Introduction To The Novel
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf Little Dorrit is a novel by Charles Dickens published between 1855 and 1857. The book was published as a serial novel, divided into 19 parts, each sold separately. Each part was illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne and was about 30 pages long. It was published in its entirety in 1857. Little Dorrit was written towards the end of Dickens‘ career, after he had already established himself as a successful author. While writing the novel,hemet and fell in love with Ellen Ternan, an actress much younger than him.Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf
In 1858, just a few months after completing Little Dorrit, Dickens separated from his wife. In Hard Times, the novel he wrote just before Little Dorrit, Dickens had addressed themes of economic criticism, but had been criticized for misrepresenting several important details about how economics and finance work. By returning to these plot elements and combining them with a clear focus on social and psychological elements, Dickens defiantly asserted the role of fiction in the debate about the economic system. Dickens originally intended to call Little Dorrit “Nobody’s Fault,” perhaps to emphasize the novel’s themes of personal responsibility, the dangers of a lack of regulation and accountability, and the failure of a political and economic system that has lapsed into indifference.Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf The title change focused attention on the protagonist and brought the novel more in line with earlier works such as Oliver Twist and David Copperfield. It is also Dickens‘ only novel to have a female character directly mentioned in the title. freestar Little Dorrit was adapted into films in 1913, 1920, 1934, and again in 1988. In 2008, the novel was adapted into a well-received BBC miniseries, which won seven Emmy Awards, including Best Miniseries. Larlite
Little Dorrit Summary
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf The action of the novel begins in a cell in Marseilles in 1820, where two prisoners named Cavallet and Rigaud meet. Not far away, they pass a group of English travelers waiting in quarantine. The group includes Mr. Arthur Clennam (40 years old), who has returned home after 20 years in China, the Meagles family (husband, wife, beautiful daughter Pet, and orphan Tatticorum, who is adopted as a companion for the pet), and Miss Wade, an enigmatic and unassuming woman traveling alone.Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf After being separated from the group, Arthur arrives in London and is reunited with his mother, who is cold and harsh towards him. Arthur is happy to be reunited with his nostalgic servant Aphelie, but is uncomfortable with her husband Jeremiah Flintwinch, an employee of the family business and who seems to work closely with his mother. Arthur has doubts about the business and whether something unethical has been done there, which leads to him becoming estranged from his mother. His mother refuses to let him work for the company.Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf
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When Arthur returns home, he meets a young woman named Amy “Little” Dorrit who works as a seamstress in her mother’s house. She is the daughter of Mr. Dorrit, who was sent to Marshalsea Debtors’ Prison. At the time of his incarceration, Mr. Dorrit was married with two children and another on the way. His family followed him, and the whole family ended up living in prison.Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf
Dorit’s wife gives birth to a daughter in prison, but she dies soon after. The rest of the family adjust to life in prison, and Dorit becomes the Marshalsea’s longest serving prisoner. Dorit ensures that her brother and sister continue their education while she learns to sew and embroider. Dorit’s sister Fanny becomes a dancer and moves in with her uncle Frederick, a clarinet player.Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf
Little Dorrit Themes
Imprisonment
The theme of imprisonment is shown by the constant presence of physical prisons in the novel, especially the Marshalsea. However, characters are imprisoned in other more subtle ways as well, including by social prejudice against them (Mrs. Gowan and Mrs. Merdle), vengefulness and bitterness on their own part (Miss Wade and Mrs. Clennam) or by their inability to mature and grow up (Flora and Maggy).Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf Almost all characters are trapped in real or metaphorical prisons at some point in the novel, but the distinction between freedom and imprisonment is not clearcut. Amy`s father being freed from prison actually makes her more constrained, because she now has to uphold rigid social codes of decorum as he demands. Both Pet Meagles and Fanny Dorrit find that the marriages they thought would bring them freedom and autonomy trap them in situations where they lack control. On the other hand, Arthur’s imprisonment for debt finally frees him from his emotional blindness, as he realizes that he has loved Amy all along.
Poverty and Wealth
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf Poverty and wealth are themes that concern many of the novel’s characters. Money, or the illusion of having money, determines a person’s social status to a large extent. For example, Mr Mardle is awkward and boring, but when he thinks he is rich, he acts as if everyone enjoys his company. Clever characters like Mrs Gowan are careful to give the appearance of being wealthy on the surface, regardless of their circumstances.
