The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Finally, after the long journey, we have reached the destination. This mission has been accomplished, and Martin Chuzzlewit has been read. Now it is time to discuss the final section, and as usual, your comments will make the day.

I have also opened another thread where you can express your general impressions, choose and discuss your favorite characters, and how you rate this book in the Dickens Hall of Fame.

In these final chapters Dickens combines so many moods - deeply tragical and morbid, sad and bitter-sweet, hilarious, and happy. So if you were looking for a particular read, these chapters would provide worthy mental and spiritual food for your contemplation.

The tragedy and horror of Jonas's death is even more morbid that one could anticipate. This line ends as it could only end, with death/suicide. This dark and murky story has a surprisingly optimistic underlying subplot. It was a revelation to learn that Anthony knew about his son's intentions and actions to poison hi, but he refused to confront his son and died of natural causes, but pain-stricken, although loving his only heir. The stimulus behind this act of parental love is dubious, but it does instill a weak ray of home in the dark castle of our desperation.

One can only feel sorry for Tomas Pinch,the nicest man in the world despite his earlier myopic perception of Seth Pecksniff, and Dickens decides to leave him a lonely character. Music is the only spiritual healer he is left to rely on, but he happily finds himself needed by the future sprouts of the Westlock and Chuzzlewit families.

The happiness of the above is partially predestined in earlier Dickens novels, but I am personally surprised how the roles of John Westlock and Ruth have become prominent in the last part of the book. It might be inconsistent plot-wise, but Dickens deliberately focuses on good characters in the last chapters.

Merry and Cherry are now worlds apart, and Merry, having spent some time in the matrimonial purgatory, is allowed to join the light of the Chuzzlewits and the Westlocks. Cherry, on the other hand, devoured by her own egotism, is doomed to the most ignominious maidenhood with the run-away bridegroom. Who knows, maybe Mr. Moddle and Merry could have become characters of the new Dickens novel :-)

Seth is doing quite poorly, and rightly so as many could say, but the misery of a human being is always a misery and hard to accept. Does it mean Dickens believe he is the most incorrigible character whose wretched existence in poverty and alcoholism perpetuates for many years?

I am surprised Dickens did not create a brood of children born in the Weslock, Chuzzlewit, and Tapley households, and in the novel there is only one allusion to a child, born to Mary and Martin.
Dickens also deals with the issue of mortality not granting old Chuzzlewit long and happy years. These small things actually demonstrate quite clearly that Dickens in this novel went through a certain transitional phrase. This novel is still imbued with humor and irony, but his outlook is gradually becoming more and more pessimistic, and we will definitely see this already in his next novel, Dombey and Son. Now,how about the reading schedule for our next read?... Just kidding, we all need a break.

Commentary

Chapter 51

1. jolter-heads:blockheads

2.faint: sickly


Chapter 53

1. duenna: chaperon


Chapter 54

1. dimity: cotton cloth, woven with stripes and fancy figures

2. Van Diemen's land: Tasmania

3. Talmud: the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law

The fairy-tale-like happily-ever-after ending of the novel was, in my opinion, quite over the top, and too perfect. I enjoyed the book and was glad to see justice served and the good characters rewarded, but I found the neat and tidy ending to be unrealistic—the couple from Eden finding Mark, Martin and Mary and John and Ruth’s respective marriages, Tom’s saintly happiness, Bailey’s sudden resurrection, etc. The Pecksniffs seemed to be the most believable, however, in that Seth and Charity do not change despite their adverse circumstances while Mercy, surviving Jonas, does become a better person. The clarification of the issue of old Martin was interesting, and I was glad that he did not remain a pawn of Pecksniff’s. Dickens adds some irony at the last with the fact that Charity is abandoned at the altar after refusing the elder Martin’s suggestion of friendship, and it seemed fitting that Tom was playing the organ at the end, as I associated that as a subtle link with a marriage ceremony, even though this last scene presumably occurs several years later. Overall I found this a fun and at times dark read.

I rather hoped that the reformed Mercy would end up as Tom Pinch's wife. I did feel sorry for Charity but again she was such a horrible fiancee that it isn't surprising she was left at the altar-unfortunate that she had burned so many bridges behind her that there was not much good will left to support her in her loss.

The ending was very tidy in having 2 confrontational scenes, one with Jonas, the other with Pecksniff. It's like a mystery where the detective calls everyone to the drawing room to reveal the criminal.

Sarah wrote: " Overall I found this a fun and at times dark read. "

I totally agree with you. I am yet to read another novel of Dickens's when he explores the human darkness. The two chapters about Jonas in different parts of the novel definitely stand out. Dickens is uncompromisingly incisive and sharp in the portrayal of Jonas's inner world. I wish he could have done the same with his other characters. Oh, well, then he could have been James Joyce :-)

Frances wrote: "I rather hoped that the reformed Mercy would end up as Tom Pinch's wife. I did feel sorry for Charity but again she was such a horrible fiancee that it isn't surprising she was left at the altar-un..."

Francis, I also think that Charity went beyond the redemption point.

Robin wrote: "The ending was very tidy in having 2 confrontational scenes, one with Jonas, the other with Pecksniff. It's like a mystery where the detective calls everyone to the drawing room to reveal the crimi..."

Robin, we might like or dislike the saccharine, fudge-like idyll ending for the nice folks, but one thing is for sure. This novel really ends in a very tidy way - all the loose lines are nicely wrapped up and brought to an end. I think it can actually count as one of Dickens's accomplishment in this novel.

The description of the weight of guilt on Jonas and how he thinks everyone is talking about him reminds me of Poe's Telltale Heart or Crime and Punishment. Dickens' understanding of human nature continues to impress me.

So even though I have not been able to comment on the last threads I was at least able to finish the novel this week, too.

The ending reminded me a lot of Nicholas Nickleby. The good ones had their good endings, the bad ones the rather bad ending. I think it was a little hard to watch Tom being the old bachelor who participates in his friends' lives, but being alone himself.

I was also reminded by this mysterious summoning into old Martin's house of old crime novels like Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple where the mystery is solved and the murderer pointed out in front of everyone.

I think after all Jonas was a quite interesting character and not as evil as we might have thought. He seemed to have a conscience in some way, maybe even a little "Lady Macbethian" and that even though he did not actually murder his father. If he had known that maybe everything would have turned out differently.

Well, and Mr Pecksniff did somehow get what he deserved. I did not really feel sorry for him after all he had done.

Interesting to me was that I was wondering a lot during the whole novel why Dickens introduced so many family members of the Chuzzlewit dynasty and then did not mention them any more. So I was surprised to see Slyme again and at the later occasion of Cherry's wedding the other relations that had been quite neglected. I think was a little odd. At least Dickens almost ended the novel with respect to the characters as he had started it.

Hedi wrote: "I was also reminded by this mysterious summoning into old Martin's house of old crime novels like Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple where the mystery is solved and the murderer pointed out in front of everyone."

It is so nice to see that you are back, Hedi

I really like your point about the hermetic conclusion a la Poirot or Miss Marple when all the participants are there and the culprit is exposed and banished/punished.
And yes, the novel started with the full cast of the Chuzzlewit Household, and it also finished with virtually the same people. The cycle is complete, the new one is on the horizon:-) Of course, I mean Dombey and Son