# Something Right Somewhere explained — Little Dorrit

> Chapter companion for Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens.

## What happens

In Venice, the Dorrit family continues their grand tour, with Fanny Dorrit skillfully manipulating the infatuated Edmund Sparkler. Mr. Dorrit considers commissioning a portrait from Henry Gowan. Little Dorrit observes the dynamics between the Gowans and reflects on Henry's lack of earnestness. Fanny reveals her plan to use Sparkler to assert dominance over Mrs. Merdle. The chapter ends with Fanny playfully allowing Sparkler to follow their gondola.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Class and Hypocrisy

Fanny and Mr. Dorrit engage in elaborate social pretenses, with Fanny planning to use Sparkler to outmaneuver Mrs. Merdle, while Mr. Dorrit patronizes Gowan despite his own humble origins.

### Wealth and Moral Decline

The Dorrits' new wealth enables manipulative social games and hollow displays of patronage, as seen in Fanny's calculated use of Sparkler and Mr. Dorrit's commission offer.

### Family Dynamics and Obligation

Little Dorrit feels silenced by family dignity, while Fanny asserts dominance over her sister and plans to use Sparkler to elevate the family's status.

## Character check-ins

### Fanny Dorrit

Fanny manipulates Mr. Sparkler's affections, planning to make him a slave and use him to challenge Mrs. Merdle's social standing.

### Little Dorrit

Amy observes the social games around her with quiet concern, particularly regarding Fanny's treatment of Sparkler and the Gowans' marriage.

### Edmund Sparkler

Sparkler is hopelessly infatuated with Fanny, following her gondola and making a spectacle of himself at the Casino.

### William Dorrit

Mr. Dorrit patronizingly considers commissioning a portrait from Henry Gowan, displaying his new wealth and social pretensions.

### Henry Gowan

Gowan treats his wife like a beautiful child and shows a lack of earnestness; Little Dorrit questions whether he has any depth of feeling.

### Monsieur Rigaud

Blandois appears at the water's edge, looking pale after his adventure with Lion, but makes light of it.

## Key lines

> “I shall make him fetch and carry, my dear, and I shall make him subject to me. And if I don’t make his mother subject to me, too, it shall not be my fault.”

Fanny declares she will dominate Sparkler and eventually his mother, Mrs. Merdle.

_Fanny reveals her ambitious plan to use Sparkler as a tool for social revenge against Mrs. Merdle._

> She wondered whether his want of earnestness might be the natural result of his want of such qualities, and whether it was with people as with ships, that, in too shallow and rocky waters, their anchors had no hold, and they drifted anywhere.

Little Dorrit reflects that Gowan's lack of seriousness may stem from a lack of deep feeling, comparing him to a ship without anchor in shallow waters.

_Little Dorrit's insight into Henry Gowan's character, questioning his emotional depth and stability._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/vi-something-right-somewhere
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/little_dorrit_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters