Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit
Martin Chuzzlewit is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1843–44. It follows the picaresque adventures of the title character, an elderly man around the age of 70. The novel begins with Martin Chuzzlewit, a wealthy old man, living in a large house in London with his extended family. He is surrounded by a cast of characters, including his grandson, Martin Junior, and his great-nephew, Jonas Chuzzlewit. Martin Junior is a selfish and ungrateful young man, while Jonas is a scheming and manipulative character. Martin Senior decides to test the loyalty of his family by leaving his estate to the one who shows the most devotion to him. He sets off on a journey across England, accompanied by his loyal servant, Mark Tapley. Along the way, they encounter a variety of characters, including the Pecksniff family, who are a family of con artists. Martin Senior eventually discovers that his family has been manipulating him and decides to disinherit them all. He then sets off on a journey to America, accompanied by Mark Tapley. In America, they encounter a variety of characters, including the kind-hearted Mary Graham and the villainous Montague Tigg. The novel follows Martin Senior and Mark Tapley as they travel across England and America, encountering a variety of characters and situations. Throughout the novel, Martin Senior learns valuable lessons about loyalty, kindness, and the importance of family. In the end, Martin Senior is reunited with his family and his estate is restored.
By Charles Dickens · First published 1842 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Satire, Social Criticism · 56 chapters · 338,407 words
First lines
What is exaggeration to one class of minds and perceptions, is plain truth to another. That which is commonly called a long-sight, perceives in a prospect innumerable features and bearings non-existent to a short-sighted person. I sometimes ask myself whether there may occasionally be a difference of this kind between some writers and some readers; whether it is ALWAYS the writer who colours highly, or whether it is now and then the reader whose eye for colour is a little dull?
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Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Dickens, dated 1842 CE.
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- Work type: Novel
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Date: 1842 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realistic Fiction, Satire, Social Criticism, Romance
- Length: 338,407 words
- Structure: 56 chapters, 7,680 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Realistic Fiction — The novel follows the life of Martin Chuzzlewit, a wealthy old man, and his family, and is set in both England and America. It is a work of realistic fiction, as it is based on real-life events and characters.
- Satire — The novel is a satire of greed and hypocrisy in Victorian England, and is full of humorous and ironic observations of human nature.
- Social Criticism — The novel is a critique of the social and economic conditions of 19th century England, and is a commentary on the hypocrisy and greed of the upper classes.
- Romance — The novel contains several romantic subplots, including the love story between Martin Chuzzlewit's granddaughter Mary and her suitor, John Westlock.
Tags
Adventure stories · Avarice · Best Books Ever Listings · Bildungsromans · Black humor · British · Description and travel · England · Fiction · Grandfathers · Novel · Satire
Contents
- Preface
- Postscript
- Introductory, Concerning the Pedigree of the Chuzzlewit Family
- Wherein Certain Persons Are Presented to the Reader, With Whom He May, If He Please, Become Better Acquainted
- In Which Certain Other Persons Are Introduced; on the Same Terms as in the Last Chapter
- From Which It Will Appear That If Union Be Strength, and Family Affection Be Pleasant to Contemplate, the Chuzzlewits Were the Strongest and Most Agreeable Family in the World
- Containing a Full Account of the Installation of Mr Pecksniff's New Pupil Into the Bosom of Mr Pecksniff's Family. With All the Festivities Held on That Occasion, and the Great Enjoyment of Mr Pinch
- Comprises, Among Other Important Matters, Pecksniffian and Architectural, and Exact Relation of the Progress Made by Mr Pinch in the Confidence and Friendship of the New Pupil
- In Which Mr Chevy Slyme Asserts the Independence of His Spirit, and the Blue Dragon Loses a Limb
- Accompanies Mr Pecksniff and His Charming Daughters to the City of London; and Relates What Fell Out Upon Their Way Thither
- Town and Todger's
- Containing Strange Matter, on Which Many Events in This History May, for Their Good or Evil Influence, Chiefly Depend
- Wherein a Certain Gentleman Becomes Particular in His Attentions to a Certain Lady; and More Coming Events Than One, Cast Their Shadows Before
- Will Be Seen in the Long Run, If Not in the Short One, to Concern Mr Pinch and Others, Nearly. Mr Pecksniff Asserts the Dignity of Outraged Virtue. Young Martin Chuzzlewit Forms a Desperate Resolution
- Showing What Became of Martin and His Desparate Resolve, After He Left Mr Pecksniff's House; What Persons He Encountered; What Anxieties He Suffered; and What News He Heard
- In Which Martin Bids Adieu to the Lady of His Love; and Honours an Obscure Individual Whose Fortune He Intends to Make by Commending Her to His Protection
- The Burden Whereof, is Hail Columbia!
