Article #580-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The Pickwick Papers, by Charles Dickens

‘That this Association cordially recognises the principle of every
member of the Corresponding Society defraying his own travelling
expenses; and that it sees no objection whatever to the members of the
said society pursuing their inquiries for any length of time they
please, upon the same terms.

‘That the members of the aforesaid Corresponding Society be, and are
hereby informed, that their proposal to pay the postage of their
letters, and the carriage of their parcels, has been deliberated upon by
this Association: that this Association considers such proposal worthy
of the great minds from which it emanated, and that it hereby signifies
its perfect acquiescence therein.’

A casual observer, adds the secretary, to whose notes we are indebted
for the following account--a casual observer might possibly have
remarked nothing extraordinary in the bald head, and circular
spectacles, which were intently turned towards his (the secretary’s)
face, during the reading of the above resolutions: to those who knew
that the gigantic brain of Pickwick was working beneath that forehead,
and that the beaming eyes of Pickwick were twinkling behind those
glasses, the sight was indeed an interesting one. There sat the man who
had traced to their source the mighty ponds of Hampstead, and agitated
the scientific world with his Theory of Tittlebats, as calm and unmoved
as the deep waters of the one on a frosty day, or as a solitary specimen
of the other in the inmost recesses of an earthen jar. And how much more
interesting did the spectacle become, when, starting into full life and
animation, as a simultaneous call for ‘Pickwick’ burst from his
followers, that illustrious man slowly mounted into the Windsor chair,
on which he had been previously seated, and addressed the club himself
had founded. What a study for an artist did that exciting scene present!
The eloquent Pickwick, with one hand gracefully concealed behind his
coat tails, and the other waving in air to assist his glowing
declamation; his elevated position revealing those tights and gaiters,
which, had they clothed an ordinary man, might have passed without
observation, but which, when Pickwick clothed them--if we may use the
expression--inspired involuntary awe and respect; surrounded by the men
who had volunteered to share the perils of his travels, and who were
destined to participate in the glories of his discoveries. On his right
sat Mr. Tracy Tupman--the too susceptible Tupman, who to the wisdom and
experience of maturer years superadded the enthusiasm and ardour of a
boy in the most interesting and pardonable of human weaknesses--love.
Time and feeding had expanded that once romantic form; the black silk
waistcoat had become more and more developed; inch by inch had the gold
watch-chain beneath it disappeared from within the range of Tupman’s
vision; and gradually had the capacious chin encroached upon the borders
of the white cravat: but the soul of Tupman had known no change--
admiration of the fair sex was still its ruling passion. On the left of
his great leader sat the poetic Snodgrass, and near him again the
sporting Winkle; the former poetically enveloped in a mysterious blue
cloak with a canine-skin collar, and the latter communicating additional
lustre to a new green shooting-coat, plaid neckerchief, and closely-
fitted drabs.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens**

Context of the Source

The Pickwick Papers (1836–1837) was Charles Dickens’ first novel, originally serialized in monthly installments. It follows the misadventures of Samuel Pickwick, the benevolent and eccentric founder of the Pickwick Club, and his three loyal companions—Tracy Tupman, Augustus Snodgrass, and Nathaniel Winkle—as they travel through England observing and recording their experiences. The novel blends humor, satire, and social commentary, often poking fun at the pretensions of scientific societies, legal systems, and human folly.

This excerpt comes from an early chapter where the Pickwick Club (a fictional society of amateur scholars) is formalizing its rules. The passage combines bureaucratic absurdity with character introduction, setting the tone for the novel’s comedic and satirical style.

Breakdown of the Excerpt

1. The Bureaucratic Resolutions (First Two Paragraphs)

The passage begins with two mock-serious resolutions from the Pickwick Club, written in overly formal, legalistic language:

‘That this Association cordially recognises the principle of every member of the Corresponding Society defraying his own travelling expenses; and that it sees no objection whatever to the members of the said society pursuing their inquiries for any length of time they please, upon the same terms.

‘That the members of the aforesaid Corresponding Society be, and are hereby informed, that their proposal to pay the postage of their letters, and the carriage of their parcels, has been deliberated upon by this Association: that this Association considers such proposal worthy of the great minds from which it emanated, and that it hereby signifies its perfect acquiescence therein.’

Key Observations:

Satire of Bureaucracy & Pseudoscience:
- The language is deliberately pompous and redundant, mimicking the style of real 19th-century scientific and academic societies.
- The resolutions are trivial—they simply state that members must pay their own travel costs and postage, yet they are framed as grand, intellectual decrees.
- Dickens is mocking the self-importance of such societies, which often engaged in pretentious, meaningless debates while accomplishing little of real value.
Irony & Hyperbole:
- The phrase "worthy of the great minds from which it emanated" is heavily ironic—the "great minds" are actually eccentric, bumbling amateurs (as we soon see).
- The contrast between the lofty language and the mundane subject (paying for postage) highlights the absurdity.
Foreshadowing:
- The resolutions hint at the impracticality of the Pickwickians’ "scientific" endeavors—they will travel indefinitely, observe trivial things, and consider themselves profound, when in reality, their "discoveries" will be comically insignificant.

