«There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast. Some men, like bats or owls, have better eyes for the darkness than for the light...» (Chapter LVII) ~ «... what was over couldn't be begun, and what couldn't be cured must be endured.» (Ch. XLVIII) ~ «“Man is but mortal; and there is a point beyond which human courage cannot extend...”» (Ch. IV) ~ «“... there's no situation in life so bad, Mr. Samuel, that it can't be mended.”» (Ch. LII) ~ #Finished: #ThePickwickPapers by #CharlesDickens. • Rating: 9/10 • Guaranteeing laughter and offering a massive deal of fun with the ridiculous situations, absurdities, misunderstandings, brawls and deceptions, mostly caused by the main characters' behavioral weaknesses, this comic novel also provides a vividly panoramic insight into the life at that time, depicting an election feud, Christmas celebrations, ice-skating, assemblies in Bath, law courts, and dingy cells of the debtors' prison, the last two of which are criticisms of the English law and corruption in the judicial system, and of the penitentiary system. In his first novel, #Dickens' wit and versatility shines forth from the inner stories as well as the main plot, and his characterization, as always, is great: the portrayals of a multitude of varied secondary characters as well as the main ones prove he was an outstandingly keen observer of human behavior and society. Witty and loyal, #SamWeller, is my favourite character, and my favourite chapters are 42, 46, 57, 8, 44, 43, 10, 22 and 53, in that order. ~ «... there are times when ignorance is bliss indeed.» (Ch. VII) ~ «“tears are not the only proofs of distress, nor the best ones.”» (Ch. XLV) ~ «When a man bleeds inwardly, it is a dangerous thing for himself; but when he laughs inwardly, it bodes no good to other people.» (Ch. XXXI) ~ «“... how true the old saying is, that a man never knows what he can do till he tries...”» (Ch. XLIX) ~ #PickwickPapers #Pickwick #SamuelPickwick #MrPickwick #SamuelWeller #NathanielWinkle #TracyTupman #MrWeller #TonyWeller #AlfredJingle #englishnovel #victoriannovel #book #books #bookstagram #literature #novel #bibliophile #read #classics https://www.instagram.com/p/CFBww98A-NV/?igshid=1f8sf7azosd9o
