Dear Serial Readers,
More travels in this fifth installment, including a paean to the "strong, healthy, hardy walk" as "better than a gig" as Tom Pinch and Martin C venture to Salisbury to meet John Westlock. More too on the petulant, sour disposition of Martin in contrast to Tom's sweetness (to a fault, John notes), and more on the insufferable Pecksniff who insults his young cousin sufficiently to make Martin resort to desperate measures--to go off to America.
Tom's horror is amusing to behold: "No, no," cried Tom, in a kind of agony. "Don't go there. Pray don't! Think better of it. Don't be so dreadfully regardless of yourself. Don't go to America!"
So ends this installment with Martin on the brink of a rash journey. I'm curious for this adventure! And I'd like to try to pick up the pace of reading a bit by moving from one to two installments per week.
For next time:
installment 6, chaps 13-15
installment 7, chaps 16-17
Serially sailing (not walking),
Susan
2 comments:
I can't get over just how slowly the plot has developed -- it took twelve chapters to get Martin out of Pecksniff's home and off to America. And the funny part is that I really don't mind the leisurely pace (though I'll be happy to read two installments a week). There's just so much fascinating material here -- Chuffey, the long walk and its superiority to the "gig," the meal with Westlock and Tom Pinch, Jonas Chuzzlewit and his wish that his father would die -- that I'm enjoying my time reading. That said, I am glad that the narrative might be picking up a bit.
Such a temper, Martin. Or was it a ruse, an excuse for going to America? I'm dying to know what Tom has against the place.
By the way, didn't we just read Chapters 11-12, not 9-10?
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