Montreal Dickens Fellowship Study Questions: “The Old Curiosity Shop”
Westmount Public Library
September 1, 2015 1:00-3:00
Chapters 1 - 10
- Chapter #1 begins with a mystery. Who is the narrator? Who is the girl and why is she on a secret errand at night so far from home? The oddity of the girl’s quest, the shop filled with “curiosities” (which include the old man and the child) pique our interest right from the beginning. Are you hooked? Discuss Dickens’s mastery at drawing the reader in.
- Dickens’s love of night walking is captured by the narrator. As in his other works, we see how much of Dickens’s own character is revealed in his fiction. Comment.
- Do you think the narrator is overstepping his bounds by expressing his concern for the safety of the child? Should he have gone farther than telling the grandfather about his concerns? How do you think this scenario would play out in today’s society?
- As we learn more about the grandfather’s long absences, the child stands out quite alone in the shop surrounded by old, discarded oddities and collectibles. Comment on how Dickens effectively uses the contrast between the child’s youth, beauty and innocence with the grotesque, old and ugly to emphasize her pure spirit.
- Dickens was a genius at both description and character portrayal. Discuss how his physical descriptions of his characters reflect their inner personalities. Use Dick Swiveller as an example.
- Do you like Dick Swiveller? Why? Why not? Is he evil or only foolish and careless? Compare and contrast him to Fred Trent (Nell’s brother).
- The grandfather gives the impression that although he is likely wealthy, he is miserly and lives for monetary gain. Dickens very effectively describes a certain kind of personality that covets the acquisition of money even in the face of riches. Although Dickens was by no means miserly, even when he had achieved wealth, he worried constantly about money, as he never lost his fear of debt. Do you think Dickens had insight into his own personality when it came to financial matters?
- Dickens has been criticized for his poor depiction of women. Do you think his description of Mrs. Quilp, Mrs. Jiniwin and their friends is realistic?
- Like the curiosities in the shop, Dickens surrounds little Nell with bizarre, living curiosities, like the gargoyle-like Quilp, the boy who stands on his head and the clown-like Kit. Comment.
- Does it bother you that the narrator leaves the story, without making certain that little Nell is safe and protected??
- Comment on the pace of the novel thus far. Does the plot move swiftly along? Does it hold your interest?
- Do you think Dickens’s description of the psychology of the gambler is true-to life? His own father was said to have been a gambler who was a dreamer and notorious for being reckless with money. Comment.
- Dickens is a master at juxtaposing humor (Dick Swiveller and the Wackles family) and pathos (Nell’s desperate loneliness and Kit’s unjust treatment), to keep us on an emotional roller coaster. How does this add to your enjoyment of the novel?