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Martin Chuzzlewit
Martin Chuzzlewit
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Chuzzlewit, Chapters 06 - 08
Mr. Pinch and the new pupil on a social occasion
Chapter 6
I'm afraid that I do not warm to the younger Martin Chuzzlewit in Ch. 6. At breakfast, before the dear Pecksniff family embark on their journey to the bright lights of London, he helps himself to Pecksniff 's own precious bacon without a 'by your leave'. There is an obvious expectation in the eyes of the pupil that Pinch will follow suit, but his realisation that his 'partner in crime' has not resolved to do likewise, he sleights him before the gathered family to Pinch's dismay. Chuzzlewit here demonstrates something of the spoilt child.After the honourable family's departure to the city of delights, the new pupil continues to undermine Mr Tom Pinch. On Tom's receipt of the letter from Pecksniff's erstwhile pupil John Westlock, dear Pinch is overjoyed. Martin's retort pours cold water on Tom 's excitement: "I should have thought he would have had enough to do to enjoy himself without thinking of you, Pinch."
As Ch 6 continues Pinch and Chuzzlewit cosy up in front of the fire. Pinch feels deeply honoured to become Mr C.'s confidant for the evening. To me it seems obvious that Pinch is merely available to Chuzzlewit for the evening in the want of anyone else. He has detected in Tom a trustworthy soul it is true, but his exploitation of his meekness knows few bounds, even to the extent of his having Tom read him to sleep like a baby.
Ch 7 brings us again in contact with Mr Tigg. His obsequious and disingenuous attempt at having Slyme's bill at The Dragon paid by Pinch, in the absence of the non-existent envelope left by Pecksniff, would not pull the wool over the eyes of a less upright man than Mr Tom Pinch. On meeting Slyme at the Dragon we see an alcohol fuelled, self-absorbent man who is filled with self-loathing which also extends to those who would help him. His sense of pride accompanied by self-importance (complex indeed!) cause him to 'bite the hand that feeds him' with one exception: he is very happy to rely on the services of his go-between, Tigg. (What does Tigg stand to gain from this parasitic relationship?).Of course, it is Pinch to the rescue. Will he ever see that half sovereign again?!
The cavorting that Mark allows himself with Mrs Lupin leads to a fleeting, or perhaps more than fleeting, hope on her side that he actually feels something more than mere friendship for her. This saddens me, though I see Mark as less of a calculating person than a naïve one. The consequences of his behaviour, whatever the motivation or lack thereof, lead, nevertheless, to a woman scorned. She has my sympathies.
Ch V111 entertains us with the less than comfortable journey to London, where, coincidently, the Pecksniffs and old Anthony Chuzzlewit with son Jonas share the same conveyance. Old Anthony is a grumpy old man while his son Jonas flirts, in particular, with his cousin Merry, who behaves as a giggling schoolgirl in response to his advances.In London the relatives part company, with the Pecksniffs' arriving at Mrs Todgers. Her reception of him and the daughters is ecstatic. She even waives her rule of only entertaining male guests in her establishment by allowing Mercy and Charity to stay. Mr Pecksniff and Mrs Todgers engage in mutual flattery. Is this really an attempt at romancing Mrs Todgers on Mr P's part or does he have an eye to her establishment, be it ever so meagre?
Tristram wrote: "My dear Fellow Pickwickians,not quite unlike the coach that is taking Mr. Pecksniff and his charming daughters to London, we are moving on into the story, drawn by the Pegasus of our imagination ..."
That is the most awful, terrible, ignorant, imbecilic, weakest, disgraceful post I have ever read in my life. Every word of it is false, wrong, totally off the mark. There is not a word, nay not a syllable, nay not a letter of it I can agree with.
There, Kim, was that better?
Tristram wrote: "All in all, we still do not have anything like a story-line as yet - but I have not felt bored at all. "Despite previous post, I agree with the first phrase, but not the second. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open during these three chapters.