- Martin Disembarks from That Noble and Fast-sailing Line-of-packet Ship, ‘the Screw', at the Port of New York, in the United States of America. He Makes Some Acquaintances, and Dines at a Boarding-house. the Particulars of Those Transactions
- Martin Enlarges His Circle of Aquaintance; Increases His Stock of Wisdom; and Has an Excellent Opportunity of Comparing His Own Experiences With Those of Lummy Ned of the Light Salisbury, as Related by His Friend Mr William Simmons
- Does Business With the House of Anthony Chuzzlewit and Son, from Which One of the Partners Retires Unexpectedly
- The Reader is Brought Into Communication With Some Professional Persons, and Sheds a Tear Over the Filial Piety of Good Mr Jonas
- Is a Chapter of Love
- More American Experiences, Martin Takes a Partner, and Makes a Purchase. Some Account of Eden, as It Appeared on Paper. Also of the British Lion. Also of the Kind of Sympathy Professed and Entertained by the Watertoast Association of United Sympathisers
- From Which It Will Be Seen That Martin Became a Lion of His Own Account. Together With the Reason Why
- Martin and His Partner Take Possession of Their Estate. the Joyful Occasion Involves Some Further Account of Eden
- Reports Progress in Certain Homely Matters of Love, Hatred, Jealousy, and Revenge
- Is in Part Professional, and Furnishes the Reader With Some Valuable Hints in Relation to the Management of a Sick Chamber
- An Unexpected Meeting, and a Promising Prospect
- Showing That Old Friends May Not Only Appear With New Faces, but in False Colours. That People Are Prone to Bite, and That Biters May Sometimes Be Bitten
- Mr Montague at Home. and Mr Jonas Chuzzlewit at Home
- In Which Some People Are Precocious, Others Professional, and Others Mysterious; All in Their Several Ways
- Proves That Changes May Be Rung in the Best-regulated Families, and That Mr Peckniff Was a Special Hand at a Triple-bob-major
- Mr Pinch is Discharged of a Duty Which He Never Owed to Anybody, and Mr Pecksniff Discharges a Duty Which He Owes to Society
- Treats of Todger's Again; and of Another Blighted Plant Besides the Plants Upon the Leads
- Further Proceedings in Eden, and a Proceeding Out of It. Martin Makes a Discovery of Some Importance
- In Which the Travellers Move Homeward, and Encounter Some Distinguished Characters Upon the Way
- Arriving in England, Martin Witnesses a Ceremony, from Which He Derives the Cheering Information That He Has Not Been Forgotten in His Absence
- Tom Pinch Departs to Seek His Fortune. What He Finds at Starting
- Tom Pinch, Going Astray, Finds That He is Not the Only Person in That Predicament. He Retaliates Upon a Fallen Foe
- Secret Service
- Containing Some Further Particulars of the Domestic Economy of the Pinches; With Strange News from the City, Narrowly Concerning Tom
- The Pinches Make a New Acquaintance, and Have Fresh Occasion for Surprise and Wonder
- Mr Jonas and His Friend, Arriving at a Pleasant Understanding, Set Forth Upon an Enterprise
- Continuation of the Enterprise of Mr Jonas and His Friend
- Has an Influence on the Fortunes of Several People. Mr Pecksniff is Exhibited in the Plenitude of Power; and Wields the Same With Fortitude and Magnanimity
- Further Continuation of the Enterprise of Mr Jonas and His Friend
- In Which Tom Pinch and His Sister Take a Little Pleasure; but Quite in a Domestic Way, and With No Ceremony About It
- In Which Miss Pecksniff Makes Love, Mr Jonas Makes Wrath, Mrs Gamp Makes Tea, and Mr Chuffey Makes Business
- Conclusion of the Enterprise of Mr Jonas and His Friend
- Bears Tidings of Martin and of Mark, as Well as of a Third Person Not Quite Unknown to the Reader. Exhibits Filial Piety in an Ugly Aspect; and Casts a Doubtful Ray of Light Upon a Very Dark Place
- In Which Mrs Harris Assisted by a Teapot, is the Cause of a Division Between Friends
- Surprises Tom Pinch Very Much, and Shows How Certain Confidences Passed Between Him and His Sister
- Sheds New and Brighter Light Upon the Very Dark Place; and Contains the Sequel of the Enterprise of Mr Jonas and His Friend
- In Which the Tables Are Turned, Completely Upside Down
- What John Westlock Said to Tom Pinch's Sister; What Tom Pinch's Sister Said to John Westlock; What Tom Pinch Said to Both of Them; and How They All Passed the Remainder of the Day
- Gives the Author Great Concern. for It is the Last in the Book