READY: #Classic Dombey and Son

• Author: C. Dickens
• Title: Dombey and Son
  
• Published: 1847
• List Reading Challenges 2018
  
• Monthly planning
• Classic Club Master list

1. Explain the title. In what way is it suitable to the story.
Dombey & Son was the name of a well respected shipping/trading business. The title is the basis of a study of a Victorian middle-class family, the British trade with the colonies. Dickens described in ch 1: “The earth was made for Dombey & Son to trade in, and the sun and moon were made to give them light.” Dombey & Son was the centre of the ‘universe’. The narrative will tell the reader of this famliy’s rise and fall.

2. What is the predominant element in the story?     Characterization

3. What is the setting?   London, Brighton, Leamington Spa, Barbados

4. How does the author handle characterization?
a. Dombey is glad to hear the the nanny say: ” She hoped she knew her place”. (Mrs. Toodles). Dombey wants to be absolutely dominant (as does his social class) but needs somebody to dominate. The butler, footman, maids…“Mr. Dombey’s household subsided into their several places in the domestic system.” …but his daughter will not be so governed. When Florence leave the house she breaks Dombey’s domination. He looses control of his property, inheritance his classes’s values. Edith, Dombey’s second wife feels her marriage is enslavement; “ He sees me at the auction and he thinks it well to buy me” (ch 27)
b. Florence: the book begins with a the description of her as “base coin”. Dombey judges his daughter with ‘trade and capitalism’ in mind. She has little worth for him. But at the end of the book she is the “golden link” (ch 14) and “glorious sunshine” (ch 59) of her father’s life.

5. What sort of conflict confronts the leading character or characters?
a. External – Dombey is powerful, rich and feared..but is incapable of loving another person
b. Internal –  Dombey must admit his ‘alienating flaw’ and try to redeem himself.
c. External – Florence is rejected by her father after the death of his heir, Paul.
d. Internal –  Florence searches for the ‘magical behaviour‘ that will make her father love her.

6. How is the conflict resolved?     No spoilers, this time!

7. Who tells the story?    Third person omniscient

8. What is the timeline?
Florence is six years old. in chapter 1.
Florence is married with Walter Gay and has 2 children, Paul and Florence.
I estimate the time line between 20-25 years.

9. How does the story get started? What is the initial incident?
Mr. Dombey is a widower with two children; however, he only considers his son, Paul, to be worthy of his attention.
His daughter, Florence, is merely a “bad boy.”
Paul was to carry on the family name, but died of an illness that shattered Mr. Dombey’s hopes for an heir.

10. Briefly describe the rising action of the story.
Dombey’s neglect of his daughter Florence which caused problems his second wife, Edith.
Dombey trusts James Carker his devious business manager.

11. What is the high point, or climax, of the story?
After the sinking of SS Son and Heir Dombey & Son is bankrupt.

12. Discuss the falling action or close of the story.
Unfortunately Dombey loses his business and his wealth.
Dombey realizes that his daughter was the only person who truly cared for him, even when he had nothing left.
He reconnects with Florence in his later years and gains an heir through his son-in-law.

13. Does this story create any special mood?
Dickens uses houses, rooms and their decorations to create different moods that he needs in the narrative.
The book starts with images of a darkened room, crib in front of a warm fire. The new born son is compared to a muffin “ it was essential to toast him brown as he was very new”. (ch 1) The mood shifts after the death of Mrs Dombey. The house is cold, not fires glowing. The blank house inside and out, after the funeral the furniture was covered with great winding sheets, rooms ungarnished, windows-blinded, lookingglasses being papered up, lustre (chandelier) muffled in holland (cloth) looked like a monstrous tear depending from the ceilings eye.

14. What is the general theme of the story?    The redeeming power of love.

15. Did you identify with any of the characters?
Florence: rejected by her father, does not let this influence her self-worth. She leaves her father’s house in disgrace and anger, finds happiness with Wally yet returns to save her father.

16. Does this story contain any of the following elements?
Symbol – bottle of Madeira: Bottle is opened to celebrate Wally’s employment as a clerk at Dombey & Son. “…we shall drink the other (last) bottle, Wally, he said, when you come to good fortune.” (ch 4). The bottle of Madeira has crossed and recrossed the trading routes. It has been shipwrecked and resurfaces and survives. These are all things that Wally will also do!

Irony: Wally sails and is shipwrecked on the SS Son and Heir. This is the beginning of Wally’s survival and start of a happy life. Ironically this is the end of Dombey who spirals into bankruptcy and depression.
Irony: Dombey cannot find love in his heart for his daughter. “But now he was ill at ease about her. She troubled his peace.” […] “– he was afraid that he might come to hate her. (ch 3) Ironically in the end Florence was the only one who could give him peace of mind!
Irony: Dombey considers Edith (2nd wife) as the only the person he can possess completely. He has lost possession of his daughter. Ironically at the end of the book the roles are reversed. Florence lives for Dombey’s love and Edith only scorns him.

Foreshadowing: Polly’s husband tells Dombey the worst that could happen to him was if he would lose one of his sons.(Toodle) “I couldn’t hardly afford but one thing in the world less, Sir. (Dombey) ” What is that?” (Toodle) ” To lose ’em Sir.” (ch 2). This foreshadows the death of Dombey’s son Paul.
Foreshadowing: father – daughter relationship – “Young as she was […] he felt as if she held the clue to something secret in his breast…” (ch 3)
Foreshadowing: Solomon Gills and Wally recall anecdotes of shipwrecks, casks of wine (Madeira = Wally) rolling about (Baltic Sea 1749) and SS George II breaking loose along the Cornwall coast (1771), SS Polyphemus (West Indies) catching fire and sinking. This foreshadows Wally’s shipwreck of the coast of Barbados. Suddenly Solomon Gills gave a short dry cough, and said: “Well, suppose we change the subject.” (ch 3)

27. Does the story contain a single effect or impression for the reader?
The remark made by nanny Susan Nipper impressed me the most: “girls are thrown away in this house”. This emphasizes the role of the woman in Dombey’s eyes. ‘Base coin’ , not currency that can be spent or invested. The first time we see Florence she is “in a corner”. Dickens does a wonderful job developing Florence with images and symbolism. The dying mother ‘clinging fast to the slight spar within her arms [as she] drifted out upon the dark and unknown sea that rolls around the world” (ch 1). This ‘slight spar’ will be the only thing her father can cling to and save his life.