Having found a sarcastic voice for presenting Pecksniff, Dickens reprises the same sarcastic voice for the younger Martin. Claiming that he is neither selfish nor obstinate, when it is clear from his behavior that he is both in spades. Sarcasm is like hot sauce. A little, deftly applied, can be good. A lot can never be.
I wonder whether Dickens knew a boy named Tom or Pinch (he wouldn't dare use the full name) who bullied him and on whom Dickens is taking his revenge. He takes the sweetest man imaginable and has everybody take advantage of him, lie to him, walk all over him, abuse him, and he still smiles through it all. If Mark could spend a day in Tom Pinch's place, he would be happy as a clam. There is something wrong in Dickens's soul that he can treat Pinch as he does.
So, Tristram, you're not bored by this. But dare you say you are actually enjoying it? If you can, I can only ascribe it to the stereotypical view of Germans as morose and addicted to the dark side of literature (witness Goerthe, Mann, Nietzsche, et. al. Has there ever existed a cheerful German author? Is it conceivable that Germany could have created a Wodehouse?)
I hope that wasn't obnoxious (except to the extent that it satisfies Kim's need for us to oppose each other). But really, how anybody can actually enjoy MC, up to this point, really does escape me.
Hilary wrote: "I'm afraid that I do not warm to the younger Martin Chuzzlewit in Ch. 6. "You and me both, Hilary. You and me both.
I agree. As of yet, there is nothing much to like about any of the characters. I do like Pinch, as a moral being, yet, roll my eyes at how pathetically naive he is. He's the only one I home some good comes to - however, he needs to learn a lesson to wake up to what is right in front of him.I wonder, is this Dickens having a dig at society in general? Doesn't each character seem to personify all that is wrong in society? Even Pinch, showing the harm of being so submissive and too kind.
I've always thought of the title character as being Martin Snr, not his grandson Martin. Hmmmm.... I wonder why? Has anyone else thought it was Martin Snr? Does it change your perception of the book so far, depending on who you see as the 'central' person?It makes me reassess my statement in my previous post. Apart from Pinch, I think Martin Snr is the other character I feel is better than the rest. Although, perhaps it is because of the situation he finds himself and he appears more of the victim within a family of vultures.
'If Mark could spend a day in Tom Pinch's place, he would be happy as a clam.'Well said, Everyman, well said!
Thus far Kate, I agree about your assessment of Pinch and Martin Snr. Pinch faces trouble head-on while maintaining his sword of righteousness; his virtue demonstrates itself in an apparently inexhaustible ability to see the good in everyone, while Martin Snr escapes the circling vultures in the trusted company of his protectress Mary. He has made the right choice in my book: why ought an elderly man, or anyone for that matter, choose to be a sitting duck in the midst of such villainy?
Hilary wrote: "As Ch 6 continues Pinch and Chuzzlewit cosy up in front of the fire. Pinch feels deeply honoured to become Mr C.'s confidant for the evening. To me it seems obvious that Pinch is merely available..."It is quite obvious that Martin junior has the same two faults he attributes to his grandfather and which can probably be seen as running in the family. It's interesting, though, that what he regards as obstinacy in his grandfather is firmness when it comes to him. It's a bit like when I tell my wife that what cannot but be thought as impoliteness in other people is, as soon as it comes from my lips, endearing proof of my honesty and frankness.
Everyman wrote: "Tristram wrote: "My dear Fellow Pickwickians,not quite unlike the coach that is taking Mr. Pecksniff and his charming daughters to London, we are moving on into the story, drawn by the Pegasus of..."
Well, sir, your most slandering, reviling, calumnious, and - let's not forget this - tautological denunciation of my carefully considered and, as others have told me repeatedly and in all sobriety, well-measured and edifying lines makes it crystal-clear to anyone whose spirit is open to the finer vibrations of art and poetry that you must be in league with the Eatanswill Gazette, whose buffoon of an editor would pass a dying frog without any sense of Melpomene herself touching his heart.
