Little Dorrit · Chapter
Mrs. Flintwinch Goes on Dreaming explained
In this chapter, Mrs.
What happens
In this chapter, Mrs. Clennam's household continues its monotonous routine, with Mr. Flintwinch increasingly active in business and Mistress Affery trapped in a dreamlike state. Little Dorrit finishes her work and is questioned by Mrs. Clennam about Mr. Pancks, who has been visiting. Mrs. Clennam shows unexpected tenderness toward Little Dorrit, kissing her forehead. Later, Mistress Affery is startled by a foreign-looking man outside the house, and Mr. Pancks is seen fluttering about, adding to the atmosphere of mystery.
Themes in this chapter
Imprisonment and Confinement
Mrs. Clennam's life is depicted as a monotonous, confined existence, with the wheeled chair and the dark room symbolizing her physical and mental imprisonment.
Secrecy and Revelation
Mistress Affery's dreamlike state and the mysterious appearances of Mr. Pancks and the foreign man create an atmosphere of hidden knowledge and impending revelation.
Family Dynamics and Obligation
Little Dorrit's sense of duty to her father and her gratitude toward Mrs. Clennam highlight the theme of family obligation and self-sacrifice.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Clennam
Shows unexpected gentleness toward Little Dorrit, kissing her forehead, but remains suspicious of Mr. Pancks and questions Little Dorrit about him.
- Little Dorrit
Finishes her work at Mrs. Clennam's, is questioned about Mr. Pancks, and receives a rare kiss on the forehead from Mrs. Clennam.
- Mr. Flintwinch
Becomes more active in business, goes out to various commercial places, and holds daily councils with Mrs. Clennam; he also shakes Affery for forgetting not to call him Jeremiah.
- Affery Flintwinch
Remains in a dreamlike, sleep-waking state, is startled by the foreign-looking man, and is held in low account by the 'two clever ones.'
- Mr. Pancks
Visits Mrs. Clennam on behalf of Mr. Casby, glances at Little Dorrit, and is seen fluttering outside the house after Little Dorrit leaves.
- Monsieur Rigaud
Appears as a foreign-looking man dressed like a traveller, with black hair and moustache, who startles Mistress Affery by touching her shoulder.
Key passages
“To stop the clock of busy existence at the hour when we were personally sequestered from it, to suppose mankind stricken motionless when we were brought to a standstill, to be unable to measure the changes beyond our view by any larger standard than the shrunken one of our own uniform and contracted existence, is the infirmity of many invalids, and the mental unhealthiness of almost all recluses.”
It is a common weakness of invalids and recluses to imagine that the world has stopped changing when they themselves became isolated, and to judge all external changes by the narrow measure of their own unchanging routine.
This passage reflects on the psychological effects of long-term confinement, a key theme in the chapter.
“Mrs. Clennam, with a gentleness of which the dreaming Affery had never dreamed her to be capable, drew down the face of her little seamstress, and kissed her on the forehead.”
Mrs. Clennam showed a tenderness that astonished Affery, gently pulling Little Dorrit's face toward her and kissing her forehead.
This moment of unexpected kindness contrasts with Mrs. Clennam's usual stern demeanor.