Brandon’s Reviews > Martin Chuzzlewit > Status Update

I do like the double-talk about liquor: “‘It ain’t tea,’ said Mrs.Gamp. It can’t be easy for someone to make themselves ridiculous so they simultaneously feel good about themself, but perhaps it’s easier than feeling miserable so one can appear “good” (1401).

Diversity of knowledge, Chuffey’s in particular exceeding others’ assumptions (1395).

A “tell-tale face” 1348).

Dickens publishes the book Martin Chuzzlewit as a book in 1844. Poe publishes “Tell-Tale Heart” in 1843. Who first came up with a heart that beat “Murder, Murder, Murder” (1346)?

Dickens contrasts the dark wood (1339), the scene of Jonas murdering Montague, to the “infernal room” that holds Jonas’ terror of being discovered (1343). Significant, Jonas missed the “rare” sunset because he was lying in wait for Montague in the woods (1341).

Jonas’ anger forestalls Tom’s mention of Nadgett (1319).

The cognitive dissonance of the phrase “loquacious frankness” suits Cherry Pecksniff (1295).

Description of Tom’s sister’s singing is really a description of its effect on the listeners (1287).

The red ink foreshadows Jonas‘s murder of Montague (1269).

Jonas and Pecksniff play the confidence game (1260) [e.g. greedy listening].