The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

It is time again, it is time again. The Dickens project is in full swing, and the participant are virtually bursting with ideas;hopefully, this week's discussion will be as lively and stimulating as the previous one, or we might emulate and surpass it:-) Please post your thoughts below.

The chirp ends with a twist, and what a dark twist it is. Is is an illusion, black magic, an evil mirror, or just something very plain and simple that we do not see yet?

The section is also somewhat confusing when it comes to its setting. Bertha and her father are definitely just poor employees, but their humble abode has been chosen as a get-together for the very assorted group of people. Yes, May and Dot are close friends, but there is something unnatural about the place that has been chosen. On the other hand, it is fiction and all things are possible there, especially if it is a Christmas tale.
Poor Bertha is breaking my heart, but the most touching moment is the delusional world of goodness and semi-prosperity, created by her father as a protective 'parasol'. I hope her heart will never know the harshness of he world around, and the fragile fairy-tale-like world will withhold the storms of the real world.
May's mother reminds me of our previous female mantronly characters, Mrs. Nickleby and Mrs. Varden. She is definitely not a character much bigger than life, but it might be explained by the limited textual space in the tale.

All in all, a shift in perspective, another family in focus, and a darker mystery (maybe)to reveal....

I was very touched about the way Caleb "colours" their lives to his daughter and I was actually wondering what is better - to live happily in a dream world from which you might one day be abruptly awakened which would be a great shock or to know the rather sad truth. This reminded me of the movie "Life is beautiful" in which a father tries to explain to his son that the concentraion camp is a big game.
As you, Zulfiya mentioned, May's mother represents somehow Dickens's view of these elderly mothers. In general, I think we can find here more characters who remind us of his other characters. Tackleton reminded me first of Mr. Gride and maybe also a little of Scrooge. The women are to me the rather plain characters. Caleb reminds me a little of Scrooge's nephew and Mr. Peerybingle seems to me the kind-hearted man who we have encountered so often in Dickens's books.
What do you think about the mystery around the "old deaf man"? Do you have any theories what his relations to Mrs. Peerybingle could be? Maybe we will just have to wait some more days.

The reason that this party takes place at Caleb's home is that this is a standing get-together for the Peerybingles and the Plummers. Dot organizes these 'pic-nics' to cheer Bertha up and help her around the house for a change. Tackleton wants May to see an example of a happily-married couple where the husband is much older than the wife, and he has been unsuccessful in inviting Dot and John to his own home, so, knowing that they will be at the Plummers, he has invited himself, May, and her mother to the gathering. I suppose Caleb can't object, if he values his employment. At least Tackleton brings some food with him.

Hedi, I like your comparison to 'Life is Beautiful'!

Poor Bertha! Her father's kindly-meant false descriptions of Tackleton have made her fall in love with him. Her reaction makes it obvious to Dot and May, too, and they are sympathetic. It is obvious that it is May's mother that wants this match, and that May wants nothing to do with him.

It is obvious that Tackleton thinks that the stranger is a youthful boyfriend of Dot's, come to win her back, and she seems to be encouraging him. John thinks so, too, from what he sees. Several earlier hints in the story imply this as well. Remember the vision that the cricket gives John at the end of the first Chirp, with the young man saying, "Married! and not to me!" And earlier in this Chirp, the narrator says of her, "...and however you may learn to hate her, in good time,..." These don't seem to bode well. But I can't help feeling that there is another explanation, like he's her long-lost brother or something like that. I can't believe that Dot is bad!

Hedi, when reading this part, I also thought of the "Life is Beautiful" movie! There's also a novel by Gide called "La Symphonie Pastorale' where a blind girl deduces from what she knows that she is in love with someone and when she suddenly gets sight, everything changes. There's something "romantic" about the blind being innocent or pure. But remember in Barnaby Rudge the blind man is not those things and he even brings up himself the unreal expectations people have about him being virtuous. I suppose since this blind person is a young girl, she is automatically pure and innocent to Dickens.

I also wondered about a long-lost brother, but when Dot is talking to May about their girlhood, it seems she is thinking of a youthful love. But there is probably more to it. This issue of possible betrayal reminds me of another Dickens story not considered a Christmas one as such, but it's certainly a winter story, called The Holly Tree. It would be delightful to read next year.

I'm also convinced there will be an innocent explanation of Dot's apparent deception-she has clearly been set up as a "good" character. I think Tackleton should be marrying May's mother-they seem a well-matched pair!

Frances, I also thought that Tackleton would be better with May's mother! I love her indignation over the Indigo Trade!

Denise wrote: "Remember the vision that the cricket gives John at the end of the first Chirp, with the young man saying, "Married! and not to me!" And earlier in this Chirp, the narrator says of her, "...and however you may learn to hate her, in good time,..." These don't seem to bode well. But I can't help feeling that there is another explanation, like he's her long-lost brother or something like that. I can't believe that Dot is bad!
..."

Denise, I was thinking of the long-lost brother or other relative who was maybe involved in some disgrace of the family (black sheep motive), but now that you are showing us these lines again, maybe there is some hidden romance behind it all. Great catch! I could not remember that part at the end of the first Chirp.

I agree that there is an inoocent explanation for Dot and the old man. Dickens knows how to portray a memorable villain and Dot certainly isn't it.

Tackleton is the villain here, obviously trying to manipulate John Peerybingle for some reason. There is a bit of an Iago/Othello dynamic there, IMHO.

Bertha's storyline reminded me of the Charlie Chaplin film "City Lights," where a blind girl is in love with Chaplin's Tramp character.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this read. I feel like the old/young man may be a red herring of some sort. There's too much left open to really make a determination about him. Dickens is definitely stringing me along on this one ;-)