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Excerpt from American Notes, by Charles Dickens

We sat here, looking silently at the row of little tables, which extended
down both sides of the cabin, and listening to the rain as it dripped and
pattered on the boat, and plashed with a dismal merriment in the water,
until the arrival of the railway train, for whose final contribution to
our stock of passengers, our departure was alone deferred. It brought a
great many boxes, which were bumped and tossed upon the roof, almost as
painfully as if they had been deposited on one’s own head, without the
intervention of a porter’s knot; and several damp gentlemen, whose
clothes, on their drawing round the stove, began to steam again. No
doubt it would have been a thought more comfortable if the driving rain,
which now poured down more soakingly than ever, had admitted of a window
being opened, or if our number had been something less than thirty; but
there was scarcely time to think as much, when a train of three horses
was attached to the tow-rope, the boy upon the leader smacked his whip,
the rudder creaked and groaned complainingly, and we had begun our
journey.

CHAPTER X
SOME FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE CANAL BOAT, ITS DOMESTIC ECONOMY, AND ITS
PASSENGERS. JOURNEY TO PITTSBURG ACROSS THE ALLEGHANY MOUNTAINS.
PITTSBURG

AS it continued to rain most perseveringly, we all remained below: the
damp gentlemen round the stove, gradually becoming mildewed by the action
of the fire; and the dry gentlemen lying at full length upon the seats,
or slumbering uneasily with their faces on the tables, or walking up and
down the cabin, which it was barely possible for a man of the middle
height to do, without making bald places on his head by scraping it
against the roof. At about six o’clock, all the small tables were put
together to form one long table, and everybody sat down to tea, coffee,
bread, butter, salmon, shad, liver, steaks, potatoes, pickles, ham,
chops, black-puddings, and sausages.

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from American Notes by Charles Dickens ​

Context of the Source ​

American Notes (1842) is Charles Dickens’ travelogue documenting his five-month journey through the United States in 1842. While Dickens was already a celebrated novelist (Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby), this work blends social commentary, humor, and sharp observations of American culture, politics, and landscapes. The excerpt describes his experience aboard a canal boat—a common mode of transport in the early 19th century—traveling through Pennsylvania toward Pittsburgh. Dickens’ tone is wry, observational, and slightly satirical, capturing both the discomforts of travel and the quirks of American life.

The canal system (particularly the Erie Canal and its branches) was a marvel of early American engineering, but Dickens portrays it as cramped, chaotic, and far from luxurious—a stark contrast to the romanticized visions of American progress. His descriptions reflect his broader critiques of American society: its utilitarianism, lack of refinement, and physical discomforts, which he often contrasts with European (particularly British) sensibilities.

Themes in the Excerpt ​

  1. The Discomforts of Travel

    • Dickens emphasizes the physical unpleasantness of the journey: the rain, dampness, steam from wet clothes, and overcrowding create an atmosphere of clustering misery.
    • The canal boat’s cramped space forces passengers into awkward positions (sleeping on tables, scraping their heads on the ceiling), highlighting the lack of personal space—a recurring theme in Dickens’ critiques of industrialized travel.
    • The mechanical noises (the "creaking" rudder, the "bumping" of boxes) reinforce the jarring, unrefined nature of American transport.

  2. American Utilitarianism vs. European Comfort

    • Dickens often contrasts American practicality and haste with European leasure and comfort. Here, the rush to depart (despite the rain) and the haphazard loading of luggage suggest a society more concerned with efficiency than comfort.
    • The overabundant, haphazard meal (a chaotic spread of meats, fish, and sides) reflects what Dickens saw as American excess—quantity over quality, a theme he explores elsewhere in American Notes (e.g., his critiques of American food and hospitality).

  3. Class and Social Dynamics

    • The division between "damp gentlemen" and "dry gentlemen" subtly hints at social stratification—those who can afford better seats near the stove vs. those relegated to damp corners.
    • The shared meal forces an artificial camaraderie among strangers, a microcosm of democratic ideals (everyone eats together) but also of social discomfort (no privacy, no refinement).

  4. Nature’s Indifference to Human Endeavor

    • The relentless rain serves as a natural antagonist, disrupting human plans (no open windows, steaming clothes, general misery).
    • Dickens often uses weather as a metaphor for human struggle (e.g., the fog in Bleak House), and here, the rain mirrors the chaos and discomfort of the journey.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices ​

  1. Sensory Imagery (Appeal to the Senses)

    • Auditory: The dripping, pattering, and plashing of rain creates a melancholic soundtrack, while the creaking rudder and smacking whip add to the mechanical cacophony of travel.
    • Tactile: The steaming clothes, dampness, and cramped spaces make the reader feel the physical discomfort.
    • Visual: The row of tables, the crowded cabin, and the "mildewed" gentlemen paint a vivid, almost claustrophobic scene.

