Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens: An Appreciation [SPOILERS]

[@CarmenMacB]

I noticed the same use of imagery with multiple meanings in Bleak House. I’m trying to read Dickens in publication order and I can’t wait to get to Dombey and Son. I may have to scrap that plan and read it earlier! Thanks, Janelle.

[@TooFondofBooksJH]

That's interesting! I haven't read Bleak House yet. I'm looking forward to it.

[@stst77]

There is a lot of repetition in the book. The rats are that are swarming and finally cleared out are Dombey, Edith, Alice, Edith’s mom, Mrs. Pipchin, Mrs. Skewton, and Mr. Carker the manager. As for the repetition, we see it in phrases, Carker’s teeth, the sea as you mentioned, the Madeira, and the rose colored curtains, to name a few.

[@punitavisvanathan]

Goodie, goodie, I will read Dombey and Son this month and get back to this after I am done with it. I love spoilers of classics videos cause finally you get someone else's views and share some of your own😊. Yay!

[@TooFondofBooksJH]

I wish more people would just say "spoilers" and then get into it. That's where the best conversations come from.

[@elizabethbrink3761]

Janelle, thank you so much for doing this video! I think Dombey and Son is my favorite Dickens out of the nine I've read. There are so many lovable characters. I remember the water imagery as well, but I don't remember the repetitions you mentioned. Fascinating! I will have to look out for them the next time I read this.

[@TooFondofBooksJH]

I wonder if he uses repetition in all his books. I'm going to be watching out for it with the next one I read.

[@elizabethbrink3761]

@@TooFondofBooksJH I wonder too! I'm reading A Tale of Two Cities right now and he has been repeating the 'Recalled to Life' phrase. Right now it's mostly in reference to Doctor Manette and Charles Darnay, but I wonder if it will come into play for other characters too.

[@TooFondofBooksJH]

@@elizabethbrink3761 Cool!

[@katehowereads]

I'm so glad you enjoyed Dombey and Son! It's one of my absolute favorites! I definitely want to reread it at some point.

[@TooFondofBooksJH]

It's not a Dickens I hear a lot about and it is a really good one!

[@bjminton2698]

I've only read Tale of Two Cities of his. Need to do more cause I loved that one! So many books on the TBR🤯🤹!

[@TooFondofBooksJH]

I LOVE A Tale of Two Cities!!!

[@stst77]

The imagery of the sea being connected with death is true but also the end of life and cycle of life. Tides roll in the new and out the old because at the end of the book we see the old dog, the old man, the grown daughter, and the new life of little children walking on the beach. All the stages of life move with the water. The water of the sea is always rolling in and out and so if the cycle of life and the old lives on in the new as we see the children reflect their uncle and mother. The sea has storms that can injure and kill and so does life. The seas have calm and beauty and so does life.

[@barbaralin3053]

Thanks for the sharing. I have not heard of this book before. I am thinking that during Dickens' time of serialization, he had the luxury of elaborating words and imagery. Perhaps nowadays as avid readers we should read one or two 19th century books every year to taste the feel of the time.

[@TooFondofBooksJH]

I think that the repetition proves that despite serialization, he knew where he was going with the story.

[@stst77]

@@TooFondofBooksJHi read this was his first well planned novel where he had an outline while the previous ones just unfolded as he wrote and you can clearly see the difference if you compare them.