You may therefore rest assured that I would not hinder anyone calling you a humbug, sir!
Everyman wrote: "Tristram wrote: "All in all, we still do not have anything like a story-line as yet - but I have not felt bored at all. "Despite previous post, I agree with the first phrase, but not the second. ..."
Not only am I not bored by this, but I actually enjoy the queer kind of humour that these chapters abound in. I like Montague Tigg's grandiloquent obsequiousness, as here:
"'I am not industrious myself, gents both,' said the head, 'but I know how to appreciate that quality in others. I wish I may turn grey and ugly, if it isn't in my opinion, next to genius, one of the very charmingest qualities of the human mind. Upon my soul, I am grateful to my friend Pecksniff for helping me to the contemplation of such a delicious picture as you present. You remind me of Whittington, afterwards thrice Lord Mayor of London. I give you my unsullied word of honour, that you very strongly remind me of that historical character. You are a pair of Whittingtons, gents, without the cat; which is a most agreeable and blessed exception to me, for I am not attached to the feline species. My name is Tigg; how do you do?'"
... although I would do my best to avoid a person like him in real life; I like the narrator's scathing way of dealing with Pecksniff - for I know some hypocrites like that as well and do share the author's contempt - e.g. when Pecksniff muses on the wonders of human digestion, thereby betraying what is really at the bottom of all his malarkey, and I like the narrator's ironic way of describing the father-son relationship between the Jonas and Anthony:
"The education of Mr Jonas had been conducted from his cradle on the strictest principles of the main chance. The very first word he learnt to spell was 'gain,' and the second (when he got into two syllables), 'money.' But for two results, which were not clearly foreseen perhaps by his watchful parent in the beginning, his training may be said to have been unexceptionable. One of these flaws was, that having been long taught by his father to over-reach everybody, he had imperceptibly acquired a love of over-reaching that venerable monitor himself. The other, that from his early habits of considering everything as a question of property, he had gradually come to look, with impatience, on his parent as a certain amount of personal estate, which had no right whatever to be going at large, but ought to be secured in that particular description of iron safe which is commonly called a coffin, and banked in the grave."
This is la comédie humaine, if you ask me, and yes, it is probably often grim and sordid. I find this kind of satirical humour much more interesting that insipid comedy for the sake of comedy, or the benevolent humour of elderly gentlemen after a sumptuous meal. I am actually sure that there must be German equivalents to Wodehouse - maybe they are not so funny as Wodehouse, whom I have never read - but I would not know them as I normally don't care much about that kind of writing.
I do like it grim, satirical, gothic even, and you are right ... this is typically German in that there was a certain stream in German Romanticism that was interested in the morbid and grotesque side of life. However, I am not so sure if the authors you named can be seen as "dark". Goethe is far too multi-faceted to reduce him to the dreary tale of Werther, for instance, and Nietzsche is anything but pessimistic. He happens to be one of my favourite ... I hesitate to say "philosophers" because he is far too unsystematic and too enigmatic to be called a "philosopher" in the strongest sense of the word, so let's just say, He happens to be one of my favourite guys. It would lead too far now to point out Nietzsche's elementary sense of yes-siness towards life as such, but we may always open a side thread.
As to Mann, I would not know because I have not managed to read more than a few pages of him, in which he managed to come over as a stuck-up word-juggler who is uncommonly full of himself. There is something that I frankly dislike about his style, which would probably have had me extend this feeling of dislike to his person as well if ever I had had the mischance of meeting him.
This post probably has no head and tail any more, and so I'd better stop it. Right here!
Kate wrote: "I agree. As of yet, there is nothing much to like about any of the characters. I do like Pinch, as a moral being, yet, roll my eyes at how pathetically naive he is. He's the only one I home some..."It is probably more difficult to like the characters here than in many previous Dickens novels. As yet, neither of the two Martin Chuzzlewits is very likeable although on the other hand, they are not too unpleasant, all in all, either.
