Buddy Read of Little Dorrit mid-Sept onwards with Janelle, Bridget, Lori and others Showing 1,051-1,100 of 1,118

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

There's always a lot of Christian symbolism and imagery in every single novel by Charles Dickens. We've had quite a bit earlier (eg. the painting behind Mrs. Clenham). Equally, though, the novels can be read without picking this up. The plots aren't dependent on this, so they speak to all of us :)

[Sue]

So true, Jean. I think I was just struck by how overt it seemed to me in a few passages here, but then I am always looking at metaphors and how they are being used and Dickens’ language was wonderful.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Oh yes, I do agree. It's so powerful: a breathtaking chapter. Charles Dickens has such an eye for the dramatic - and it's very visual too:)

[Sue]

Actually I was struck that Mrs. Clennam confessed all to Little Dorrit. So Dickens gave her salvation of a temporal sort and perhaps a heavenly sort too. All in all this was quite different from what I might have expected if I had been trying to plan an ending.

[Janelle]

In a message after her summary, Jean talks about a third illustration in the summary, Damocles by Phiz. Is it just me or is that pic not there?

[Lori]

Janelle, it's not you, I looked for the Damocles illustration and didn't see it either.

I was caught by surprise at the ending of Blandois and at how quickly the wrap up was for Mrs. Clennam. We already know that she spent her life without being able to talk or move for 3 years before she died. It's almost as if this is one of 3 or 4 different endings to the novel because we know there are other questions still needing answering.

I'm curious still to know what is left for Mr. Casby and the Meagles as well as Minnie and Henry and to know for sure if Mr. Dorrit invested or not.

I wonder what the inheritance Amy will receive from the Clennam's?
And what will happen to Arthur?

Sue, Mrs. Clennam's confession was off-character for her, but I think she figured this was her best solution and actually began to realize she was wrong for withholding and suppressing the will. I don't think it's enough to totally pardon her actions or for me to feel any differently about her but it's something.

[Sue]

I agree in that I can’t pardon her, Lori, but I am thinking she was, in part, working out of the harsh reality of the religion she was raised in.

[Sue]

And there certainly has to be a lot of summing up to come. Perhaps some will have one sentence wind ups.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Janelle wrote: "In a message after her summary, Jean talks about a third illustration in the summary, Damocles by Phiz."

Here it is:


I suspect that GR did not allow it in the post any more, as since that read they have shortened the maximum number of characters allowed in each post and in everyone's reviews :( It was there for the original discussion - you can tell by the comments! So I've added it to my commentary there now instead ... hope you find the commentary useful :)

[Janelle]

Thanks so much Jean! I could tell that it should be there, that’s why I wondered if it was just me.

[Janelle]

That illustration is in my Penguin copy and it really shows how run down the house is.
In the notes, it mentions a couple of actual incidents of similar building collapses so it wasn’t as improbable as it may seem to us.

[Lori]

Thanks for adding the illustration, Jean. It is fabulous!

[Sue]

No wonder Affery was hearing so many noises. The house must have been settling in strange ways. And that may explain the door that wouldn’t open too.

[Bridget]

That it exactly Sue! When I think back to the early descriptions of the house, Dickens was always building the idea that the house was going to collapse.

Lori, I really liked your thoughts about Mrs. Clennam. How there is a shift in perspective, but its not enough to pardon her. For me it was this line "From our marriage day I was his dread, and that she made me". I'm not at all saying Mrs. Clennam is justified in her actions, but she was dealt a raw deal when she was married to Mr. Clennam. I find that Dickens often creates reasons for his characters actions, making them at least partially sympathetic to the reader.

[Fiona]

Bridget - that’s a great quote and what you say has made me think. Dickens has us hating Mrs Clennam for her behaviour towards Arthur and for her general demeanour and yet, as you say, she had ‘a raw deal’ which makes me feel a little more sympathetic towards her. Having said that, she didn’t need to react the way she did. It was so cruel to take Arthur away from his mother and to withhold the inheritance. Nothing she can do now atones for that but the stroke that left her paralysed for the last three years of her life is surely punishment enough.

[Bridget]

Fiona wrote: "Bridget - that’s a great quote and what you say has made me think. Dickens has us hating Mrs Clennam for her behaviour towards Arthur and for her general demeanour and yet, as you say, she had ‘a r..."

Well said Fiona!

