Read chapters 6 and 7. A comment from Marian inspired a discussion question for this week (thanks, Marian!): Are there any characters so far that you particularly like or don't like? Who and why?
Of course, feel free to discuss anything else about the story as well!
Just had to share a couple favorite quotes:
“. . . not in a hop, or walk, or run, but in a pace like that of a very particular gentleman with exceedingly tight boots on, trying to walk fast over loose pebbles.”
“‘I wish somebody would marry Miggs. But that’s impossible! I wonder whether there’s any madman alive, who would marry Miggs!’”
I like Sim as a character, because I think he’ll be interesting, but not because of any virtue of his (gotta love the quote “something will come of this – I hope it mayn’t be human gore.” Priceless!) I’m really liking Dolly Varden, too – she’s still friendly and good, but has a bit more spirit than most of Dickens’ heroines. I like Barnaby well enough, too.
Now, who do I dislike? The owner of the Maypole, so far! I haven’t read this week’s portion yet, though, so there may be more to add to this list. 🙂
Poor Gabriel. He doesn’t stand a chance against the Mrs Varden/Miggs alliance!
“something will come of this – I hope it mayn’t be human gore.”
Of course, that’s a foreshadowing of the historical events in this novel…
I begin to be quite concerned for the characters in these chapters. The poor woman harassed by something she can’t tell kind old Gabriel Varden about gives me some worry. She seems like just the sort of character who would have a simply awful time of it through the entire novel, like poor Mary in Martin Chuzzlewit. And poor Gabriel himself, with his hilarious (to us) and horrible home life… Isn’t it awful how some people’s need for power and control in their own small spheres can ruin other people’s lives?
I read Chapter 7 last night. I can’t stand Mrs Varden. 😛 I’m wondering if she will turn out to be a better character, though, as Dickens says she could be?
I think I might end up liking Edward Chester, though it’s a little too early to say. Another thing I noticed is that the original illustrations for this book aren’t nearly as good, IMHO, as the ones for Little Dorrit, Bleak House, and others. Is it perhaps because this is a historical fiction, and the artist wanted to give it a different atmosphere?
^ ^
Ironically, Dickens was becoming more and more dissatisfied with Phiz’ illustrations by the Bleak House and Little Dorrit period (after ATOTC he refused to work with the illustrator anymore). Maybe he wanted them to look a little offbeat?
Wow, I didn’t know that…very ironic. Then again, when I was younger and reading Dickens for the first time, I didn’t like the illustrations either–all the bad guys look bad, and all the good guys look good. 😉 But I really like the illustrations now.
Welcome to the blog! I will definitely be posting lots of thoughts as it airs, and other commenters might too,…
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Oh hi, I was just scrolling by and came across your blog 🙂 Hope you’ll be posting your thoughts on…
He did an audiobook of A Christmas Carol too.
Yes — wouldn’t it be just lovely if Jaggers was exposed as a fraud/fixer/defaulting trustee etc.? He could be packed…
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