Tales: The Bloomsbury Christening
The Bloomsbury Christening is a short story by Charles Dickens that tells the tale of a young couple who are preparing for the christening of their first child. The story explores themes of love, family, and tradition, as the couple navigates the challenges of planning a religious ceremony while also dealing with the stress of impending parenthood. Through the eyes of the narrator, we see the couple's journey from excitement to anxiety, and ultimately, to joy and fulfillment. The story is a poignant reflection on the importance of family and tradition in our lives, and how these can bring us comfort and happiness even in the most challenging of times.
By Charles Dickens · First published 1853 · Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature · 7,511 words
First lines
Mr. Nicodemus Dumps, or, as his acquaintance called him, ‘long Dumps,' was a bachelor, six feet high, and fifty years old: cross, cadaverous, odd, and ill-natured. He was never happy but when he was miserable; and always miserable when he had the best reason to be happy. The only real comfort of his existence was to make everybody about him wretched-then he might be truly said to enjoy life. He was afflicted with a situation in the Bank worth five hundred a-year, and he rented a ‘first-floor furnished,' at Pentonville, which he originally took because it commanded a dismal prospect of an adjacent churchyard. He was familiar with the face of every tombstone, and the burial service seemed to excite his strongest sympathy. His friends said he was surly-he insisted he was nervous; they thought him a lucky dog, but he protested that he was ‘the most unfortunate man in the world. ' Cold as he was, and wretched as he declared himself to be, he was not wholly unsusceptible of attachments.
What this Textopian page supports
Tales: The Bloomsbury Christening is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charles Dickens, dated 1853 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Date: 1853 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature, Realism, Social Commentary
- Length: 7,511 words
- Structure: 1 section, 131 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Tales: The Bloomsbury Christening by Charles Dickens
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Fiction — Charles Dickens is known for his fictional narratives.
- Historical Fiction — The author often portrays historical settings in his works.
- Victorian Literature — Dickens's work is a seminal example of literature written during the Victorian era.
- Realism — Dickens's writing style is characterized by his detailed descriptions and realistic characters.
Tags
Victorian · literature · short stories · social commentary · family · religion · ceremony · childhood · growth · tradition · community · moral lessons