A Small Cigar, A Men's Club, and A Rotund Hero

The Grief of Finishing Dicken's The Pickwick Papers

I am grieving the loss. I saved the last chapter, sadly entitled “The Pickwick Club Finally Dissolved,” because I didn’t want the story to be over. Now that I have finished it my tears are bittersweet because the book ends with the same tone that makes it so wonderfully therapeutic: joyful realism that does not take itself too seriously.

“It is the fate of most men who mingle with the world, and attain even the prime of life, to make many real friends and lose them in the course of nature. It is the fate of all authors or chroniclers to create imaginary friends and lose them in the course of art. Nor is this the full extent of their misfortunes; for they are required to furnish an account of them besides.

In compliance with this custom - unquestionably a bad one - we subjoin a few biographical words…¹

(I stop here to keep as far from a “spoiler” as possible.)

Reading “The Pickwick Papers” was so much fun; the kind of fun that encourages you to look at the ups and downs of life with the kindness and graciousness of the main character. Dickens introduces us to fraudsters, philosophers, lawyers, and judges, the poor and the wealthy, the self-centered and the self-effacing. We are invited into court and government bureaucracies, wealthy estates, and debtors’ prison. In each location, there is something light-hearted and hopeful to be found.

Original Cover Issued in 1836

The character names alone are enough to prove the point. Mr. Jingle has mastered the art of looking much more impressive than he is. Dr. Slammer is the ex-military man ready for a duel at any slight while Dr. Payne wants to observe the bloodshed. The propensity for names that foreshadow the character is long; a medical student named Mr. Sawyer, a socialite in Bath named Lady Snuphanuph, an unpleasant landlady named Mrs. Mary Ann Raddle. All represent a part of society in Dickens’ day. All are used to critique his community. But none in a way that is superior or that teaches us that “we know better.” All demonstrate what is right and wrong about life in Dickens’ day while making us more deeply aware of our common humanity.

“The Pickwick Papers” starts a bit slowly, like many of our TV series, before finding its footing. But the story quickly finds traction with the introduction of Samuel Pickwick’s trusty servant Sam Weller who brings in a wonderfully visual way of speaking.

‘Sam, be quiet,’ said Mr. Pickwick. ‘Dumb as a drum vith a hole in it, sir,’ replied Sam.

Many of Dickens’ characters have their own way of speaking. One more example was Mr. Jingle’s description of some ruins the Pickwickians are viewing from the Rochester Bridge:

“…’glorious pile - frowning walls - tottering arches - dark nooks - crumbing staircases - old cathedral too - earthy smell - pilgrims’ feet wore away old steps - little Saxon doors - confessionals like money-takers’ boxes at theaters - queer customers those monks - popes, and lord treasurers, and all sorts of old fellows with great red faces, and broken noses, turning up every day - fine place - old legends too - strange stories: capital…’”²

The hero of the story, Samuel Pickwick, is, as we are often reminded, overweight and out of shape. He is single and never marries, though he has done well in some business in his life before the book begins. He is frequently thankful for life, believes in doing right to the point of stubbornness, and is willing to give people a second chance. His trusty sidekick Sam Weller is earthy and street-wise as is Sam’s father. Together the Pickwick Club wanders through human life and manages to make good happen in the world.

I began reading “The Pickwick Papers” as a model for future Substack content. It was published monthly as a series for 20 months starting in 1836. By the end of the story, its audience had grown from 400 to 40,000 copies per issue. Pickwick Clubs began to form around Dickens’ home country of Britain. Though Eleazer Pickwick was the original inspiration for Dickens’ hero, “Pickwick” became the name of a small cigar and the brand of an entire tea company. Now the story is my inspiration for makinggoodhappen on the journey with Jesus.

We take ourselves far too seriously these days. This is often reflected in they way we think about our faith journey. Dickens has an amazing ability to create a story world where humor abounds and all the characters, from the most noble to the most nasty, are treated with a gentle hand. The Kingdom of God shares something of this quality but it is often submerged in the fear and headlines of the day.

I am sad that the story is over. I wish I could form a Pickwick Club to keep it going. But for now, I have this hope - Dickens’ next book, Oliver Twist, also published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, builds on his writing experience in the Pickwick Papers. I even saw a little foreshadowing with a character described as something very like “the artful dodger.”

I am going to start that book first thing tomorrow!

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1. p. 792

2. p. 33