I would agree that Tom Pinch is the character closest to the reader at the moment; and still I must say that his meekness and lack of perception annoy me. However he has seen through the situation at the Blue Dragon - I mean Mark and Mrs. Lupin - quite well.
Mrs. Todgers seems to be not too unlikeable a character, and Dickens aptly summarizes the duality between her, maybe, good heart and her need to please her guests and be a good business-woman like this:
"But the truth was that the house being full with the exception of one bed, which would now be occupied by Mr Pecksniff, she wanted time for consideration; and so much time too (for it was a knotty point how to dispose of them), that even when this second embrace was over, she stood for some moments gazing at the sisters, with affection beaming in one eye, and calculation shining out of the other."
Just imagine those two eyes!
As to not knowing which of the two Chuzzlewits is the eponymous hero, I had the same experience with "The Big Lebowski" ;-)
Thus far the novel might more properly have been titled Pecksniff and Pinch: a Comic Consideration of Authentic versus Inauthentic Feeling.Although I don't view the likability of characters as an important aspect of reading enjoyment, I do like Tom Pinch. Here's his advice to Martin concerning the rocky road of his love affair...
"what never ran smooth yet, can hardly be expected to change its character for us; so we must take it as we find it, and fashion it into the very best shape we can, by patience and good-humor."
And a delicious example of Pecksniffian hypocrisy as he considers the other passengers on top of the night coach, huddled in the cold....
"If everyone were warm and well-fed, we should lose the satisfaction of admiring the fortitude with which certain conditions of men bear cold and hunger. And if we were no better off than anybody else, what would become of our sense of gratitude; which" said Mr. Pecksniff with tears in his eyes, as he shook his fist at a beggar who wanted to get up behind, "is one of the holiest feelings of our common nature."
I was surprised by Pecksniff's self-revelation to his relative in the coach, "I may be a Hypocrite...but I am not a Brute." The relative then wryly observes that Pecksniff keeps up his false pretenses even at home before his own daughters. Pecksniff is not only not offended by this remark, he regards it as a high compliment.
The highlight of these three chapters is Pecksniff's visionary celebration of his digestive system....
"I do not know how it may be with others, but it is a great satisfaction to me to know, when regaling on my humble fare, that I am putting in motion the most beautiful machinery with which we have any acquaintance. I feel at such times as if I were doing a public service. When I have wound myself up, if I may employ such a term," said Mr. Pecksniff with exquisite tenderness, "and know that I am Going, I feel that in the lesson afforded by the works within me, I am a Benefactor to my Kind!"
Chesterton has some interesting comments on the book, some of which I will withhold because of minor spoilers, but he would not be surprised at the reaction of many of us here. "I think," he writes "the reader who enjoys Dickens's other books has an impression that it [MC] is melancholy." He even notes that in spite of a few characters he finds entertaining, "the story went lumberingly and even lifelessly; he [Dickens] found the sales falling off; he fancied his popularity waning,..." and then he made an abrupt change in the book which I won't mention because it would be a spoiler. But the upshot is that those of us who find it heavy going are not alone; many of his original readers apparently did, too.
I can understand how the lack of plot and likable characters affected the popularity. As those two items are not for me highly prioritized, I'm more prone to enjoy the sheer genius of some of the writing thus far. I'm constantly re-reading felicitous passages, and many of the comic touches are causing me to laugh out loud, while sitting out back under my sprawling oak tree, much to the merriment of my neighbors.
Roger, what a lovely picture you paint. That has made me smile. Thank you.
