Tales From Dickens: OUR MUTUAL FRIEND

Name: Tales From Dickens: OUR MUTUAL FRIEND
Author: Charles Dickens

An old man in London, Harmon, amasses wealth from the city's refuse but is cruel to his children. After disowning his daughter, she dies, and his son, John, runs away. Harmon leaves a will stipulating that John must marry Bella Wilfer to inherit his fortune. John, reluctant to return, is murdered by a seaman who impersonates him. However, John survives the attempt on his life and decides to investigate Bella's character while posing as John Rokesmith. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Boffin, who inherit Harmon's wealth, remain kind-hearted despite their newfound riches. They invite Bella to live with them, and Rokesmith, now their secretary, grows fond of her. Bella, initially disappointed by her lost fortune, becomes acquainted with Rokesmith, who secretly harbors feelings for her. The narrative explores themes of wealth, love, and identity, as Rokesmith navigates his dual existence while observing the lives of those around him, particularly Bella and the Boffins. The story unfolds against the backdrop of Victorian society, highlighting the complexities of human relationships and the impact of fortune on character and morality.

By Charles Dickens · First published 1870 · Genre: Classic Literature, Victorian Literature, Social Commentary · 5 chapters · 8,055 words

First lines

In London there once lived an old man named Harmon who had made a great fortune by gathering the dust and ashes of the city and sorting it for whatever it contained of value. He lived in a house surrounded by great mounds of dust that he had collected.

He was a hard-hearted man and when his daughter would not marry as he wished he turned her out of the house on a winter's night. The poor girl died soon after, and her younger brother (a boy of only fourteen), indignant at his father's cruelty, ran away to a foreign country, where for years he was not heard of.

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Tales From Dickens: OUR MUTUAL FRIEND is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Dickens, dated 1870 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Charles Dickens
Date: 1870 CE
Language: English
Genres: Classic Literature, Victorian Literature, Social Commentary, Mystery, Romantic
Length: 8,055 words
Structure: 5 chapters, 119 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Work identity for Tales From Dickens: OUR MUTUAL FRIEND by Charles Dickens
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Classic Literature — Charles Dickens is a famous classic novelist and his works belong to this genre due to their enduring fame and literature significance.
Victorian Literature — The novel, written in the 19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria, is exemplary of the social and moral concerns of the period, as well as its prose style and themes.
Social Commentary — The novel often illustrates and criticizes the social disparities, the rigid class systems, and the social issues of the Victorian era.
Mystery — The novel contains elements of mystery regarding the identity of a drowned man and the inheritance of his supposed fortune.