Where exactly does he stand, socially, morally, and
politically? In BARNABY RUDGE it is acase of rioting rather than
revolution.
In any case the central character isnot likely to
be a coal-miner. The boys learnt with a good will, but whatdid they
learn?
And needless to say, that is just the impression
thatis intended.
The central action of Dickenssstories almost
invariably takes place in middle-class surroundings.
An adventure storymust of its nature be more or
less remote from real life. Chesterton and Jackson seem toimply, a proletarian
writer. The central action of Dickenssstories almost invariably takes place in
middle-class surroundings.
The boys learnt with a good will, but whatdid they
learn?
Their general natureis obvious enough, and I do not
want to discuss them. He even credits some of these wretches with a taste for
guillotiningchildren.
Notice, for instance that touch, with their heads
low down andtheir hands high up, etc. A change of heart is in fact THE alibi of
peoplewho do not wish to endanger the STATUS QUO.
Dickenss thoughts seem to have come full circle.
Once again, individualkindliness is the remedy for everything. Some of what Dickens
says remains true eventoday.
Dickenss thoughts seem to have come full circle.
The one, how can you improve human natureuntil you have changed the
system?
Even the Reign of Terror was a muchsmaller thing
than he makes it appear. They are all living at several pounds a weekabove their
income. It isworth comparing him with Charles Reade, for instance.
From time to time astory appears which is
ostensibly directed AGAINST snobbery.
Itand others like it show how deep was Dickenss
horror of revolutionaryhysteria.
Consequently they are on thesurface much more
realistic.
To begin with, the school story, always partly
dependent onsnob-appeal, is by no means eliminated. The boys learnt with a good
will, but whatdid they learn?
A change of heart is in fact THE alibi of peoplewho
do not wish to endanger the STATUS QUO. Where exactly does he stand, socially,
morally, and politically? Their general natureis obvious enough, and I do not want
to discuss them. In other words, the French aristocracy had dug their own graves. To
what extent people draw their ideasfrom fiction is disputable. For inreality his
target is not so much society as human nature.
Notice, for instance that touch, with their heads
low down andtheir hands high up, etc. The central action of Dickenssstories almost
invariably takes place in middle-class surroundings. No doubt it was Doctor Blimbers
curriculum, a littlewatered down.