Little Dorit, Part 2 of 2

by Charles Dickens

All texts are based on the Clarendon Edition of the Works of Charles Dickens.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Novels

Audio Cassette

Published August 1, 1999

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Heidi Holtan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For en murstein med de tilsammen nesten 1000 sider. En god og mektig om en litt prøvende leseropplevelse. Dickens tester tålmodigheten min som vanlig med sine mange sider med fjas og mas og prat. Men stort sett er dette en bra bok med vidunderlig bra språk, humor, mørke, drama, intriger og poesi. En del pappfigurer er det men det har det vært i alle Dickens-bøkene jeg har lest.

[GoldGato · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Be as rich as you can, sir. It's your duty. Take time by the forelock."

Foreshadowing the ongoing obsession with wealth, this second volume of Little Dorrit ("Riches") takes the reader on a journey of hope and sunshine, away from the darkness and brilliant dreariness of the first volume ("Poverty"). Goodbye to the Marshalsea, for a bit anyway, and hello to the grand tour of the European continent with its gadflies. Here, the Dorrit family become riddled with money and take their place among the elite, doing so with much condescension and a forgetfulness of their previous dire straits.

"Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes, and prism, are all very good words for the lips: especially prunes and prism."

But Little Dorrit can never forget where she and her family have been, providing her with a shadow of sorrow that walks beside her each day (no space in the life of man could overcome that quarter of a century behind the prison bars). Like flies to butter, every character flits close to the flames of Mr. Merdle, a businessman feted for his money but who turns out to be one big Ponzi schemer. Even the hero of the story gets taken in and ends up, himself, in the old Marshalsea. We all know how Dickens wrote, so some will be redeemed and some will flounder, but you can rely on his usual vast array of characters seemingly bumping into each other throughout various countries.

Obviously I love my Dickens and as usual, whenever I finish one his books, I always decide it was the best of the bunch. The same applies now. Only Dickens would near the end of his tale and then devote an entire chapter to one of the peripheral players and make it turn out radiantly. The detail for Mr. Meagles tied everything up into one big ball of evening sunshine. This could describe most English-speaking tourists today, yet was written more than 160 years ago.

Still, with an unshaken confidence that the English tongue was somehow the mother tongue of the whole world, only the people were too stupid to know it, Mr. Meagles harangued innkeepers in the most voluble manner, entered into loud explanations of the most complicated sort, and utterly renounced replies in the native language of the respondents, on the ground that they were "all bosh".

I didn't like all the characters, I never do, but the creaking house, the rush to make money, the need to feel superior to others, and the comeuppance of some do make for a terrific story, a worthy masterpiece.

Prunes and prism, people. Prunes and prism.

Book Season = Winter (evening twilight)

[Sasha Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second part of "Little Dorrit" is more dynamic and mysteries of the Clennam family get dramatically unveiled.

With a gripping plot and comparatively fast-pasted narration, Riches somehow appeared more depressing to me than the first volume. Surprising on one hand, because rather than behind the gloomy walls of Marshalsea and in the poverty-stricken areas of London it has finer, richer decorations. On the other hand, this prosperity only aggravates moral deficiencies of the Dorrit family, leaving Amy more desolate and desperate than during the time behind bars everyone tries their best to forget, getting increasingly ridiculous in such attempts.

Yet one can always trust Dickens that all will be well - in its own way.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one more then the first.

He manages to make each character so very human.

I love his cynical, sarcastic way of writing while still appreciating and upholding innocence and beauty.
The delays and ridiculous reasoning that often goes paired with government offices, the way people are desperate to be seen as better than they are, the herd mentality of the masses when it comes to opinions about business or who is to be admired, the fact that money doesn't make happiness...he weaves a lot of morals into the story in an entertaining way.

I think the main reason I loved it was because some of the main characters are developed in part two. There's still a lot of one dimentional 'supporting cast' characters but I could live with that.
There's also a lot of unrealistic links between people but again, I could live with that. I don't necessarily read stories because I want them to be realistic. I want them to entertain me, teach me more about human nature and the strength, love and kindness of God in it.
Or something like that.

[Pluie 92 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Très beau roman, dont je ressors avec l’envie de me plonger dans sa première partie.
L’écriture de Dickens est particulièrement agréable, dans son ironie acerbe et son attention portée aux dialogues.
Une belle satire de la haute société britannique du XIXe siècle.

[Tumelo Moleleki · Rating 2 out of 5]

The worst slow burn romance ever...

[Geoff Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow start, but one of the better plotted Dickenses.

[Elizabeth Converse]

One of my top ten authors. I want the full set. I read it in pieces