Roger wrote: "many of the comic touches are causing me to laugh out loud, while sitting out back under my sprawling oak tree, much to the merriment of my neighbors."Not me, I'm considering staying in the house for the rest of the spring and summer, every time I've gone outside in the last two weeks either me or my cocker spaniel have had ticks on us when we come back in. I hate ticks. And fleas, and ants, and flies etc. etc. :-)
Everyman and Tristram:Oh thank you both for saying those things to each other!!! I was getting so worried about the both of you, you've both been so yuckily nice to each other lately. I thought you may not be feeling well, but then Everyman had the wonderful post using words such as awful, terrible, ignorant so I knew he was fine; however I was still worried about you Tristram because it took a little while for you to respond and Everyman was clearly in first place by then; however you have now brilliantly caught him with words equal to his such as slandering, reviling, calumnious; and once again are tied. Grumps. :-}
Tristram wrote: "Martin discloses quite a lot about himself in this chapter, we might ask ourselves the question how we like this new hero of Dickens's? [Pray notice my idiosyncratic use of the question mark here!] To a certain extent, he reminds me of young Nickleby."I also thought of poor Nicholas Nickleby when reading about the younger Martin and also in some ways I was reminded of Edward Chester of Barnaby Rudge.
In Chapter 6 Mr. Pecksniff says this to Martin and Pinch:"There is no mystery; all is free and open. Unlike the young man in the Eastern tale--who is described as a one-eyed almanac, if I am not mistaken, Mr Pinch?--'
'A one-eyed calender, I think, sir,' faltered Tom."
This little conversation meant nothing to me. A young man who is a one-eyed almanac or a one-eyed calender? I had to look this one up. In my notes it says that Pecksniff mistakes the word almanack for the correct word "calender" meaning "a dancing dervish who begs." Then I looked up the word calender and for quite a while the only definition I could find was,
"a series of hard pressure rollers used to form or smooth a sheet of material such as paper or plastic film. In a principal paper application, the calender is located at the end of a papermaking process (on-line). Those that are used separate from the process (off-line) are also called supercalenders. The purpose of a calender is to make the paper smooth and glossy for printing and writing."
This could not possibly be what was meant since it made no sense, so after searching I found this,
"1.One of a wandering, mendicant Sufic order of fantastically dressed or painted dervishes, founded in the 13th century by an Arab named Yusuf."
Finally I looked up the word dervish and found,
A member of Dervish fraternity of Sufism, known for spinning. Sufis of an ascetic order whose ritual religious observances involve mystical poetry of Mevlana (Rumi), music, and a whirling dance. Centered in Turkey but widespread internationally.
I suppose I now have to look up the word Sufis or Sufism. :-}
Kate wrote: "I've always thought of the title character as being Martin Snr, not his grandson Martin. Hmmmm.... I wonder why? Has anyone else thought it was Martin Snr? Does it change your perception of the..."I've often thought the title character could have been either one of the Martin's, so far anyway; and the original title of the book doesn't really make it clear which one it is, except Martin Snr doesn't seem to have many adventures other than avoiding his family.
"The
Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit
His relatives, friends, and enemies.
Comprising all
His Wills and His Ways,
With an Historical record of what he did
and what he didn't;
Shewing moreover who inherited the Family Plate,
who came in for the Silver spoons,
and who for the Wooden Ladles.
The whole forming a complete key
to the House of Chuzzlewit."
Hilary wrote: "As Ch 6 continues Pinch and Chuzzlewit cosy up in front of the fire. Pinch feels deeply honoured to become Mr C.'s confidant for the evening. To me it seems obvious that Pinch is merely available..."The things you mentioned are some of the reasons I am not a big fan of Martin so far (but I'm sure he will grow on me). It's also why he reminds me of Nicholas in Nicholas Nickelby. Nick always seemed to go around acting like everyone else should look up to him, he seems to think that Pinch should feel honored to read to him. And Pinch seems to feel that way too, it's annoying.
Kim wrote: "TheLife and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit
His relatives, friends, and enemies.
Comprising all
His Wills and His Ways,..."
That makes it sound more like the Senior MC was intended initially, since the younger would hardly have Wills (plural). But Dickens had to name the novel with the first episode, so maybe he had in mind a book that treated more of the senior, but found as he was writing, and as his audience reacted, that people wanted the older shunted aside in favor of the younger.
