N.B. Before I begin, I should warn my fellow CUK bookworms
that there is a spoiler vis a vis Great Expectations within the body of this text.
As I was climbing into my freshly pressed M&S Y-Fronts this morning, the crotch thereof freshly dusted with Hi Karate talc, I paused to reflect upon the works of Charles Dickens, towit, the predictability of his storylines.
As I mentioned in a post yesterday, I need to tick a few more boxes to get my application for membership of the Rotarians up and running
again. Indeed, I'm already learning bridge, and I feel I also need to broaden my
literary horizons.
Now, having already read a couple of Mr Dicken's novels I have noticed a certain pattern in these works; the seemingly obscure character, who apparently bears no relationship whatsoever to the outcome of the story is, in fact, the pivotal figure. Indeed, after having already read a Tale of Two Cities, I immediately knew that Pip's benefactor in Great Expectations was the convict he helped on the marshes, not Miss Havisham.
So, in other words all I need to do is read the first few pages of each novel until we encounter said obscure character and declare that "he done it". Then a quick flick through the rest of the pages just
to acquaint myself with the main characters and I'm done.
In fact, I think I could possibly clear the whole Dickens oeuvre in less time than it takes me to read a copy of Railway World!
Now, if only the same were true for other authors; in no time at all, Lt Col. Ashton Wickett would think I had a First in English
Literature and would rubber stamp my application forthwith.
that there is a spoiler vis a vis Great Expectations within the body of this text.
As I was climbing into my freshly pressed M&S Y-Fronts this morning, the crotch thereof freshly dusted with Hi Karate talc, I paused to reflect upon the works of Charles Dickens, towit, the predictability of his storylines.
As I mentioned in a post yesterday, I need to tick a few more boxes to get my application for membership of the Rotarians up and running
again. Indeed, I'm already learning bridge, and I feel I also need to broaden my
literary horizons.
Now, having already read a couple of Mr Dicken's novels I have noticed a certain pattern in these works; the seemingly obscure character, who apparently bears no relationship whatsoever to the outcome of the story is, in fact, the pivotal figure. Indeed, after having already read a Tale of Two Cities, I immediately knew that Pip's benefactor in Great Expectations was the convict he helped on the marshes, not Miss Havisham.
So, in other words all I need to do is read the first few pages of each novel until we encounter said obscure character and declare that "he done it". Then a quick flick through the rest of the pages just
to acquaint myself with the main characters and I'm done.
In fact, I think I could possibly clear the whole Dickens oeuvre in less time than it takes me to read a copy of Railway World!
Now, if only the same were true for other authors; in no time at all, Lt Col. Ashton Wickett would think I had a First in English
Literature and would rubber stamp my application forthwith.
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