsust ja üleüldse olgu rahul oma hädise b-kategooria eluga. Soovite veidi rõõmu oma ellu? Nalja teete, milleks vaestele rõõm? Ka peategelane Trotty hakkab uskuma, et ju siis vaesed ongi sündinud halbadeks, millele järgneb siis uueaastaöö nägemus, mis talle veidi elu põhitõdesid tutvustab.
Kurb lugu, küll õnneliku lõpuga, ent siiski jäin mõtlema, et kui ka Trotty elu oli pärast saadetud tulevikunägemust positiivsem, siis rikaste suhtumine vaestesse ja vaesusesse jäi ju suures plaanis samaks, mis alguses. Ja mis veel kurvem, ega pole ju ka nüüd 21. sajandiks vaesust veel suudetud ühiskonnast välja juurida.
Dickensi lugemisel on selline mõju, et pärast ei julge oma esimese maailma probleemidest iitsatadagi. 😃 Raamatu keskmes on vaesed inimesed, kes üritavad oma elu elada ja ots otsaga kokku tulla, ja siis paar paremal järjel tegelast, kes vaatavad vaeseid kui alama järgu inimesi, kellest tuleb maailma vaid häda ja viletsust ja üleüldse olgu rahul oma hädise b-kategooria eluga. Soovite veidi rõõmu oma ellu? Nalja teete, milleks vaestele rõõm? Ka peategelane Trotty hakkab uskuma, et ju siis vaesed ongi sündinud halbadeks, millele järgneb siis uueaastaöö nägemus, mis talle veidi elu põhitõdesid tutvustab.
Kurb lugu, küll õnneliku lõpuga, ent siiski jäin mõtlema, et kui ka Trotty elu oli pärast saadetud tulevikunägemust positiivsem, siis rikaste suhtumine vaestesse ja vaesusesse jäi ju suures plaanis samaks, mis alguses. Ja mis veel kurvem, ega pole ju ka nüüd 21. sajandiks vaesust veel suudetud ühiskonnast välja juurida.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review