[the merits of Dickens]

[two thirteen]
4.19.11

If you don't want to hear me sing the praises of Dickens, you'd better leave right now. Because the singing is going to start in about a second.
Still here? First let me say that Sam, mom and I are watching Masterpiece Theater's "Little Dorrit." But it was Dicken's first :D I haven't read the book (and yes I am ashamed of myself) but I can see little Dickens touches all over the place. Affery and her flightiness, Mr Dorrit and his pride in being the Father of the Marshalsea, Amy and her gentleness and quiet devotion, Tattycoram with her spazzes and her seemingly random placement in the story, John Chivery and his blighted heart, Panck and his um.. just him. Flora too, is quintessentially Dickensish. But possibly my very favorite thing so far is Aurthur. He is without a doubt (so far; we're only halfway through) my favorite hero of Dickens. Let me make sure you understand what I mean by 'hero.' He must be classified as 'the one who gets the girl.' So, much as I love Jarndyce, Mark Tap, (though he does get his girl, it's not *the* girl) Tom Pinch, and all the other 'secondary' heroes, they are not really 'the' heroes. One thing that I do have to say against Dickens is that he has a small tendency to leave his hero's characters undeveloped. Take Bleak House for instance. Esther (who is my favorite heroine of his, unless it would be Florence from Dombey and Son) marries a doctor who shows up midway through the story and spends most of the remaining time at sea and they aren't even acquainted well enough to write to each other yet. So then he comes back at the end and they get married. He *seems* nice enough, but we know Guppy so much better than him! Although Dickens doesn't do that all the time. David Copperfield, Nicolas Nickleby, Martin Chuzzlewhit, and Our Mutual Friend all have heroes who's characters are very well developed. However, I don't remember David Copperfield well enough to judge him, Nicolas seemed a bit of a girly man to my, Martin was a complete *brat* for most of the book, and John.. well John is very good. He still comes second to Arthur for me though :) Speaking of our Mutual Friend, I thought Bella was rather undeveloped in the book. The movie improved upon her immensely in my opinion. And she was one of two heroines.
Dickens was brilliant for secondary characters. And for main characters as well, but sometimes it just seems like he overlooked one of them. And his secondaries are really what makes his books great (besides the plots) They add that touch of reality to the books, because they all have their special little quirks. How I miss the Cheerful Grinder, Mark Tap, Joey B, Guppy, (Guppy's mother..heh) Jenny Wren, Smike, Fanny Squeers, Mercy Pecksniff, and all of them! 
Back to Little Dorrit; halfway through it I'm utterly confused as to what the watch means, who Miss Wade is, why she wants Harriet, and many other things. I have no doubt however, that things will straighten themselves out in the end.
And Andy Serkis pwns creep of the year award. If this has inspired you to watch Little Dorrit.. be forewarned that he plays the creepiest man *ever.* Yes, Headstone is creepy. But at least you know what drove him to be like that. Rigaud is creepy right from the start and well.. you love to hate him.

Shaina