[Bridget]

Link to Book 2 Chapter 32 Summary
And now on to Mr. Casby, the “benevolent Patriarch”. Pancks is losing his patience with everything. He keeps obsessively reviewing the figures trying to figure out why they don’t add up. Why Arthur is in jail, and Pancks is still working for Mr. Casby instead of being rich himself? And all this while, Mr. Casby is casually enjoying life ”Everybody else within the bills of mortality was hot; but the Patriarch was perfectly cool. Everybody was thirsty, and the Patriarch was drinking”

Mr. Casby starts complaining to Pancks that he is not squeezing the tenants at The Bleeding Heart Yard hard enough. He commands him to go back on Monday and try again. Interestingly, he also asks Pancks to “fix” the problems with his daughter, Flora. She is spending too much time visiting Mrs. Clennam and Arthur as well. When Pancks asks Mr. Casby if he shouldn’t be the one to handle that little bit of business, Mr. Casby reponds ”No, sir, no; you are paid to mention it”

As Mr. Casby leaves, Pancks watches him and believes he is headed to The Bleeding Heart Yard. Mr. Casby likes to stroll through there so he can feel the adoration of his tenants who believe him to be most benevolent. But Pancks has had enough. He too goes to the Yard, and he watches from Mrs. Plornish’s shop until he sees Mr. Casby:

”Then Mr. Pancks descended and bore down upon him, with his utmost pressure of steam on”

He immediately lays into Mr. Casby, knocking his hat off his head and calling him a “sugary swindler”. Pancks lets lose a tirade, long overdue, making it clear to the people of the Yard that Mr. Casby is the true Grubber. He compares him to Mr. Merdle and calls him a “philanthropic sneak”. At first Mr. Casby tries to defend himself by saying ”Ask these good people who’s the hard man here. They’ll tell you Pancks, I believe”. But its no use. Pancks is able to turn the crowd to his side. He knocks Casby’s hat off his head again, and as Casby bends over to pick it up, Pancks swoops down and snips off the “sacred locks” of Mr. Casby’s hair. Pancks then takes off. You might say he “cuts and runs” 😊

[Bridget]

I'm not sure what will come of Pancks now that he has quit working for Mr. Casby, but it sure felt good to watch him berate Mr. Casby in front of everyone.

When Pancks starts talking about the pressure Mr. Casby puts on him to "keep always at it. Keep thou always at it", I thought about how that's the complete opposite purpose the Circumlocution Office sends out "to do nothing".

It was a humorous chapter for sure, but it was a bit unsatisfying for me. I hope there is a bit more about Mr. Casby and Flora in the next couple chapters.

[Fiona]

Excellent summarising, Bridget, as always. I didn’t feel this chapter took us any further in the story but it’s great fun! Pancks, ever the little Tug steaming in and out of the Dock, gives Mr Casby what for in a very public place so that it could be enjoyed by those he has been bullying through Pancks. It’s a frustrating hiatus when we’re all so desperate to have ends tied up but wonderful comedy.

[Lori]

I loved your summary, Bridget and I’m feeling the same as you both. I kept wondering who else could come into the scene because surely there will be more than Plancks and Casby. Hmmm. Dickens is always able to give all of his characters a wrap up so, I hope the last two chapters will do that for us.

I noticed the contrast to the circumlocution office, Bridget. If only they had Casby’s philosophy Doyle might actually have had success.

[Sue]

Yes to all the comments above. I did enjoy the comparison of Pancks hair with Mr Casby’s locks. And I am happy for Pancks though concerned about his future. I wonder how Flora will deal with her father. Some things can be hidden, but not the hair. And how will Casby get his money now. He will need another collector but now everyone is on to him.

[Daniela]

I cannot understand how the Bleeding Heart Yard people could think that Mr. Casby was a good man, did not they know that Mr. Pancks asked money not for himself but for Mr. Casby?

[Fiona]

Good point, Daniela.

[Sue]

It looks like Casby kept it secret as did Pancks. It must have been part of the terms of Pancks employment and he did earn enough to be able to invest in Merdle’s scheme.

[Bridget]

I think it’s all about “perception”. Pancks was the one who knocked on doors and harassed people until they gave up their money. Mr. Casby strolled through the yard talking with people and also talked up how mean Pancks was. I think maybe Mr Casby believed himself to be clean of this dirty work. Maybe people weren’t even aware that Mr Casby was the landlord

[Janelle]

I enjoyed this chapter, I was glad to see Pancks stand up to Casby. Pancks is resourceful, I’m sure he’ll find a better job.

I’m sad that this is coming to an end and I think these last two chapters are going to have to have a lot of quick summing up which is kinda disappointing after spending so much time with all these characters. So many of them deserve their own chapter like Pancks.

[Bridget]

I'm feeling that way to Janelle.

[Bridget]

Link to Book 2 Chapter 33 Summary

I don't think I can write a summary today. But that's okay, because Jean's summary is (as always) excellent. I can say we are given updates on Fanny, Sparkler, Tip, Mrs. Merdle, Mrs. General, The Meagles, Henry Gowan, MIss Wade and Harriet,

The Meagles are back in England as Henry Gowan has basically kicked them out of his (and Pet's) life, Mr. Meagles searched for the Black Box with the original Clennam papers in it, by tracing Rigaud's steps. He even goes to Miss Wade's dilapidated house and talks with her. But it is Harriet who takes the Black Box from Miss Wade's house and brings it back to London herself.