  2. Humor & Irony

    • "Dismal merriment" – An oxymoron that captures the false cheerfulness of the rain’s sound, contrasting with the passengers’ misery.
    • The excessive list of foods (salmon, shad, liver, steaks, etc.) is comically overwhelming, mocking American abundance.
    • The comparison of boxes being "bumped... almost as painfully as if they had been deposited on one’s own head" is a hyperbolic, humorous way to describe the rough handling of luggage.

  3. Juxtaposition & Contrast

    • Comfort vs. Discomfort: The fire (warmth) vs. the rain (dampness) creates a battle of elements that the passengers are caught in.
    • Motion vs. Stasis: The boat’s movement contrasts with the passengers’ forced stillness (lying down, sitting cramped).
    • Order vs. Chaos: The attempt to form a "long table" for dinner is undercut by the chaotic spread of food and the crowded, restless passengers.

  4. Personification & Pathetic Fallacy

    • The rudder "creaked and groaned complainingly" – Gives the boat human-like irritation, as if it, too, is fed up with the journey.
    • The rain’s "dismal merriment" – Attributes human emotion to nature, reinforcing the idea that the weather is mocking the travelers.

  5. Stream-of-Consciousness Narration

    • Dickens’ observational, almost cinematic style moves from one detail to the next (the rain, the luggage, the passengers, the meal) in a way that mimics the chaotic experience of travel.

Significance of the Passage ​

  1. Dickens’ Critique of American Travel & Society

    • This excerpt is representative of Dickens’ broader impressions of America: a place of energy and innovation but also roughness and discomfort.
    • His focus on the physical sensations of travel (crowding, dampness, noise) reflects his disappointment with American hospitality compared to European standards.

  2. A Microcosm of Industrialization’s Downsides

    • The canal boat symbolizes early industrial transportation—efficient but dehumanizing.
    • The lack of personal space and comfort foreshadows later critiques of urbanization and mass transit in Dickens’ novels (e.g., the trains in Dombey and Son).

  3. Humor as a Coping Mechanism

    • Dickens uses wit and exaggeration to soften the misery of the scene, a technique he often employs to critique without outright condemnation.
    • The absurdity of the meal (an excessive, almost grotesque spread) highlights how Americans compensate for discomfort with abundance.

  4. A Travelogue’s Role in Shaping Perceptions

    • American Notes was controversial in the U.S., as many Americans resented Dickens’ critical portrayal of their country.
    • This passage, in particular, challenges the myth of American progress, showing the gritty reality behind the nation’s expanding infrastructure.

Line-by-Line Breakdown (Key Moments) ​

  1. "We sat here, looking silently at the row of little tables..."

    • The silence suggests resignation—the passengers are too weary to complain.
    • The repetition of "little" emphasizes the cramped, childlike scale of the boat’s amenities.

  2. "the rain... plashed with a dismal merriment in the water"

    • "Dismal merriment" – A contradiction that captures the false cheer of nature’s indifference to human suffering.

  3. "several damp gentlemen, whose clothes... began to steam again"

    • The image of steaming clothes is both comical and pitiful, reinforcing the physical discomfort.
    • "Damp gentlemen" – A polite euphemism for what are likely bedraggled, miserable men.

  4. "No doubt it would have been a thought more comfortable if..."

    • The understated irony ("a thought more comfortable") downplays the actual misery, a classic Dickensian technique.

  5. "everybody sat down to tea, coffee, bread, butter, salmon, shad, liver, steaks..."

    • The long, breathless list is both impressive and absurd, mocking American excess.
    • The lack of punctuation in the list makes it feel overwhelming, as if the food is spilling onto the page.

Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters ​

This excerpt is more than just a travel anecdote—it’s a microcosm of Dickens’ view of America: energetic but unrefined, abundant but uncomfortable, democratic but chaotic. His keen observations, humor, and sensory details make the scene vivid and immersive, while his subtle critiques invite readers to question the costs of progress.

For modern readers, the passage also serves as a historical snapshot—a glimpse into the physical realities of 19th-century travel, before the age of luxury trains and planes. Dickens’ ability to find both humor and pathos in mundane suffering remains one of his greatest strengths as a writer.

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