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STRUCTURE IN CHARLES DICKENS' by JENNIE RUTH OILLINCHAin, B.A. A THESIS IN ENGLISH Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Taxaa Technological Collage in Partial Tulfillmant of tha Requirements for the Degree of WASTER OF ARTS Approved Accepted August,^!966 T3 ACKNOWLEOGnCNT I am indebted to Professor Roger Leon Brooks for the ti«e and helpful crltlcisB he gave in directing this theeie* il coimiiTs x« iNTiiie^Tiei j^ "• STUOCTSIC^^^** or cwtaTiMMii, Bunnc "^' iiSrSffiS!^ eowctATco WITH m MCRO^S ^^^ SJ^JJSPKi PA^^Kwt li im ciwiwcTc«i$Tief 0lBLl06ftAI>Ny ^ iii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION G. K. Chesterton states that Charles Dickens* writing of Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nicklebv, first published in monthly numbers in 1838«39, **coincided with . [Dickena] resolution to be a great novelist and his final belief that he could be one.**''' Chaatarton also as sarts that **it would be easy enough for Dickens, inataad of publishing 'Nicholas Nicklaby,* to have published a book of sketches, one of which was called *A Yorkshire School,' another of which was called 'A Provincial Theatre,' and another called *Sir Mulberry Hawk or High Life Re vealed,* and another called 'Plrs. Nicklaby or A Lady*8 monologue.' . • • But he did turn away from this, and tha turning-point is 'Nicholas Nicklaby.'** As a "turning- point** from a **book of akatchaa,** it is Dickens' **fir8t romantic novel bacauaa it is his first novel with a proper and dignified romantic hero; which meana, of course, a vary chivalrous young donkey** who **has no psychology,** and **not even any particular character.** On the other hand, Chesterton's defense of the book includes the *'romantic quality** in Dickens' manner of writing as a part of "the ^Charles Dickens, »«Introd.,*' Nicholas Nicklebv. Every man's Ed., (New York, 1957), p. viii. Subsequent refer ences to this edition will appear in tha text. iffer'-^'. 2 ilUliMiilyt MtUe eetieietly feeeeteh has been done '^ • ^lihftliii -1^^^^^^*^" 11^^ ^* ^î^*^ ^^* aeetoely tefleote Mr r«v«ttWLe tiMit fivtm iHe euttierU attietiii Hmndlliig if iiie neirel* IMm pmpmw ia en etteaifit to ehe« a note itiiitie tteetMHit tNifi has feitefvXly been ettributed te tUiilpia* '•iciiiMiii method" (p« ii) in the Mtteir of etttie« titte end eeftttln tallied ooaponente of fora (insofar as tNiy ate atf«M3tuvally da¥iaed)t ôinta witli ishieh aoat «titi«i pattioiilafly find fault* Thyot atttietute herein $M bfoedened to inelinto othat eleaenta aa aeli aa the baaie Ratardleaa of the eoaplex and Incidental nature of Iflia early work of Dloleenat there la dearly a atruoture to the plot Mliioh ahowa a definite applieation of crafta* iMliiehip* Tha plot enooapaaaea a two^fold diffieulty feeing the hero^ young Nieholaa Nicklabyt it praaanta and re- aeXvea lioth a major conflict and a problam; the major con- fliet ia the tension between Nicholas and his Uncle Ralph, a conflict in peraonalitiaai in viewpoints, and in ultimate aiaa; Nioholaa* problem is in securing a respoctable and aubatantial meana for supporting himself and members of his household* An inportant statement, axprasaad early in the story by the deriaiva unola who is positive that tha youth ful Nioholaa will never proapar favorably, offers a key to the forthooning action and counteractiont **'! say,** 3 repeated flalpNt tartly^ *lat hia get that aituation, and liie fottune ia aade* If he donH like that, let his get one for hiaaalf • ttfithout ftimntint aoney, reeoaaandation, or knowledfa af buaineaa of any kindf let hia find honeat ••filoysent in London which aili keep hia in ahoe leathert iMd 1*11 give hia a thouaarid pounda. At Xaaatt* aaid Mr» flalph Nieklabyt aheeking hiaaalft *I would if I had it*" (p« 2T). Tha min plot followa Nioholaa* adventuroua tfiala and aohleveaenta• Along tha road to hia final auoaeaa^ Nieholaa aoNuitaa experienee and helpful frienda deapita NalphH predietion and daepite Ralph*8 handieappinfi aeta of rapriaal* • HJ CHAPTCR XI TNC APPLICATION or CQNVCNTIONAL ONANATIC STRUCTURC * / '••'' .' ' TiMi plat of fipôlâ Nioklafav ean be dividad into tHe oafieral aleaanta wliieh rapraaent eonvantianal draaatie attaotura* Thia aafmat af analyxing«M»ihat ia# dateraiaing '¥•" tlia aatarial wliiali aariraa aa iattadaatlaAi rlalng aatlang aliaaa, faXlino aatiant and daaouaaant^-answara aaveral parpoaeat it effete a auaaatien of tha prinaipal thread of tha atoryi it fataiahaa aoat of the aajet eheraetariia* tiona and aotivationa aaaantial to tha ploti it indieatea tha awapaaaaful aapaet of tha atoryi it apaaifiaally awb« ataatiataa tha atruoture in tha novel* Tlia introduatien, elaborated upon eonaidarably be«> eauae of oharaater delineatiana and pertinent information pfaliainaty to an underatanding of tha atory» givaa the baaia far tha finaneial plight of the hero and tha eonflict between the hero end hie antagoniat* Tha