Book #17: Little Dorrit by Charles Dickins

Book #17: Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

Ranking Dickens

            At this point in the challenge, Charles Dickens seems like an old friend. If you need a refresher, I have already read David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities. Finally, I have made it to Little Dorrit, the last Dickens’ novel I have to read for awhile. I have previously mentioned that Dickens is not the best author to binge read and his novels are best read with a decent amount of space between them. However, since I am extremely stubborn, I made myself read the books on this list in the order they appear in Gilmore Girls episodes and ended up reading these four in the span of six months. This was exhausting because Dickens isn’t exactly light reading. I suppose this is why Dickens’ novels were often originally published in monthly installments such as the case with Little Dorrit. Part of me sees this as smart as it keeps the reader engaged and wanting more, but it also drags out the process. Dickens isn’t like an episode of Scandal; you don’t necessarily have the desire to eagerly await the next installment with a big glass of wine.

            Out of the four Dickens books I have read so far, my rankings stand as: A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Little Dorrit. I believe that Little Dorrit is behind David

Copperfield merely because I read it afterwards. If I read Little Dorrit before David Copperfield, I probably would have liked it more. Most likely, I was burnt out from reading so much Dickens that by the time I came to this book I was just done with him. A lot of the themes and troupes Dickins uses in Little Dorrit, he does so much better in his other books. For example, the main female character of Amy “Little” Dorrit is reminiscent of Dora in David Copperfield. Little Dorrit’s father spends most of his life imprisoned similar to Lucie’s father in A Tale of Two Cities. Little Dorrit and her father are close in a similar manner to Lucie and her father. Arthur Clennam’s “mother” is similar in nature to the mean Mrs. Havisham in Great Expecatations. Furthermore, Amy’s older sister Fanny treats her the same way Pip’s older sister treats him. If Dickens’ other novels were not so great (he really did himself in on this one), maybe Little Dorrit would have stood a chance with me.

Money, Money, Money! (Yes, I am quoting an ABBA song…)

Since Dickens’ is often making a social commentary about money and class in his novels, I thought it be a convenient time to mention my new obsession: Downton Abbey. I know, I am about seven years too late to the party and am going off on a complete tangent here. Everybody has seen this show years ago, but TOO BAD I just started watching it now. I don’t know why I was so resistant to it for so long (there is my stubbornness again) because it is extremely addicting. But clouded under all the drama is a commentary on the British class system and money…just like Dickens! This shows how certain themes and motifs are used continuously throughout story telling. Also, reading Dickens and watching Downton Abbey at the same time made me feel very British and makes me yearn for England. I’ve been there once for a Shakespeare study tour (you’ll hear all about this when we read all that Shakespeare! Yay!) and want to go back desperately. But the more English works I read and more English television shows I watch, the more I attempt to speak in a British accent. I am so sorry to all my friends who have to put up with this. My sister tells me "Leigh, your British accent is you just speaking faster in a higher octave." Sigh....

Gilmore Boys

Since Little Dorrit is centered around a father and daughter relationship, I thought it would be a good time to bring up the father-daughter relationships in Gilmore Girls. We always focus on the mother-daughter relationships in the show, but the father-daughter ones are just as strong. Lorelei and Richard have a complex relationship but at the core, both would do anything for the other. Richard’s presence is huge over the course of the series and his death is omnipresent in the revival. Rory and Christopher’s relationship is not explored as in depth. Christopher is present in Rory’s life, but her loyalties usually side with her mother as she was the one who raised her. I would argue that Luke is more of a father figure to Rory. After all, he is the one that feeds her the most. I feel very lucky that I have such a good relationship with my father; I always have. 

Fun fact: In October 2011, The Guardian released the results of a poll in which readers voted for their favorite Dickens’ novel. Great Expectations won (no surprise, it is pretty great) followed by Bleak House (I’ve never read it, but one of my college English professors always raved about it). David Copperfield won third which surprises me and A Tale of Two Cities made it at four. Little Dorrit was ranked around 11 which isn’t too surprising as many people haven’t heard of it nor is it extremely memorable. It seems that many people had a similar opinion as I did.

Charles, my friend, it has been a fun six months. I've enjoyed (sort of) your stories of poor orphans, imprisoned fathers, and women with fetishes for doppelgängers. But, now, it is time to return to your admirer Leo Tolstoy and finish reading Anna Karenina. Wish me luck!  

