Charles Dickens: Little Dorrit

2001-02

THEMES:
“Poverty” and “Riches” (material and spiritual); Imprisonment;
Surfaces; appearances; masks; the clothes-philosophy; "Seeming" imprisons Reality;
Weaving the threads; Relationships.

Book the First, Poverty

~ September 15 ~
1: Sun and Shadow. First 2 paragraphs, to “... jewel of fire.” Skip 2 paras. From “In Marseilles ...” for 1½ pages, to ‘... It’s all the same.’ Skip 2 pages. From “When Monsieur Rigaud ...” for 1 page, to ‘... ’tis the flower, Always gay!’ Skip 3 pages. From ‘I am a ...’ for 2½ pages, to ‘... assassinating her!’
2: Fellow Travellers. First 2¼ pages, to “’Not at all,’ said Mr Meagles.” Skip to final para of chapter.
3: Home. First para, plus next sentence, to “... coffeehouse on Ludgate Hill.” Skip 2⅓ pages. From “Mr Arthur Clennam took up ...” for 5½ pages, to “... sick woman was ready for bed.” Skip to final page, from ‘Affery, what girl ...’
(OMIT 4: Mrs Flintwinch has a Dream.)
5: Family Affairs. First 5½ pages, to “... varying manner, every day.” Skip 2 pages. Para starting “This refection of oysters ...” Skip 3 paras. Para starting “It was not easy ...” Skip to final paragraph of chapter.

6: The Father of the Marshalsea. First 3 pages, to ‘... shove him out.’ Skip 5 pages. From “Time went on ...” for 1½ pages, to “... body of collegians.”
7: The Child of the Marshalsea. First ½-page, to “... above his former official one.” Skip 3¾ pages. From “At thirteen ...” for 3 pages, to ‘... don’t mind me.’ Skip 3 pages. Para from “This was the life ...” to “... passed along them.”
(OMIT 8: The Lock, & 9: Little Mother.)

~ October 20 ~
10: Containing the whole Science of Government. First 2 pages, to “... name was Legion.” Skip 1 page. From “The Barnacle family ...” for 1¼ pages, to “... How not to do it.” Skip 1¼ pages. From “Mews Street ...” for 4 pages, to “... repeated his case.”
(OMIT 11: Let Loose.)
12: Bleeding Heart Yard. First 2 paras. Skip 5 pages. From ‘The landlord of the Yard ...’ for 2 pages, to “... pecuniary compliment.”

13: Patriarchal. First para. Skip 1 page. Para starting “The servant-maid ...” Skip 1 page. From “Arthur Clennam moved ...” for 2½ pages to “... by another door.” Skip 1 page. From “The return of Mr Casby ...” for 5 pages, to ‘... where he is not wanted.’ Skip 2 pages. From “There was a fourth ...” for 2¼ pages, to “... with implacable animosity.” Skip to last ¼-page of chapter, from ‘To review his life ...”
14: Little Dorrit’s Party. First 6½ pages, to ‘... am proud of him.’
(OMIT 15: Mrs Flintwinch has another Dream.)
16: Nobody’s Weakness. Skip to last page, from “Clennam went back ...”
17: Nobody’s Rival. Skip 5¼ pages, then from “Pursuing his enquiries ...” for 1 page to “... and afterwards.”

~ November 17 ~
18: Little Dorrit’s Lover. First 2 paras, to “... College walls.” Skip 1 page. Half-para, from “Young John drew tears ...” to ‘... There she died.’ Skip 4 pages. From “He walked on ...” for last 3¾ pages.
19: The Father of the Marshalsea in two or three Relations. Skip first 3½ pages. From “Shaking hands ...” for 2¾ pages, to “... upon his shoulder.” Skip to last-but-one page. From “He seemed to be dozing ...” for last 1½ pages.
20: Moving in Society. Skip first 1⅓ pages. From “Little Dorrit was almost ...” for 1¼ pages, to “... also disappeared.” Skip 3 pages. From ‘Now, Amy ...’ for 5½ pages, to ‘... Good morning!’
21: Mr Merdle’s Complaint. First 2½ pages, to ‘... nonsense about her.’
22: A Puzzle. First para, to “... that way tending.” Skip 4⅓ pages. From “The crowd in the street ...” for the final 4 pages.
23: Machinery in Motion. Skip first 5½ pages. From ‘One last remark ...’ for 3 pages, to “... flutter of her spirits.”
(OMIT 24: Fortune-Telling.)
25: Conspirators and Others. First page, to “... with consideration.” Skip 1¾ pages. From “That Mr Pancks ...” for 3 pages, to ‘... without fee or reward.’
(OMIT 26: Nobody’s State of Mind.)

