“A Letter from the Spirit of Charles Dickens” by Ray Bernreuter*
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Charles Dickens here. Greetings. I understand that the book of the year for you all from now till the end of 2012 is my novel GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Swell. I like it very much myself and I will share some of my thoughts about the novel with you if you continue to read here. Of course you need to read the novel (or re-read it as the case may be) to fully understand my remarks.
I had written DAVID COPPERFIELD eleven years before and that was supposed to have been autobiographical and it was in part. But I had more to say about my adult life and loves. Thus there I was again trying to figure myself out.
In everyone's life there are turning points and tipping points. Pip the main character in GREAT EXPECTATION has a few of these. You should note them. After a tipping point the person’s life takes a dramatically new and different course. I am sure that if you relax completely and think back you will think of a teacher or a neighbour or even a stranger who changed your life and inspired you and almost no one except you or your very closest friend know about it. Even you may not realize it yourself within profound thought. Why am I compulsive? Why do I find my spouse attractive? Why do I have beard or never wear pink?
I was still trying to figure out my turning/tipping points and by the use of the fictional character of Pip I was trying to expand my imagination to more fully grasp why I am me - tolerant but bossy, charitable yet frugal, married but not fully satisfied with domestic love, must work harder and get more fame even though I am hugely famous already, etc.
Back to the book. One of Pip's turning points is after he first met Estella who he knew was a snob and was being trained to break men's hearts. Like lightening it hit him that he loved her and always would and that he would have to become a gentleman. (I sympathize with him here.) Another turning point was when he found out that his fortune came from the criminal Abel Magwitch and not from Miss Havisham. That devastated him. Would it you?
I wrote GREAT EXPECTATIONS at Gad's Hill from October 1860 till August of 1861 in weekly instalments with that blue/green cover people got to recognize and 32 pages of the story. (I did some in monthly instalments to be very accurate.) I re-read DAVID COPPERFIELD to be sure I had not repeated myself. I am proud of GREAT EXPECTATIONS but I must admit that the lecture tour attracted my time and efforts from then on. The travelling and touring were more difficult than I could have imagined. Ah, to get back to my home (Gad's Hill) in Kent,
YOU in Chatham Ontario should identify with the setting - the marshes outside of Chatham, the flatness, etc.
A ghost, I still believe in them, just told me that my book club in Chatham Ontario is meeting on October 18th, Nov 1 and Nov 15, 2011 always at 5 pm at 425 McNaughton in the new United Way public meeting space to peruse GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Good luck!
Very faithfully yours,
Charles Dickens
READERS WANTED READERS NEEDED
READERS WANTED READERS NEEDED
No age restrictions Extra copies of the novel available to those who want to read it.
You need not be a member of the CK Dickens Fellowship that is sponsoring this event
An entertaining and learning experience if you read only one book this fall/winter you know which it should be.
Please attend
*RAYMOND BERNREUTER, a Dickens scholar since 1995, is one of the original founders of the Chatham Kent Dickens Fellowship. CK Dickens is a chapter of the international organization that promotes the works of Charles Dickens - both his literary works and his social aims as well.
In 2003, a small group of C-K citizens developed a new initiative whose mission is, "To promote artistic and economic development in Chatham-Kent through the writings of Charles Dickens". The group went on to establish a vision in which, "Chatham-Kent IS the Canadian Centre for the celebration of Charles Dickens, his works and his times." The group has been very active in pursuing its vision through sponsoring special events, working with students, collaborating with other arts organizations and securing membership in the International Dickens Fellowship headquartered in London, England. The Goal of CKDF is to establish a professional theatre company in Chatham-Kent, focused on the presentation of theatrical adaptations of Dickens works. This series of articles seeks to explore some interesting comparisons between the birthplace of this great writer and our own community. The articles will also help readers to have a clearer view of the author, his life and his times. Questions can be addressed by e-mail to: ckdickens@cogeco.ca
