Subject: Americanism

From: "Dick Hoffman" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 08:51:15 -0500

However much Dickens may admire the working classes, he does not wish toresemble them.
Given his origins, and the time he lived in, it couldhardly be otherwise. It is perhaps more significant that he shows noprejudice against Jews.
It is perhaps more significant that he shows noprejudice against Jews. He can imagine the MORAL atmosphere of a goodschool, but nothing further.
He knows very little about the waythings really happen.
But byorigins and upbringing Thackeray happens to be somewhat nearer to theclass he is satirizing.
Pickwick and the servant should be Sam Weller.
I soon became at least as expeditious and as skilful with my handsas either of the other boys. Sam Weller, Mark Tapley, Clara Peggotty areall of them feudal figures.
There is nothing psychologically false in this, either.
It is a city of consumers, of people who are deeplycivilized but not primarily useful.
But it is questionable whether he really regards themas equals. Dickens also shows less understanding of criminals than one would expectof him. Compare any lawsuit in Dickens with the lawsuit inORLEY FARM, for instance. And, on the whole, his attacks on good society are ratherperfunctory.
That ispartly what makes him so interesting.
VANITY FAIR is a full-lengthversion of what Dickens did for a few chapters in LITTLE DORRIT. If his palms are hard from work, they let him in; if his palms aresoft, out he goes.
Twemlow, who will lose a few dinner engagements.
Sam Wellers attitude is definitely medieval.
And, on the whole, his attacks on good society are ratherperfunctory.
One sees that at its most obvious where a class-distinction is also acolour-distinction.
One never reads far in his books without coming upon somereference to it.
Inhis hands both Rawdon and the Major would dwindle to traditionalcaricatures.
But it is questionable whether he really regards themas equals.
He shows this unmistakably whenever he writesof the very poorest of the poor, the slum-dwellers.
It is a city of consumers, of people who are deeplycivilized but not primarily useful. He shows very little consciousness of the future.
It ishopeless to try and pin him down to any definite remedy, still more toany political doctrine.
Dickens is sometimes guilty of this kind ofthing himself.