~ January 19 ~
(OMIT 27: Five-and-Twenty,and 28: Nobody’s Disappearance.)
29: Mrs Flintwinch goes on Dreaming. Skip first 4½ pages. From “On opening it ...” for last 3½ pages.
30: The Word of a Gentleman. First 3¼ pages, to ‘... above stairs.’
(OMIT 31: Spirit.)
32: More Fortune-Telling ~ Entire.
(OMIT 33: Mrs Merdle’s Complaint.)
34: A Shoal of Barnacles. Skip 4½ pages. From “But all days come ...” for 3 pages, to “... Barnacles were down.”
35: What was behind Mr Pancks on Little Dorrit’s Hand. First 4 pages, to ‘... therefore never ate it.’
36: The Marshalsea becomes an Orphan ~ Entire.

Book the Second, Riches

~ February 16 ~
1: Fellow Travellers. Skip 2¾ pages. From (mid-para) “There was a smell within ...” for 3 pages, to “... carried her away.” Skip 4 pages. From “The chest of ...” for 1 page, to ‘... We will say no more.’ Skip to last page. Last ½-page, from “Throwing back his head ...”
2: Mrs General ~ Entire.
3: On the Road. First 5 pages, to “... derived from her prison birth.”
4: A Letter from Little Dorrit ~ Entire.
5: Something Wrong Somewhere. First 9 pages, to “... for having shed any.”
(OMIT 6: Something Right Somewhere.)
7: Mostly, Prunes and Prism. Skip first 8¾ pages. From “It appeared on the whole ...” for last 3 pages.
(OMIT 8: The Dowager Mrs Gowan is reminded that ‘It Never Does’.)

~ March 16 ~
(OMIT 9: Appearance and Disappearance; & 10: The Dreams of Mrs Flintwinch thicken.)
11: A Letter from Little Dorrit ~ Entire.
12: In which a Great Patriotic Conference is holden. First 3 pages, to “... sailing into dinner.” Skip to last page. From “In a day or two ...” for last 2 paras.
13: The Progress of an Epidemic. First 2¾ pages, to “... Mr Merdle’s ready money.” Skip 9½ pages. From ‘And have you really invested ...’ for last 3 pages.
14: Taking Advice. Last 2¼ pages, from “Little Dorrit was at home ...”
15: No Just Cause or Impediment why ... First 7¼ pages, to ‘... your condescension, Mrs General.’
16: Getting on ~ Entire.

~ April 20 ~
(OMIT 17: Missing.)
18: A Castle in the Air. First 4¾ pages, to ‘... son of old tenant of mine.’
19: The Storming of the Castle ... Skip first 5 pages. Last 8½ pages, from “As the family had no visitors ...”
(OMIT 20: Introduces the next; 21: The History of a Self-Tormentor; 22: Who passes by this Road..? & 23: Mistress Affery makes a Conditional Promise ...)
24: The Evening of a Long Day ~ Entire.
25: The Chief Butler Resigns the Seals of Office. Skip first 8 pages. Last 1¼ pages, from “But, at about the time ...”
26: Reaping the Whirlwind. Skip first 3 pages. Last 6 pages, from “Mr Pancks brought ...”

~ May 18 ~
(OMIT 27: The Pupil of the Marshalsea, & 28: An Appearance in the Marshalsea.)
29: A Plea in the Marshalsea. Skip first 4½ pages. Last 4 pages, from “The shadow moved ...”
(OMIT 30: Closing in.)
31: Closed ~ Entire.
32: Going ~ Entire.
33: Going! First 1¾ pages, to “... unborn little victim.”
34: Gone. First 5¾ pages, to ‘... for ever say Adieu!’ Skip 3¾ pages. From “There was silence ...” for last 2½ pages.

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