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Chapter 13
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Pickwick Papers, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Male Friendship
Predatory Social Institutions
Social Class and Inequality
Marriage and Courtship
Generosity and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
After the election in Eatanswill, the focus shifts to the daily activities of the Pickwickians. Pickwick immerses himself in local politics, spurred on by Pott’s enthusiasm, while Winkle spends time walking and exploring the countryside with Mrs. Pott, who eagerly seeks relief from her dull routine. This leaves Tupman and Snodgrass to find their own ways to pass the time. They entertain themselves at the Peacock Inn, engaging in games like bagatelle and skittles, with Sam by their side. Despite missing Pickwick’s company, they manage to stay entertained.
Dickens contrasts Pickwick’s new political focus with the more lighthearted pursuits of his companions. Mrs. Pott’s interest in Winkle’s company suggests a desire to escape from the drudgery of domestic life. Meanwhile, Tupman and Snodgrass’s games at the inn offer another glimpse into the communal nature of male bonding, where companionship thrives through playful competition.
Themes
Evenings at the Peacock Inn offer lively gatherings for Tupman and Snodgrass. The commercial room fills with travelers and locals, creating a vibrant atmosphere. One evening, the conversation shifts to the nature of women, sparking a spirited debate. Snodgrass passionately defends the virtues of women, while others express more cynical views. The conversation reminds one of the locals, a bagman, of a peculiar story from his past. Intrigued, the group urges him to share it, and after some playful reluctance, he begins his tale
The debate about the nature of women is a proxy for the debate between idealism and cynicism that runs throughout the novel, with Snodgrass embodying the romantic perspective. Dickens uses this scene to explore how public discourse often blends humor, prejudice, and earnest sentiment. Notably, though it is genuine conversation, all the participants are male. Neither here nor elsewhere in the novel do women get the chance to define themselves.
Themes
In the story, a traveling salesman named Tom Smart struggles against a fierce storm on his way to Bristol. As the weather worsens, he seeks refuge in a remote inn. The inn, though old and eerie, offers warmth and hospitality, especially from the attractive widow who owns the place. She serves him a hearty meal and sets him up by a roaring fire. Soon, Tom notices the presence of another man, the widow’s suitor, a tall man intent on winning her favor. Though the atmosphere remains cheerful, the suitor’s presence annoys Tom, who feels a pang of jealousy as he watches their interactions from his cozy spot by the fire.
The storm and the isolated inn serve as Gothic motifs, evoking a sense of danger beneath the surface of domestic comfort. The widow’s hospitality contrasts with the unsettling presence of the suitor, who Tom immediately senses is a problem. Tom’s jealousy signals his growing emotional investment in the widow, as he grows angry with a stranger he has never met before and does not have any particular reason to dislike.
Themes
After enjoying several glasses of punch, Tom goes to bed. However, his rest is disturbed when he experiences a bizarre and supernatural event. The antique chair in his room appears to transform into a figure resembling an old man. This spectral figure starts speaking to Tom, showing an uncanny knowledge of Tom’s circumstances, including his interest in the widow and the presence of her current suitor, the tall man. The old man reveals that this suitor is deceitful and already married, and he intends to trick the widow into a fraudulent relationship. To help Tom expose the suitor, the old man tells him about a piece of evidence—a letter hidden in a pair of trousers stored in the wardrobe. This letter proves the tall man’s dishonesty.
Tom’s experience is both supernatural and surreal. Although the old man’s transformation is frightening, he also functions as wish-fulfillment for Tom, who wants a way to get rid of the suitor and have the widow all to himself. Later in the novel, the bagman will tell another story about Tom, which is similarly surreal where Tom once again comes out on top regarding the woman he is trying to impress. When taken together, these stories give the impression of a man who is conjuring supernatural experiences to make it appear he has more success with women than he actually does.
Themes
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Tom rummages through the wardrobe and finds the incriminating letter exactly where the apparition indicated. With newfound confidence, he confronts the widow the next morning, revealing the truth about her suitor’s deceit. The widow, heartbroken, accepts Tom’s comfort as he offers his own affections. After driving away the tall man, Tom marries the widow and takes over the inn, achieving the life he had always imagined. This concludes the bagman’s story, which captivates the listeners who have a lively discussion about its authenticity. Some listeners express doubt, while others believe every word.
The fact that Tom marries the widow and assumes control of the inn suggests a fulfillment of personal fantasy, making his version of events rather convenient. Dickens uses the audience’s mixed reactions to the story to comment on the subjective nature of truth, as storytelling becomes both a form of entertainment and a lens through which listeners negotiate their own beliefs about the people involved. This means sorting through not only Tom’s biases, but also the bagman’s.
Themes