beginning chapter, which Oiokena taraa "Introduoaa All tha Rest,** ia a brief deacriptiva aooount of tha iaaadiate forebaara of the praa- ant Niekleby atook and tha riaa and fall in their fortunes. Thia background furniahaa the euthor the means of illuai- neting Ralph*a aalf-interest and practice of profiteble uaury and of indioating the contrasting inefficiency of hie younger brother in money matters. In so doing, Dickens explaina the reaaon for tha removal of tha hero, his aother, and his sister from Devonshire to London and Ralph's area of influence. At one time the parents of Ralph and Nicholas, Sr. were poor, but an opulent uncle willed them his property. From the mother's recitals of trials during tha father's impoverishment, Ralph had "deduced from tha often-repeated tela the two great morals that riches ara tha only true source of happinasa and power, and that it ia lawful and Just to compaas their acquisition by all maans short of felony•** Ralph'a early soliloquies included tha idea that tha rich uncle had enjoyed the money **'for ha had tha pleaaure of thinking of it all hia life long, and of being envied and courted by all his family baaidas.'** Tha modal of the uncle who enjoyed money and the idea that privation should be avoided premise Ralph'a future actions. In fur thering the explanation of Ralph'a adult habits, Dickens tells that Ralph practiced usury aa a schoolboy, parceling out marbles and slate-pencila '*at good intaraat ... and gradually extending his operations until they aspired to the coppar coinage of hia realm, ... hia simple rule of interest being all comprised in tha one golden sentence, 'two-pence for every half-penny'*' (p. 3). The accumulation of wealth and power becomes the ruling force in Ralph's life, and tha populace of London becomes tha pray for his extensive operations. A brief acena in the aacond chapter enlarges the characterization of Ralph dramatically as ha leaves 6 instructions with his dark Noggs and makes revealing comments to a business friend. Ralph is now a man of sub stance and influence and an astute obaervar of humanity who connives to advance his hold on people through their slighteat waakneaaea. Noggs, who will baoome Nicholas' chief ministering angel and the author's vahicla for tha tranafar of information between tha uncla and nephew, had once lived aa a gentleman of meana, but ha now suffers tha ignominy of serving Ralph. Ralph's description of Noggs to the other ^man of business** discloaaa that Noggs ia a pro duct and an example of Ralph'a crafty practicest *" . not many years ago aithar; ... ha squandered his money, invested it anyhow, borrowed at interest, and in short made first a thorough fool of himaelf, and then a beggar. Ha took to drinking and had a touch of paralysis, and then came hare to borrow a pound'**; and after Ralph acknowledges that ha would not than make a loan to Noggs aa he had in former days, ha oontinuaa, **'But as I wanted a clerk Just then, to open tha door and so forth, I took him out of charity, and he has remainad with ma aver since. He is a little mad, I think, . • • but he ia useful enough, poor creature—useful enough'**} and Dickens states ironically that tha '*kind-heartad gentleman omitted to add that Newman Noggs, being utterly destitute, served him for rather less than tha uaual wages of a boy of thirteen; and likeuiisa failed to mention in his hasty chronicle, that hia acoan- tric taciturnity rendered him an especially valuable person 7 in a place where much business was dona of which it was deairabla no mention should be made out of doors*' (pp. 11- 12). The father of Nicholas Niekleby, **who was of a timid and retiring disposition,** presents an opposite per sonality to Ralph's. From his mothar^s stories, he decided that "their father's sufferings in his days of poverty, and of their dacaased uncle's importance in his days of afflu ence ... ware forawarnings to shun the great world and attach himself to the quiet routine of country life** (p. 3). Thia trustful, unambitious man, prevailed upon by his wife to speculate unwisely, is ruined financially. In melodra matic fashion, Dickens presents the defeated man, succumb ing to pride and a broken heart, babbling on hia deathbed "for a long time, about tha goodnesa and ganeroaity** of his older brother, and commanding his family **to One who never deserted the widow or her fatherless children** (p. 6). Tha black-bordered letter, announcing tha death of Nicholas, Sr. and tha arrival of his wife, son, and daugh ter in London, evokes angry remonstrances from Ralph which further reveal his personality: **'Reasonable, certainly I . very reasonable I Wy brother never did anything for me, and I never expected it; the breath is no sooner out of hia body than I am to be looked to, as tha support of a great hearty woman, and a grown boy and girl, olhat ara thay to mal I never saw theml'** (p.

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