A Lit Sandwich between Me, Charles Dickens, and Little Dorrit.

Hello All,
So I’m pushing back the normal reviews post a few days because I feel that there’s a subject that is timelier. And well it’s my blog and I’ll write what I want to.

On Sunday night after 5 weeks the latest PBS Masterpiece classic series Little Dorrit came to an end. I’ve got so much to say about my love for this series. I think that it has the important elements that make for great discussion. Adaptation maestro Andrew Davies has the remarkable ability to take the works of the 19th century and make them accessible to the modern audience. If you haven’t heard of the man here’s a quick list of his must-see adaptations: Pride and Prejudice (1994), Sense and Sensibility (2008), Tipping the Velvet, and Bridget Jones’s Diary.

He rarely slips up. This writer is not afraid of a challenge. In Little Dorrit he takes on an 800-page book from 1857 and makes it wonderfully relevant. At its core Little Dorrit is about economics; how they shape individuals and society. In Dickens’s world if you were poor and indebted it meant imprisonment in the Marshalsea prison. Marshalsea prison doesn’t have bars and your family can stay with you. However unless you had friends/family to bail you out you weren’t leaving.

I was struck by the portrayal of Mr. Dorrit. He is considered “The Father of the Marshalsea” because he is their longest running resident. Dickens, and in turn Davies, explore his heartbreaking psychological imprisonment. Mr. Dorrit’s pride is his deepest flaw. All he can think of is maintaining his position. This becomes more important to him than ever leaving. The same mentality follows him after he is able to leave the Marshalsea and return to society. Mr. Dorrit is insufferable as a gentleman. He falls into all the foolish trappings of 19th century society and is foolish with his money to boot.

Which brings me to Mr. Merdle and Mr. Casby, as well as the Circumlocution office. It is crazy how relevant this story is to our current situation. Mr. Merdle is clearly "the Bernie Madoff" of his age, screwing all the rich folk out of their money while inviting them to dinner. Again if someone is telling you a story that’s too good to be true, it probably is. At the same time Mr. Casby is squeezing the poor out of every nickel so they stay poor. With Pancks as his muscle he works to keep those in Bleeding Heart under his thumb. Clearly Dickens felt that the current economic system in the 19th century only served to hurt the laborer/tradesman. This form of capitalism only served to create another feudal system with Casby as the lord at the top. Dickens caps off his indictment with his portrayal of the bureaucratic horror that is the Circumlocution Office, which actually reminded me of financial aid.

It is very telling that in the end it is a combination of two things that save our main characters. The first is an emphasis on entrepeneurship over old money. Clennam & Doyce are saved because they invent and market a new engine to foreign markets. Clearly this is meant to show that in the new Industrial Age it is invention and new ideas that will triumph. Also it can’t be missed that Dickens has an affinity for those with street smarts. Fanny Dorrit is a mean bitch but she knows when to bail. She will save the Sparklers and she’s already got a job dancing if needs be. You have to admire her moxie.

Now notice that I haven’t even mentioned the main central characters Amy Dorrit and Arthur Clennam. That just goes to show how rich this series is. Yes I found Amy and Arthur wonderful, as well as poor John Chivery. Their strong character and steadfast goodness makes them slightly less dynamic. In this case it is up to the actors and screenwriter Davies to make them appealing. Actors Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen do excellent jobs as Amy and Arthur respectively. I found myself cheering their happiness at the climax of the story. Their willingness towards self-sacrifice is an iconic trademark of Dickens’s heroes. And Claire Foy sure looks good in the color purple.

So here we are. How much more do I need to say to convince you? This is well worth your time. PBS has posted the entire series on their website for free through May 3rd and the DVD comes out today. Check it out here.

Well have a good night. Book Slave.