Pictures

1.http://www.loyalbooks.com/image/detail/Little-Dorrit.jpg

2.https://a.wattpad.com/cover/111850375-352-k786598.jpg

3. http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/downtonabbey/images/8/83/Downton-Abbey-series-2-cast-promo.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20131128023506

Book #12: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

If you read my post about David Copperfield, you are well aware that my expectations for Charles Dickens were not very high after reading it. I thought David Copperfield was boring and had no cohesive plot. I was disappointed in Dickens and dreading the many Dickens novels that were to come on this list. I had a pleasant surprise, though, when I began reading Great Expectations. I could immediately tell that I would enjoy it better than David Copperfield. Don’t ask me how I knew so quickly, I just did. I have a sixth sense when it comes to these things.

On the surface, Great Expectations appears very similar to David Copperfield. Both stories are centered around a young orphan and follows his trials and tribulations as he reaches adulthood. However, Pip is a hell of a lot more likeable than David and the characters surrounding Pip are more vibrant than those in David’s world. Humor plays a major role in Great Expectations while David Copperfield focuses on the harshness of reality. I’m not saying that Great Expectations is all sunshine and rainbows; it is absolutely not. The cruelties in Great Expectations, such as Pip’s sister’s brutal attack and Estella’s backstory, are particularly harsh and gruesome. But rather than dwelling on the gruesome parts of life, Dickens gives us humor to distract us from the harrowing parts of the novel.

Tough Love

One of my favorite motifs (I know I am sounding extra English teachery by using this word) in this novel is the way the female characters express their feelings. Each of the prominent female characters (Mrs. Joe Gargary, Miss Havisham, Estella) are just plain mean to the men in their lives. We first see this with Pip’s sister Mrs. Joe Gargary. Her husband, Joe, is perhaps one of the sweetest men I have come across in literature. Maybe he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but that is no excuse for his wife to be so short tempered to him. Mrs. Joe Gargary is also cruel to Pip, her own brother! I found her to be one of my favorite characters. Her character traits, especially her mood swings, were exaggerated to heighten the humor. My favorite part, though, was that no matter how mean she was, Joe still loved her with all his heart.

Miss Havisham is the epitome of a crazy old cat lady, but without all the cats. She sits in her room wearing her wedding dress from twenty years ago with all the clocks stuck at nine twenty because that is the exact moment her fiance left her. Miss Havisham isn’t exactly mean to Pip, but she shows no emotions except sadness and is never direct with him. She’s cold and lonely and feels spurned by all men simply because one hurt her.

This brings me to her adoptive daughter, Estella. Miss Havisham raised her as a weapon against men. She raised her so she could not love or have any feelings. Therefore, using her beauty as a tool to break men’s hearts. Pip, of course, falls for Estella the moment he lays eyes on her and pines for her for most of the novel. Estella goes out of her way to make hurtful comments and to play with Pip’s mind. She makes him cry, lets him kiss her, flirts with other men in front of him. I first thought, why on earth would he like this girl? Yeah, she is pretty, but she has no soul. Then, I thought back to something a guy once said to me “sometimes guys are attracted to girls who are mean to them.” Makes sense. I am always a tad bit mean to the guys I like the most and they always seem to like this. Maybe they like a girl that can stand her ground and be a bit of a challenge. This isn’t only true with guys. As a girl (I don’t know why I feel like I need to clarify this), I do tend to be attracted to guys who aren’t afraid to tease me. However, if someone pushes too far, I tend to pull away. I could not put up with a male version of Estella; someone who purposely makes you want to feel bad about yourself.

It all comes back to plot

The main reason Great Expectations is better than David Copperfield is not the humor, but rather the plot. Great Expectations has a clear plot trajectory and if something was brought up earlier in the novel, it was used in a later point to serve a purpose. David Copperfield was structured very much like a biography with “this happened, then this happened, then this.” I understand this, but it was boring to read. In Great Expectations, everything is tied up at the end, though not necessarily in a pretty little bow. I don't ask for a happy ending, just an ending that serves a purpose. This ending left us on a hopeful note with Pip and Estella reuniting as friends. Romance could be possible, but it is uncertain. Personally, I like this ending; it is more realistic. We don't always get what we want and sometimes, if not always, friendships should be celebrated more than romance. Okay, I will stop being sappy now <3

Pictures
Book 1 http://greatexpectationsnovel.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/0/1/2301863/936347_orig.jpg
Illustration http://www.charlesdickensinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Well_Pip_you_know_._._._._you_yourself_see_me_put_em_in_my_at-_ch._13-300x238.jpeg