2. The Introduction of Mr. Pickwick (Third Paragraph)

The narrator shifts to a more vivid, descriptive style, focusing on Samuel Pickwick as he reacts to the resolutions:

A casual observer... might possibly have remarked nothing extraordinary in the bald head, and circular spectacles... but to those who knew that the gigantic brain of Pickwick was working beneath that forehead, and that the beaming eyes of Pickwick were twinkling behind those glasses, the sight was indeed an interesting one.

Key Observations:

Dramatic Irony & Character Introduction:
- The outsider’s perspective ("casual observer") sees Pickwick as unremarkable—just a bald man in glasses.
- But the narrator (and the Pickwick Club members) view him as a genius, reinforcing the satirical gap between perception and reality.
- This duality (ordinary appearance vs. perceived greatness) is central to Pickwick’s character—he is kind, enthusiastic, but ultimately ridiculous in his self-importance.
Metaphors & Similes:
- Pickwick’s mind is compared to Hampstead Ponds (which he supposedly "traced to their source") and Tittlebats (a nonsense term, possibly a parody of scientific jargon).
- The simile of the "deep waters of the one [pond] on a frosty day" suggests stillness and depth, but also cold, lifeless intellectualism.
- The "solitary specimen of the other [Tittlebat] in the inmost recesses of an earthen jar" is a comic image—Pickwick’s "great discoveries" are actually trivial, preserved in a jar like a dead bug.
Tone Shift:
- The mock-epic style ("how much more interesting did the spectacle become") elevates Pickwick to heroic status, but the absurdity of his "achievements" undercuts this.

3. Pickwick’s Speech & the Club’s Reaction (Fourth Paragraph)

The scene becomes more dynamic as Pickwick stands to address the club:

What a study for an artist did that exciting scene present! The eloquent Pickwick, with one hand gracefully concealed behind his coat tails, and the other waving in air to assist his glowing declamation; his elevated position revealing those tights and gaiters, which... inspired involuntary awe and respect...

Key Observations:

Theatricality & Satire of Public Speaking:
- Pickwick’s pose (hand behind coat tails, waving the other) is a parody of dramatic orators.
- His tights and gaiters (a fashion choice that would have seemed old-fashioned and ridiculous even in Dickens’ time) are described as awe-inspiring, reinforcing the ironic grandeur of the scene.
Mock-Heroic Language:
- Phrases like "what a study for an artist" and "involuntary awe and respect" elevate the moment to something epic, but the subject (Pickwick in tight stockings) is absurd.
- This juxtaposition is a hallmark of Dickens’ humor—high language applied to low comedy.
The Pickwickians as a Comic Ensemble:
- The three followers (Tupman, Snodgrass, Winkle) are introduced with exaggerated, caricatured traits:
  - Tracy Tupman – The "too susceptible" romantic, now middle-aged and portly, but still obsessed with love.
  - Augustus Snodgrass – The "poetic" member, draped in a melodramatic blue cloak with a dog-skin collar (a parody of Byronic poets).
  - Nathaniel Winkle – The "sporting" man, dressed in loud hunting attire, though he is clumsy and inexperienced.
- Each is a stock character, but Dickens exaggerates their quirks for comedic effect.

Themes in the Excerpt

The Absurdity of Pseudoscience & Self-Importance:
- The Pickwick Club mimics real scientific societies, but their "research" is pointless and pretentious.
- Dickens critiques Victorian-era intellectual posturing, where formality often masked emptiness.
The Gap Between Perception and Reality:
- Pickwick is seen as a genius by his followers, but to outsiders, he is just a funny-looking old man.
- This duality runs through the novel—characters believe in their own grandeur, but the reader sees the comic truth.
Friendship & Camaraderie (Despite Folly):
- The loyalty of Tupman, Snodgrass, and Winkle is genuine, even if their adventures are ridiculous.
- The novel celebrates human connection, even among eccentrics and fools.
Satire of Victorian Social Norms:
- The fashion choices (tights, gaiters, poetic cloaks, hunting gear) mock class affectations.
- The legalistic language parodies bureaucratic and academic pretension.

