This novel is about the life of a man, Martin Chuzzlewit, and his family and friends whose morals dip toward the dishonest side of things. This starts with the grandfather Martin Chuzzlewit Sr. who adopts an orphan, Mary Graham, with only the idea that she would take care of him in his old age. Added to this are the Chuzzlewit relatives who are money hungry and corrupt.

In the story, young Martin Chuzzlewit falls in love with Mary, becomes engaged to her, and despite his grandfather’s threats, doesn’t break the engagement. The grandfather, then, disinherits him.

Enter Seth Pecksniff, a greedy architect with two daughters, Cherry and Merry. Pecksniff only employs the young Martin because he has his eyes the wealth of his grandfather. Martin becomes friends with a gullible man Tom Pinch, whose grandmother gave her wealth to Pecksniff, for him to make her grandson into a well-respected architect. Pinch thinks Pecksniff is being charitable by making him work like a dog with little pay. He also falls for Mary but takes a backseat, knowing her attachment to Martin.

When the grandfather hears of Martin’s new life with Pecksniff, he asks Pecksniff to kick out his grandson, and eventually the grandfather becomes controlled by Pecksniff.

There is another branch of the Chuzzlewit family. Grandfather Chuzzlewit’s brother Anthony and his son Jonas, who are wealthy but also miserly. Anthony dies, leaving his wealth to Jonas, who courts the daughters of Pecksniff, both of them, but picks Cherry for her substantial dowry.

Jonas, in the meanwhile, falls in with Montague Tigg, a thief and Chevy Slyme who is a Chuzzlewit’s relative. Tigg, forms a crooked insurance business titled, “Anglo-Bengalee Disinterested Loan and Life Assurance Company,” which pays off early policyholders' claims with premiums from more recent policyholders, in other words a pyramid scheme. Tigg also cheats Martin the grandson, getting his valuable pocket watch and using the funds on himself to look like an important businessman in order to make his company look legitimate.

This is only the beginning of the novel, so far. As it is Dickens’ way, the story twists and turns, including murder and with several more characters added to it. Yet, the ending is happier, even more satisfactory than the other works of the author.

The characters are all one of a kind and are far too many. From those who working or attending the Blue Dragon Inn to the main and secondary characters. A notable one is Mr. Nadgett, a soft-spoken private investigator who is said to be the first private investigator in fiction. There is also the alcoholic Mrs. Sarah Gamp who is a midwife and a nurse who takes care of dead bodies. Gamp has a Mrs. Harris she refers to often but that person is totally Gamp’s imaginary friend.

The viewpoint is that of a narrator in third person omniscient, and the story is told in past tense.

Greed, selfishness, and crookedness are the themes that interlock and turn into a single theme for the story. Then gullibility and hypocrisy are also there as the opposing themes so murder and fraud can take place with ease. In addition, family and loyalty are among the important themes, also.

Money is a symbol as is the United States standing for independence and freedom, through which the issue of slavery is discussed. This is where Dickens butts into the story with his own opinion. “Who dreamed of Freedom in a slave's embrace, and waking sold her offspring and his own in public markets.”

seeing into the fake sides of the Victorian England.

the author's wit, as usual.

many of the characters. By that I mean how rotten they were, and not how Dickens developed them.

Charles Dickens, (1812 - 1870), who was an author, journalist, editor, illustrator and social commentator. His most famous books include Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities.

It is a literary classic and it can be engaging but it is long and does get dreary.

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Created Oct 18, 2020 at 11:22am • Submit your own review...