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'Little Dorrit' readalong

290 replies

Piggywaspushed · 07/04/2021 12:36

Hello and welcome to our next proposed Dickensalong after the success of our previous readalongs!

On our previous thread I suggested our first month as commencing in April and convening on June 1st to discuss the first instalment : gives everyone time to get copies and get settled down.

Everyone is welcome! We always start with about 10 people and end up with about 5...

Instalments I have chosen follow Dickens' shorter 19 instalments (which were all exactly the same number of pages originally - that must have taken considerable planning and editing!) but come in pairs or trios:-
The novel comprises only two Books, which forces a break at a particular point, too.

May 2021 - Book One , Chapters 1-11
June - Chapters 12-18
July - Chapters 19-25
August - Chapters 26- 36
September - Book Two Chapters 1-11
October - Chapters 12-18
November - Chapters 19-26
December - Chapters 27 - 34

So finished by 2022. I think that suits reading speed of most.

Happy Reading!

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LadybirdDaphne · 01/11/2021 07:59

It did seem like the more interesting elements of the plot were missing (where have Miss Wade and Tattycoram got to?). I think the threads that are going to lead to the novel's resolution (Miss Wade's parentage, M. Blandois' nefarious dealings, and getting Arthur and Amy at least in the same country) were out of focus here, with lots more Merdle instead. The need to get Arthur and Amy together is getting much more pressing now that Mr Dorrit has got it into his head that he needs to find a suitable husband for his younger daughter.

There was a growing sense that investing in Mr Merdle's empire might not be the wisest thing to do. Arthur seems to be tempted after his conversations with Pancks, and Mr Dorrit is also being drawn in now that Fanny has married Merdle's stepson - he's not in danger of losing his new fortune and ending up back in the Marshalsea, is he?

Fanny's decision to marry Edmund Sparkler so that she could compete more effectively with Mrs Merdle's bosom appeared unwise also.

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 01/11/2021 10:02

Place-marking for later.

I really enjoyed Piggy's and Lady Daphne's summaries. Spot on Grin

Piggywaspushed · 01/11/2021 10:12

Fanny's decision to marry Edmund Sparkler so that she could compete more effectively with Mrs Merdle's bosom appeared unwise also.

Grin
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Piggywaspushed · 01/11/2021 10:15

Mr D is definitely doomed if he messes with the Merdles! I may have glazed over at several points during these chapters so missed a lot of this wheeler dealering (ladybird pays so much mroe attention!). But the desperate social climbing, hubris, and avoidance of his past (poor rejected Chivery!) will end in disaster.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 02/11/2021 20:57

I agree, it wasn't the most exciting installment this time round. I think the chapter about Merdle's dinner party nearly sent me into a one hundred year slumber, it was so dull.

I have a bad feeling too about Arthur getting involved in Merdle Enterprises. I think Pancks is going to lead him astray, albeit unintentionally, and it could go wrong.

Merdle must be the most nondescript character in the book. He has absolutely nothing to say for himself. He hardly makes a mark on the page, he is so self-effacing.

I'm no fan of Fanny, but felt rather sad for her walking into an unhappy marriage with Sparkler, deciding that this is the life she is 'fitted' for and to set herself up in competition with Mrs Merdle. So shallow. I did like her outspoken declaration of being tired of Mrs General. I also loved 'the ghoul in gloves' description. There will be no tolerating her if she becomes Mrs Dorrit. 'I am to be left alone with Mrs General', wails Amy.

I was baffled as to why Flora wanted Mr. Dorrit to go on a search for Rigaud. Apparently, 'for the clearing of all parties', though it really doesn't concern her. I quite liked the line 'Mr. Dorrit looked as if he must immediately be driven out of his mind by this account'. She has this effect on everyone! You would want the patience of all the saints to talk to her.

A trivial point; I was surprised to see Affery say 'hi' to Dorrit. I thought 'hi' was would have been too modern for this era.

Finally, the encounter between Mr. Dorrit and John Chivery was rather shocking. It really showed the measure of Dorrit's insecurity in his new position, how much he wants to leave his past behind and his mortal fear that it will impinge on his new life.

Piggywaspushed · 02/11/2021 21:03

Didn't they used to say 'hi' to draw attention, as in 'hi there, you boy?' sort of thing?

I need to reevaluate my view of Fanny perhaps as I think she seems quite 'happy' but Sparkler is a knob.

I was baffled by many things...

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 02/11/2021 21:12

There is much to be baffled about in this book, Piggy Grin

Re 'hi'... Yes, perhaps!
'Hi!' cried the woman, raising a cracked voice. 'Jeremiah!'
It looked funny to me!

Piggywaspushed · 06/11/2021 07:13

So, chapters 19-26 this month!

We should be getting a sense of threads coming together soon I hope!

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Piggywaspushed · 06/11/2021 17:34

Not a spoiler but just read Chapter 19 . Did not see that coming...

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ChessieFL · 06/11/2021 17:56

I’ve just realised I never came back with my comments, sorry about that! I don’t think I can add much to what’s already been said though. I also loved the ‘ghoul in gloves’ comparison. Merdle (my autocorrect wanted to change that to Meddle which sounds about right!) is very much a symbol rather than a character really - we don’t know anything much about him other than that he’s very rich. Depressing though that things haven’t changed - just look at the Neil Woodford scandal recently.