Literary Devices Used

Device	Example	Effect
Irony	Calling trivial resolutions "worthy of great minds"	Highlights the absurdity of the club’s self-importance
Hyperbole	Describing Pickwick’s tights as "awe-inspiring"	Exaggerates for comic effect
Satire	Mocking scientific societies with nonsense terms ("Tittlebats")	Critiques Victorian intellectual culture
Mock-Heroic	Comparing Pickwick’s speech to an epic scene	Elevates the mundane to ridiculous grandeur
Caricature	Tupman’s obesity, Snodgrass’s poetic cloak, Winkle’s hunting gear	Exaggerates traits for humor
Dramatic Irony	Reader knows Pickwick is ridiculous, but his followers don’t	Creates humor through contrasting perspectives
Simile/Metaphor	Pickwick’s brain like Hampstead Ponds, Tittlebats in a jar	Paints him as both profound and absurd

Significance of the Passage

Establishes the Novel’s Tone:
- The blend of satire, humor, and warmth defines The Pickwick Papers.
- Dickens balances mockery with affection—the characters are ridiculous but endearing.
Introduces Key Characters & Their Quirks:
- Pickwick’s benevolent eccentricity, Tupman’s romantic delusions, Snodgrass’s poetic pretensions, and Winkle’s false bravado are all established here.
Sets Up the Novel’s Structure:
- The traveling club format (where they observe and record) allows Dickens to satirize different aspects of English society in each episode.
Reflects Dickens’ Early Style:
- Before his darker, more socially critical works (Oliver Twist, Hard Times), Dickens here focuses on humor and character.
- The exuberant, digressive storytelling was highly influential on later comic writers.

Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters

This excerpt is a microcosm of The Pickwick Papers—it introduces the central characters, establishes the satirical tone, and sets up the novel’s themes of friendship, folly, and self-delusion. Dickens mocks the pretensions of intellectual societies, but he does so with warmth and humor, making the Pickwickians lovable despite their absurdity.

The passage also showcases Dickens’ genius for comic writing—his ability to inflate the mundane into the epic, to use irony and exaggeration for laughter, and to create characters who are both ridiculous and deeply human. In many ways, this scene embodies the spirit of the entire novel: a celebration of eccentricity, a gentle satire of human vanity, and an invitation to laugh at—and with—the foibles of life.

Questions

Question 1

The resolutions of the Pickwick Club employ a rhetorical strategy that primarily serves to:

A. establish a framework for genuine scientific inquiry by delineating clear financial responsibilities.
B. parody the self-seriousness of institutional discourse through exaggerated formality applied to trivial matters.
C. highlight the club’s commitment to egalitarian principles by ensuring all members share expenses equally.
D. demonstrate the intellectual rigor of the Corresponding Society by codifying their methodological approach.
E. create a legal safeguard against potential disputes over resource allocation during fieldwork.

Question 2

The narrator’s description of Pickwick’s "gigantic brain" and "beaming eyes" functions most effectively as:

A. an objective characterization that aligns the reader’s perspective with that of an impartial observer.
B. an example of free indirect discourse that merges the narrator’s voice with Pickwick’s self-perception.
C. a layered irony that simultaneously elevates Pickwick to heroic stature while undermining his actual significance.
D. a straightforward tribute to Pickwick’s intellectual contributions to the scientific community.
E. a metaphorical representation of the Enlightenment ideal of rational inquiry.

Question 3

The phrase "a solitary specimen of the other in the inmost recesses of an earthen jar" is most thematically resonant with the novel’s broader critique of:

A. the tendency of amateur enthusiasts to mistake curation for discovery, thereby reducing living phenomena to static artifacts.
B. the Victorian obsession with taxonomy, which often prioritized classification over meaningful understanding.
C. the decline of empirical science in favor of speculative philosophy during the 19th century.
D. the ethical implications of preserving natural specimens without regard for their ecological context.
E. the incompatibility between scientific objectivity and the subjective biases of individual researchers.

Question 4

The portrayal of Tupman, Snodgrass, and Winkle as "the men who had volunteered to share the perils of his travels" is undermined by which of the following textual details?

A. The narrator’s emphasis on their sartorial choices, which aligns them with archetypal rather than individualistic identities.
B. The description of Pickwick’s "tights and gaiters" as objects of "involuntary awe," which shifts focus away from his companions.
C. The club’s resolutions, which reveal that their "perils" are likely to be bureaucratic rather than physically dangerous.
D. The ironic juxtaposition of their purported roles (romantic, poetic, sporting) with their physical and behavioral absurdities.
E. The secretary’s notes, which frame the scene as a performance rather than a genuine expeditionary briefing.

Question 5

The passage’s closing focus on the "gold watch-chain" disappearing beneath Tupman’s waistcoat and the "capacious chin" encroaching upon his cravat primarily serves to:

A. illustrate the economic decline of the middle class in post-Industrial Revolution England.
B. contrast Tupman’s romantic ideals with the physical realities of aging and indulgence.
C. reinforce the novel’s thematic concern with the disparity between self-image and external perception.
D. foreshadow Tupman’s eventual rejection of the club’s ideals in favor of hedonistic pursuits.
E. critique the vanity of fashion trends that prioritize appearance over comfort or practicality.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: B

Why B is most correct: The resolutions are framed in hyper-formal, legalistic language to address mundane administrative details (travel expenses, postage). This disjunction between tone and content is a hallmark of satire, particularly Dickens’ mockery of institutional self-importance. The passage does not treat the resolutions as genuinely rigorous or necessary but rather as performative and absurd, exposing the pretentiousness of the club’s "scientific" endeavors.