In Chapter 7 when Mark Tapley is talking about Mr. Tigg he says:"And I think Mrs Lupin lets him and his friend off very easy in not charging 'em double prices for being a disgrace to the Dragon. That's my opinion. I wouldn't have any such Peter the Wild Boy as him in my house, sir, not if I was paid race-week prices for it."
I didn't know who Peter the Wild Boy was, but I do now:
"Peter the Wild Boy was a mentally handicapped boy from Hanover in northern Germany who was found in 1725 living wild in the woods near Hamelin, the town of Pied Piper legend. The boy, of unknown parentage, had been living an entirely feral existence for an unknown length of time, surviving by eating forest grass and leaves; he walked on all fours, exhibited uncivilized behaviour and could not be taught to speak a language .Peter was found in the Hertswold Forest by a party of hunters led by George I while on a visit to his Hanover homeland and brought to Great Britain in 1726. He is now believed to have suffered from the very rare genetic disorder Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome. He was entrusted to the care of Mrs. Titchbourn, one of the Queen's bedchamber women, with a handsome pension annexed to the charge. Mrs. Titchbourn usually spent a few weeks every summer at the house of Mr. James Fenn, a yeoman farmer. Peter was left there in the care of Mr. Fenn, who was allowed £35 a year for his support and maintenance. After the death of James Fenn he was transferred to the care of James's brother, Thomas Fenn, where he lived with the several successive tenants of that farm, and with the same government pension, to the time of his death. He developed a taste for gin and loved music, reportedly swaying and clapping with glee and dancing until he was exhausted. But he never learned to speak and his lack of any sense of direction gave cause for concern. He was fitted with a heavy leather collar bearing the inscription: ‘Peter, the Wild Man of Hanover. Whoever will bring him to Mr Fenn at Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, shall be paid for their trouble.’
Jean-Jacques Rousseau called Peter ‘the noble savage’, man ‘unspoilt’ by society and civilisation. Daniel Defoe addressed the subject in his pamphlet 'Mere Nature Delineated', published in 1726. He described Peter as an ‘object of pity’ but cast doubt on the story of his origins, dismissing it as a ‘Fib’. The philosopher James Burnett (Lord Monboddo), whose ideas anticipated some of Darwin’s, presented him as an illustration of his theory of the evolution of language in the human species. He saw Peter as evidence that ‘man was born mute, and that articulation is altogether … a habit acquired by custom and exercise’.
Peter died 22 February 1785 and is buried in Northchurch. His grave can still be seen in the churchyard of St Mary's Church, Northchurch, directly outside the main door to the church."
Mark begins to be jolly under creditable circumstances
Kim wrote: "Everyman and Tristram:Oh thank you both for saying those things to each other!!! I was getting so worried about the both of you, you've both been so yuckily nice to each other lately. I thought ..."
Well, I can't speak for Everyman, but I surely do whatever I can not to disappoint you ;-)
Kim wrote: "Tristram wrote: "Martin discloses quite a lot about himself in this chapter, we might ask ourselves the question how we like this new hero of Dickens's? [Pray notice my idiosyncratic use of the que..."Hmm, Edward Chester was less wilful or peevish than young Martin Chuzzlewit, whose gestures are compared by the narrator to those of a spoilt child - somewhere in Chapter 6. I can see Nicholas as similar to Martin when it comes to being a pain in the neck.
Kim wrote: "In Chapter 6 Mr. Pecksniff says this to Martin and Pinch:"There is no mystery; all is free and open. Unlike the young man in the Eastern tale--who is described as a one-eyed almanac, if I am not ..."
By the time you have arrived at the last word you encountered on your odyssee through the encyclopaedia, you will probably have forgotten what word started it all off. It used to be like that when as a younger pupil I started using a dictionary in English. On my way to the word I initially wanted to look up, I came across so many interesting other items that my work never seemed to finish.