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf For these reasons, when Dorrit’s fortune is restored midway through the novel, this family’s possibilities change completely. The family is now able to go to places and interact with people that would otherwise be completely out of reach. Nevertheless, wealth ultimately proves to be a fickle and unstable source of happiness. With Mr. Mardle’s betrayal, characters like Arthur and the Dorrit family lose all their money. Arthur and Amy’s happiness at the end of the novel is rooted in their determination to live humble, unpretentious lives.
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Pride
Even at moments that seem absurd, most of the Dorrit family cling to a stubborn pride. With the exception of Amy and Frederick, everyone else behaves as if they have high social status and is very concerned with protecting their own status and reputation. Her proud behavior among her fellow prisoners shows that Dickens is criticizing the basic human instinct to form social hierarchies in any situation. Prison appears to be a place where everyone is equal in terms of the lack of privileges, but within the Marshalsea a social system emerges that reflects the complex social hierarchy of London as a whole.
FAQ:
1 How do different characters respond to romantic rivals?
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf Because of the convoluted plot and subplots, readers have the chance to see many characters struggle with the experience of knowing someone else is competing for the love of someone they want. Although he tries to deny it, Arthur is in love with Pet Meagles, and becomes jealous of the way she favors Henry Gowan; likewise, Amy finds it difficult knowing that Arthur loves Pet, and also believes at some point that he might still be in love with Flora. Flora and John Chivery both eventually have to confront the reality that Arthur and Amy are in love with one another. In all these situations, characters who are basically good (even if, like Flora and John, they can sometimes be melodramatic and slow-witted) try to show integrity.
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf They respect the right of their beloved to freely choose a partner, and do not do anything to interfere. In fact, in many cases, they support and facilitate the development of these relationships, even though they find it painful to do so. By contrast, Miss Wade completely gives in to hatred when Henry Gowan falls in love with Pet, and Mrs. Clennam reacts to the news that her husband was in love with someone else by becoming obsessed with vengeance and a harsh form of justice. The characters who act with integrity are rewarded for this behavior, either by finding a partner or a supportive community of friends. On the other hand, Miss Wade and Mrs. Clennam both end up being consumed by bitterness and hatred.
2 How does Gilbert Clennam try to atone for his sin? Is this action appropriate?
Gilbert Clennam is Arthur’s great-uncle (uncle of Arthur’s father, Mr. Clennam). After forcing his nephew to marry a woman he did not love, destroying his previous marriage (and depriving the young Arthur of his relationship with his birth mother), Gilbert begins to feel guilty. To atone for his sin, he writes an addendum to his will stipulating that his inheritance be given to Frederick Dorrit, the benefactor of Arthur’s birth mother, or to a young female relative. This gesture was probably intended as a kind of apology to the young woman whom Gilbert had wronged by depriving her of her husband and child. But perhaps due to his own penchant for wealth, Gilbert forgets that money cannot compensate for years of loneliness, and lies that even if this legacy had been properly administered, it would not have helped Arthur or his birth mother. Because Gilbert only has his orders carried out after his death, he leaves open the possibility that others may step in, and that is exactly what happens.
4 Why does it take so long for Arthur to realize the true nature of his feelings for Amy?
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf It is clear from early on that Amy loves Arthur, but it takes Amy a long time to realize his feelings for her. In fact, it is only when he himself is imprisoned in the Marshalsea and learns from that experience that he realizes his love for her. John Chiveley finds out that Amy has been hiding her feelings for a long time. Part of the delay may be due to the age difference. Arthur is nearly 20 years older than Amy, and this difference is further exacerbated by the fact that she looks much younger than her age, almost like a child, while Arthur’s melancholic temperament often makes him feel anxious.
Little Dorrit Summary And Themes By Charles Dickensf He feels even older than his actual age. When they first interact, he finds Amy vulnerable as the poor daughter of a prisoner and an employee of his mother, and he initially focuses on helping her in a fatherly and platonic way. He is also distracted by his attraction to pets for much of the novel. Only when all these obstacles are removed and Arthur hits rock bottom can he be vulnerable enough to realize that he truly loves Amy, and that she returned his love a long time ago.
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