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Chapter 36
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
Winkle leaves his friends and Bath without informing anyone. Concerned about the potential consequences of a duel with Dowler, he sneaks out early in the morning and boards a coach to Bristol, where he decides to lie low until Dowler’s anger subsides. Upon arriving in Bristol, Winkle explores the city and eventually stumbles upon a medical practice belonging to none other than Bob Sawyer.
Winkle’s hasty escape shows his anxiety about the social ramifications of dueling and reflects his general tendency to avoid direct confrontation. His unexpected encounter with Bob Sawyer is another example of how the novel uses coincidence to drive the plot, reinforcing the tight social network of characters where chance meetings are both comic and convenient.
Themes
Surprised but happy to see Winkle, Bob welcomes him into his shop, where they catch up. Winkle learns that Sawyer is running a rather unorthodox practice with drawers second-hand medical supplies. Despite the less-than-professional setup, Sawyer and Winkle enjoy each other’s company, and they are soon joined by Benjamin Allen. Ben, who has been staying with Bob, is somewhat tipsy and sentimental. He laments the fact that Arabella has shown no interest in Bob, despite Ben’s hopes of a match between the two. This makes Winkle wonder if he still has a chance with Arabella after all.
Bob’s chaotic practice reflects his carefree and somewhat reckless personality. The setup of the medical office adds humor but also hints at how the medical field is no less immune to absurdity than other professional environments in the novel, like the courtroom. Ben’s drunken musings about Arabella show his meddling nature and complicate Winkle’s feelings, reigniting Winkle’s hope of pursuing her. It seems that what Ben wants is different from what Arabella wants, and Ben does not have as much control as he hoped.
Themes
After a lively conversation, the trio enjoys a meal and some punch. The evening is interrupted when Bob is called away on an urgent medical visit. Winkle, who is now alone with Ben, attempts to gather useful information about Arabella, but fails. Later, Winkle returns to his lodgings, where, to his shock, he finds Dowler. The anticipated confrontation turns out to be anticlimactic. Dowler, equally frightened of a duel, apologizes profusely, and the two men reconcile, much to Winkle’s relief.
Winkle’s failed attempt to get useful information from Ben demonstrates his inexperience with matters of love, though he clearly remains invested in Arabella. The anticlimactic resolution with Dowler recalls the failed duel with Slammer from earlier in the novel, which similarly ended without any real fighting and was more for show than anything else.
Themes
That night, Winkle gets a knock at his door and finds Sam standing on the other side. Sam, under strict orders from Pickwick, has come to ensure Winkle’s safe return. After some negotiations, Sam agrees to let Winkle stay in Bristol for a few days so he can attempt to meet with Arabella, but only if Sam keeps the key to Winkle’s room to prevent any further attempts at escape. They agree to send a letter to Pickwick so he, too, can give his approval.
Sam’s arrival provides a practical resolution, ensuring Winkle can’t run away again while still giving him a chance to pursue Arabella. The interaction highlights Sam’s role as both caretaker and enforcer, balancing humor with genuine concern. The agreement to write to Pickwick reinforces the Pickwickians’ reliance on one another for support and accountability.
Themes
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