Nicholas Nickleby · Chapter
XVI explained
Nicholas seeks employment, first visiting a General Agency Office where he is intrigued by a beautiful young girl.
What happens
Nicholas seeks employment, first visiting a General Agency Office where he is intrigued by a beautiful young girl. He then applies to Mr. Gregsbury, a member of parliament, for a secretary position but declines the low pay of fifteen shillings a week. Returning home dejected, Newman Noggs informs him of a tutoring opportunity with the Kenwigs family, teaching French to their four daughters for five shillings a week, which Nicholas eagerly accepts.
Themes in this chapter
Ambition and Speculation
Nicholas's hopeful pursuit of employment and his rejection of a low-paying secretary position reflect his ambition and desire for better prospects.
Resilience and Moral Integrity
Despite disappointment, Nicholas refuses to compromise his self-respect, declining the secretary role and later accepting a humble tutoring job with dignity.
Characters to notice
- Nicholas Nickleby
Seeks employment, visits the General Agency Office, applies to Mr. Gregsbury, and accepts a tutoring offer from the Kenwigs family.
- Newman Noggs
Visits Nicholas at his new lodgings and relays the tutoring proposition from Mrs. Kenwigs.
- Smike
Arranges Nicholas's room and prepares a meal, anxiously awaiting his return.
- Mrs. Kenwigs
Proposes that Nicholas (as Mr. Johnson) teach French to her four daughters for five shillings a week.
- Mr. Gregsbury
Interviews Nicholas for a secretary position but offers only fifteen shillings a week, which Nicholas declines.
Key passages
“I don't know what the terms are, as he said he'd settle them himself with the party, observed the fat lady; but they must be pretty good ones, because he's a member of parliament.”
The fat lady assumes the salary must be high simply because the employer is a member of parliament.
Highlights the naive assumption that political status guarantees good pay.
“If I could do anything, anything, however slight, until Ralph Nickleby returns, and I have eased my mind by confronting him, I should feel happier.”
Nicholas expresses his desire to take any honest work to occupy himself until he can confront his uncle Ralph.
Shows Nicholas's determination to act rather than remain idle.