Did anyone else like the idea of the cottage mural the Plornishes have painted on their parlour wall? It sounds fab and I would love to have something like that in my house!

I’m still wondering who Richaud/Blandois is and why everyone is so keen to track him down (but never seem very pleased to see him when he does turn up!).

Piggywaspushed · 06/11/2021 19:18

I didn't notice the mural (surprise!) but it sounds lovely.

I guess like all good baddies we want Balndois?Rigaud/whoevs around!

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 06/11/2021 19:22

Hi Chessie! (My autocorrect wants to call you Chrissie Grin). I was thinking that the Plornish's little cottage sounded rather cosy and colourful. A bright, welcoming place probably the only one in the bookI liked the interaction between 'the lively Altro chap' and Mrs Plornish.
I must have a look at chapter 19!

ChessieFL · 06/11/2021 19:30

Mural is in Chapter 13 Piggy. I do like these odd decorative things Dickens throws in every now and then - there was the tropical bird aviary and fountain that John created for Bella in Our Mutual Friend that I really liked.

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 06/11/2021 19:31

Oh!
Ho, hum.

Oh dear!

Piggywaspushed · 06/11/2021 19:31

Oh, I think I do remember that. Maybe...

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Piggywaspushed · 06/11/2021 19:33

Quite fuzzy!

Looking forward to the rest of this section now to see how it pans out.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 06/11/2021 19:34

Yes, we'll see!

ChessieFL · 06/11/2021 19:50

I don’t usually read my chapters until the end of the month but I might have to crack on with chapter 19 to see what you’re going on about!

Piggywaspushed · 06/11/2021 19:50

I think maybe you should! Not during Strictly, mind!

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ChessieFL · 06/11/2021 19:56

Ooh no, definitely not during Strictly!

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 07/11/2021 19:03

I just finished chapter 18. Poor, poor John Chivery 😢 Dorrit really showed his beastly side in that interaction. And then to take his gift of the cigars, which Chivery could no doubt ill afford, and immediately give them away to his Footman 😡

ChessieFL beat me to it, I was going to refer to Merdle as Dickens version of Neil Woodford. I can see the Clenam, Sparkler and Dorrit wealth folding like a house of cards when he is inevitably unmasked as a charlatan who has been juggling a financial pyramid scheme. (Amy will no doubt be delighted to be transported back to gentile poverty though!)

I was also flummoxed by Floras visit to Dorrit in an attempt to track down Blandois, and also by Dorrit following this up with a visit to Mrs Clenham and Flintwinch. An action which seemed very out of character to me, as it placed him squarely in a house that was strongly connected with his poverty stricken past.
Although does he know Amy had once worked there, maybe not as he liked to pretend she was out partying every day and Flora only mentioned Amy working for her I think.

I do like Flora though, with her stream of consciousness way of speaking, she makes me laugh, as does Sparkler with his catch phrase of 'no nonsense about her' Smile

On the other hand I can't bear the way Dorrit speaks with all the humming and harring, or the hawking and sniffing of Pencks. Although this is probably because I'm mainly listening to the book, read by Julia Stephenson, and although she's a brilliant narrator she certainly doesn't shy away from hamming up these two and can 'hawk' and snort like a good'un when required to!

I don't think Fanny is happy at all Piggy, she cried with Amy when she decided to marry Sparkler and once she's established in her married home Dickens says:

“In her mind's eye, as she lounged there, surrounded by every luxurious accessory that wealth could obtain or invention devise, she saw the fair bosom that beat in unison with the exultation of her thoughts, competing with the bosom that had been famous so long, outshining it, and deposing it. Happy? Fanny must have been happy. No more wishing one's self dead now.”
I took from that, that she looked around and realised what a hollow victory she had won and what a miserable life she had carved out for herself with an imbecile of a husband. Although I can't but feel that Sparkler has the worst of the bargain here! He may be stupid but there's no malice in him (if some nonsense about him!) and I don't think the same can be said for Fanny!

I also want to push on with chapter 19 now to see what's coming!

Piggywaspushed · 07/11/2021 19:42

I missed that bit with fanny to be honest : You are right, that's not happy. I just think she is maybe making the most of it, social climbing to protect herself.

In the book , I try to ignore the hums and has and just read the sentence. But at least I know who is talking! Must admit all the hemming and hawwing reminds me of Boris...

I didn't know who Neil Woodford is but have now looked him up!

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 07/11/2021 20:12

It seems to me from that passage, that Fanny is trying to convince herself that she's happy. She is definitely a social climber and as Desdemona says, it's a hollow victory.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 07/11/2021 21:19

Yes Dickens is keen to impress upon us that Fanny has made a grave mistake. I've just read the Shmoop chapter summary's, which I've not kept up to date with so far, and they draw attention to this damming passage, which is a commentary on the bridal carriage trundling off into the distance post ceremony:
“So, the Bride had mounted into her handsome chariot, incidentally accompanied by the Bridegroom; and after rolling for a few minutes smoothly over a fair pavement, had begun to jolt through a Slough of Despond, and through a long, long avenue of wrack and ruin. Other nuptial carriages are said to have gone the same road, before and since.”

And Chapter 19 😳 ! Bit of a bolt out of the blue for me too despite the foreshadowing.

Piggywaspushed · 07/11/2021 22:21

Yes, I read that as a comment on marriage in general. The incidentally accompanied made me chortle.

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