But to this day I love dictionaries.
Kim wrote: "In Chapter 7 when Mark Tapley is talking about Mr. Tigg he says:"And I think Mrs Lupin lets him and his friend off very easy in not charging 'em double prices for being a disgrace to the Dragon. ..."
That story reminds me a bit of the one of Kaspar Hauser of Nürnberg although Hauser learned how to speak and write etc.
Tristram wrote: "Well, I can't speak for Everyman, but I surely do whatever I can not to disappoint you ;-) "Well, it's very challenging for me to act grumpy; goes so much against my natural cheerfulness. But when I'm desperate to find some source of grumpiness, I just think of Christmas decorating, and that does it; total grumpiness and depression par excellance.
Tristram wrote: "Well, I can't speak for Everyman, but I surely do whatever I can not to disappoint you ;-)" Oh thank you so much that was so sweet I just hate to be disappointed by the two of you! :-}
Everyman wrote: "I just think of Christmas decorating, and that does it; total grumpiness and depression par excellence." To quote a man slightly more famous than me these words would sum you up:
"Every who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot,
But the Grinch who lived just north of Whoville did not.
The Grinch hated Christmas the whole Christmas season,
Oh please don't ask why no one quite knows the reason.
It could be perhaps that his shoes were too tight,
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right;
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small."
In case you are interested, I can recite that entire book from memory. :-}
Kim wrote: "In case you are interested, I can recite that entire book from memory. :-}"
Uh, thanks but no thanks.
BTW, I never said I didn't like Christmas. What is gruesome is Christmas decorating. I think a home with exactly as much extra decoration as the original stable had is perfect. Any more is to much.
Christmas is great -- I get to hand out my list of desired books for the year and they come pouring in from friends and family alike.What's not to like about that???????
Everyman wrote: "BTW, I never said I didn't like Christmas. What is gruesome is Christmas decora...""But whatever the reason,
His heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos,
Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown
At the warm lighted windows below in their town,
For he knew every Who down in Whoville beneath
was busy now hanging a holly-who wreath.
You do remember the video of my decorations don't you? You do remember that we were on the news don't you?
Grump.
Everyman wrote: "Christmas is great -- I get to hand out my list of desired books for the year and they come pouring in from friends and family alike.What's not to like about that???????"
I always get either books from my list or Christmas houses, also from a list. :-}
214 days, 6 hours, ten minutes until Christmas.
Kim wrote: "You do remember the video of my decorations don't you? You do remember that we were on the news don't you?"
Of course. How could I forget?
As to why,
"It could be perhaps that her shoes were too tight,
It could be her head wasn't screwed on just right;"
But I'll let you have the last zing, since we really shouldn't keep using the MC thread for this diversion.
I love diversions anywhere, especially of the entertaining variety; as are these. It's like fulfilling the need to laugh in what MAY otherwise be a long tedious lecture.
Peter the Wild. Poetry. Christmas. Grumpiness. And MC. Miss a week of posts and the world goes by.Reading all your posts has been a delight. Tristram's flights of language (are you sure English is not your mother tongue?) Kim's never-failing research, my neighbour's famed (feigned?) grumpiness, Hilary, Kate and Roger's sanity. I'm breathless, but not without opinions.
MC. Yes, wonderful flights of writing, satire, irony and character but please, some real meat and story and plot or something soon. I'm hopeful that the coach trip to London will inspire Dickens. Todgers boarding house. Once Dickens is in London all will begin to click and hum along ... please.
I find MC junior to be in need of a good spanking. So far, he is self-centred, and I agree with Kate/Tristram that neither MC senior or junior are likeable, and yet the novel is titled MC.