Harriet then apologizes for her bad behavior, the Meagles take her back and forgive her. Mr. Meagles shows her Amy Dorrit as someone she can learn from and model herself on,.

[Bridget]

I felt sad for Mr. and Mrs. Meagles (and Minnie) when Henry "made up his mind that it would be agreeable to him not to know the Meagleses". They leave and yet it sounds like they are still sending money to Henry.

I had mixed feelings about Harriet's return. I'm glad she not with Miss Wade anymore. But I wish the Meagles would at least start calling her Harriet. Though the last line of the chapter"It was the only comfort he [Mr. Meagles] had in the loss of his daughter" gives me some hope that Harriet will be treated more like family and less like a servant.

[Lori]

You hit the highlights which is just perfect, Bridget. My thoughts as well concerning Harriet. Unless she met someone to marry what are her options if she leaves Miss Wade? I do think her life will be better now. Anyhow, I do feel badly for the Meagles. At least Henry didn’t take away Minnie getting to see her parents as well as the baby. If she is going to live her life overlooking Henry’s negatives, then that”s her choice. It’s rather sad in my opinion.
Fannie and Mrs. Merdle finally get the war going and Mrs. Merdle decided to pretend to be angry at her husband so Society would still accept her. Ugh. But that keeps within her character for sure. But They are living in a much smaller and less extravagant place now. My favorite line of the entire chapter was who would take care of the little victims in reference to Fannie’s children. Now that Mrs. General is free….but Fannie would never!

[Daniela]

"I can’t live without breathing freely; and I can’t breathe freely until Arthur is out of this Marshalsea." I knew we could rely on Mr. Meagles. :)

[Daniela]

I cannot believe we are going to read the last chapter tomorrow!!!

[Sue]

Mr. Meagles is proving to be the savior of many, isn’t he. I think I detected in him a realization that he may not have treated Harriet as well as he should. And Harriet now knows how difficult life can be in the “real world.”

I was happy to read that Arthur seemed to be taking a good turn in his health. Now if Doyce and Meagles can bring good news and a plan…

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

I'm hoping you are OK Bridget ... sometimes it can be a downer when you finish a wonderful novel by Charles Dickens.

[Fiona]

The image that will stick in my mind from this chapter refers to Mrs Merdle - warring with Fanny foot to foot, and breasting her with her desolate bosom every hour in the day. And poor Sparkler can do nothing right in either woman’s eyes. Wonderful! I love how Dickens uses comedy.

[Lori]

I agree that Mr. Meagles was rethinking his past treatment of Tattycoram.

Jean, it is Thanksgiving day here so lots of family time and food. My crew won’t be here until Saturday so I will cook and feast then.

I know Amy was asked to keep Mrs. Clennam’s secret from Arthur but what part is she referring to in this quotation:

The secret was safe now! She could keep her own part of it from him; he should never know of her loss; in time to come he should know all that was of import to himself; but he should never know what concerned her only. That was all passed, all forgiven, all forgotten.

If it were me, I’d want Arthur to know everything.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Feel free to take as long as you like everyone - of course - if your mind is on other things :)

[Sue]

Lori, I thought that referred to the legacy she should have received, that his mother had cheated her of, but I wonder if there is more.

[Janelle]

Lori, I assume Amy is referring to the legacy she should’ve received from Arthur’s fathers will. She doesn’t want him to owe her anything.

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Yes, Janelle is right. Amy wants to protect Arthur from the whole truth. I summed it up thus:

"Little Dorrit is full of grateful happiness and joy, relieved that now there is no danger from these papers any more. Her secret is safe, and she need never tell Arthur the whole story.

“That was all passed, all forgiven, all forgotten.”"

It is characteristic of her.

[Antoinette]

I must admit, I would have loved to know who Arthur’s real mother was. But probably better for him this way.

[Lori]

Thanks everyone, you guys are right. I read it over and over and I don't know why it didn't click right away. Anyway, yes, she would want to protect Arthur instead of him thinking he needed to give back to her what she lost.

Antionette, that would have been interesting to know. We don't have any first hand knowledge of Arthur's father either.

[Sue]

I believe Arthur’s father was Mr. Clennam. That was the weapon his wife held over him all those years, that he had little Arthur with another woman. So there shouldn’t be any surprise in the father.

[Lori]

Sue, I may not have been clear about first hand knowledge- I mean we don’t experience any conversations or interactions with him. All we know about him is from Arthur and from Mrs. Clennam. It’s always easier to understand a person’s motivations when we get their own voice. I hope that makes more sense.

