Installment 10 of 20, in The Pickwick Papers 180th anniversary readalong, hosted by On Bookes, and commencing in December, just as Dickens’ tenth installment was published.
Chapter 27: While Pickwick and company have a few days to spare, Sam takes leave to visit his father and step-mother. Sam arrives to find his father away, and his step-mother entertaining the red-nosed Rev. Stiggins. The pair of them verbally abuse Sam’s father in Sam’s presence. The Reverend leaves and Sam’s father arrives. Sam and his father enjoy some peace, just the two of them, and Sam’s in turn abuses the Reverend a bit, as well as the institution of marriage – seemingly to warn Sam from it.
It is not a very eventful chapter, but the conversation of all the characters is rather fun. The more common, and homespun dialogue of Englishmen and women, who did not have the advantages of Pickwick and company.
Chapter 28: The Pickwickians make their anticipated journey to Dingley Dell, to reunite with friends from previous chapters, namely Mr. Wardle and household, to include the unnamed as far as I can remember, fat boy. Sam makes some sport of the fat boy, and the company enjoys a festive Christmas party, also occasioned with a wedding. The Pickwickians let their hair down, dancing, reveling, and enjoying the company of the fairer sex. At the end of the chapter, several locals mention the legend of the Sexton who was kidnapped by Goblins. They make as though the story is a trifle, and too well known to be repeated – but of course, Pickwick insists on hearing the tale – and Dickens excuses himself for the long chapter, and concludes it is best to tell the tale in a chapter of its own.
Chapter 29: This chapter is a vignette for the Legend of the Sexton and the Goblins. Legend has it that a local sexton of bygone years, was known as quite the curmudgeon. One Christmas night, while the rest of the village is celebrating the Holy Night, the sexton, Gabriel Grub, takes to the graveyard to dig a grave. The grim task is a welcome relief from the wearisome holiday sprits, and Gabriel Grub actually enjoys himself and is actually giddy about a funeral at Christmas. When his job is complete, he is accosted by a single large goblin, then an entire troop, and eventually ushered to the bowels of the Earth, where he is judged by the leering, jeering, goblins. The tale is very reminiscent of A Christmas Carol, which Dickens would write some years later. The sexton is convinced of the errors of his ways, and awakes the next morning, determined to be a better man.
All three chapters were, hmmm – just sort of a pause from the adventures of the Pickwickians – nothing terribly important, and no new cliffhangers. Pickwick’s breach of promise suit of course still looms.
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