Tigg and Slime continue to be interesting to read, but can Dickens keep them so for the entire novel? Mark Tapley and Mrs. Lupin have a possible plot line, but I detect no Dickensian spark to them yet. I'm sure Pecksniff will continue to be a treat to read about as he goes about his lightly disguised hypocritical ways but again, Dickens seems to be treading water so far. That leaves me with Tom Pinch, who is loveable, but can one continue to enjoy a novel when you want to shake them all into some increased action?
The answer is, of course, yes. It is Dickens. Yet the reading of this book at the slower pace that its separate parts dictate would make me very displeased so far with what has happened.
Oh my, do I sound like a grump?
Peter wrote: "Oh my, do I sound like a grump"ich bin ein grump, eh?
Peter wrote: "...can one continue to enjoy a novel when you want to shake them all into some increased action?"Nice comment. Action was never Dickens's strong point, but I agree that MC is even less action oriented than most. It's no wonder that his audience seemed to decline as these parts came out. What he decided to do about it we will see down the road.
There's one thing about the Victorian serial novelists: they knew how their audience was reacting as they were working on their books. Just think how some of our modern novelists would read if they dribbled out their books over a year or eighteen months, and had Twitter feeds critiquing each episode as it came from the keyboard (not so far fetched; the dinner parties where these books were avidly discussed were a reasonable equivalent of Twitter).
One of my guilty pleasures is Korean tv drama. Although not on the same artistic level as Dickens they can be entertaining and are similarly structured, usually one season only of 20 or so weekly episodes. In Korea, "netizens" have enormous influence, as do ratings, and the dramas (expensively produced) frequently veer off course to satisfy their demands for comfortable cliches. Later episodes are often filmed (and written) during the same week of broadcast.I didn't realize that Victorian novelists hadn't mostly (or entirely) completed their novels before the serializations began and changed the course of their novels when early episodes weren't favorably received.
Everyman wrote: "Peter wrote: "Oh my, do I sound like a grump"ich bin ein grump, eh?"
Everyman wrote: "Peter wrote: "...can one continue to enjoy a novel when you want to shake them all into some increased action?"
Nice comment. Action was never Dickens's strong point, but I agree that MC is even ..."
Everyman
You raise an interesting point. The serial format was a very different world than today's novelists face. While modern writers must have a small cabal of readers during their writing (friends, editors and hangers' on) just imagine what would occur if the twitter universe were unleashed each week or month when each part was released. I'm holding my breath waiting for the ramp up of the novel, and have faith it will occur, but how blue will my face be when it happens?
I, of course, meant grump in the most Pickwickian of ways. I think the only way I can become a group grump will occur when Kim calls me one. ;>)
Peter wrote: " I think the only way I can become a group grump will occur when Kim calls me one. ;>) "Even Kim would be hard pressed ever to call you a grump. You're one of the cheerfulest posters here.
not quite unlike the coach that is taking Mr. Pecksniff and his charming daughters to London, we are moving on into the story, drawn by the Pegasus of our imagination kindled by Dickens's wit and narrative skill ...
Chapter 6 has us witness poor Tom Pinch and the new pupil in close conversation, and as Martin discloses quite a lot about himself in this chapter, we might ask ourselves the question how we like this new hero of Dickens's? [Pray notice my idiosyncratic use of the question mark here!] To a certain extent, he reminds me of young Nickleby.
In Chapter 7 Mr. Tigg makes another appearance, and I am sorry to say that, unlike Everyman, I do relish this character very much. In real life, I would undoubtedly shun him wherever possible, but as a character in a novel, he is a marvel what with the exuberance of his language. A little less I like Mark Tapley since I think his desire to be jolly in the most adverse of conditions a very silly whim, and quite egoistic at that. Just think what he does to poor Mrs. Lupin.
Chapter 8 seems to further the ends of the story for once as we might assume that Jonas and his father are going to play a major part in the story, maybe by joining forces with Pecksniff in a way. However we will remain at Mrs. Todgers's for quite a while before the story moves on. What do you make of Mrs. Todgers, by the way?
All in all, we still do not have anything like a story-line as yet - but I have not felt bored at all.