[Sue]

Sorry, Lori, of course. You’re right. I’m being a bit literal here, aren’t I :-)

Arthur really doesn’t say much about his father though I did get an impression of a far closer relationship than with his mother. But then wasn’t there a mention also of something like him being a drinker? Or am I making that up? I’m sure he was an unhappy man.

[Bridget]

Bionic Jean wrote: "I'm hoping you are OK Bridget ... sometimes it can be a downer when you finish a wonderful novel by Charles Dickens."

Jean that's so kind of you to wonder if I was okay. I was a bit cryptic in saying I couldn't write a summary today, sorry about that. All is well here, its just like Lori said, its our Thanksgiving holiday. I've been spending most of today with my lovely family and guests, with lots of cooking. Its great fun, but doesn't allow for much reading I'm afraid.

I can't believe our book ends tomorrow!!

[Bionic Jean, "Dickens Duchess"]

Bridget wrote: "All is well here, its just like Lori said, its our Thanksgiving holiday ..."

Oh that's a relief! Sorry - I was being a bit dense, wasn't I - but am pleased all is well, and you had a good time with your family :)

Yes, the last chapter is here, "Gone", but I think you'll find it as satisfying as usual with Mr. Dickens. Please spend as much time over it as you like, and then maybe all come and join us in our fabulous group read of The Holly-Tree Inn. Lots going on there and a link to the text in the first post :)

[Bridget]

Link to Book 2 Chapter 34 Summary

Finally we come to the last chapter of our book journey. It is autumn now, and we are presented with a healthy, happy and joyous world – at least outside of the Marshalsea, because inside the prison life continues to be bleak and ugly. Except that now there appears to be more love between Arthur and Amy. His health is improving, and she is sitting by his side reading to him. She tells him that his stay in the prison will soon be over. Mr. Doyce has written his forgiveness, attitudes towards Arthur have changed and Mr. Rugg is able to use all this to end Arthur’s imprisonment.

Arthur tells Amy she must leave him once he is free, and go on to live her life. But she tells him the story of her fortune to change his mind. As it turns out, Mr. Dorrit DID invest with Mr. Merdle. So now Fanny has nothing but her husband’s salary to live on, while Tip and Amy have nothing at all. While one would think this is terrible news, the silver lining is that Amy is now as poor as Arthur paving the way for them to be married.

Maggy is so excited these two are finally together “never to part” she runs out of the prison to spread the news and runs into Flora and Mr. F’s Aunt. They are all still there together three hours later when Amy leaves the prison. They all go to a nearby pie-shop to sit and talk. Flora’s eyes are red. This is not the future for Arthur she was hoping for, but Flora is so gracious and happy for Amy and Arthur.

The next day two new visitors show up at Arthur’s prison, they are Mr. Meagles and Mr. Doyce. Arthur is overjoyed at the news that Mr. Doyce is doing quite well actually. He’s been travelling to places where his talents are appreciated, he’s made money and is ready to hire Arthur back into their partnership. He gives Arthur some great advice ”every failure teaches a man something, if he will learn; and you are too sensible a man not to learn from this failure”. Mr. Mealges and Mr. Doyce have also straightened out all the particulars with Arthur’s debt, so he is free to leave the prison at anytime.

He decides to stay one more night so that in the morning he can marry Amy and they can leave as husband and wife. Before they head to the church, Amy has a paper she wants Arthur to burn in the fire Maggy starts for them. He is not to look at the paper, only toss it into the fire and say "I love you". Arthur thinks its a silly charm Amy has created, and he plays along never suspecting what he is burning.

They are married at the St. George where Amy was baptized and where she laid her head on the burial book the night she and Maggy were locked out of the prison. Now her name is added to the marriage register. She and Arthur walked down the steps of the church and into their new life – together.

[Bridget]

In the original thread (right after the summary) there is wonderful background info on St. George Church, which is still standing, and there is a picture of the stained glass depiction of Amy Dorrit that is now part of that church.

Then there is a great discussion where Jean talks about G.K.Chesterton's views of Little Dorrit and David Copperfield - and then shares her own views.

I'm still trying to process my thoughts on the ending of this book. It feels like it all happened so fast. I don't remember feeling that way about David Copperfield. But maybe I did, and I don't remember now, and what I'm really feeling is just sad that the book is over. I tend to feel that way for a bit after finishing a good book.

But I do know I really enjoyed reading it, and especially reading it with all of you. I truly don't think I would have understood, nor enjoyed it half so much without having our daily conversations guiding me along.

[Daniela]

For the last seventy days I had a Little Dorrit chapter to read while having breakfast... I will miss it tomorrow morning!!
I am thinking about my impressions on the whole book and I will write something tomorrow.