Little Dorrit, Book 2: Riches, Chapter 4 summary
Book 2: Riches, Chapter 4 of 70 · 7 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 4, Little Dorrit writes to Mr. Clennam from Venice, reporting her meeting with Mrs. Gowan and describing her difficulty adjusting to wealth and travel. She confides that old worries and attachments remain powerful, then begs him to remember her as the poor girl he protects rather than as a rich daughter.
What happens
- Little Dorrit reports meeting Mrs. Gowan in Switzerland and worries that her husband lacks firm purpose.
- She asks Clennam to carry loving messages to Maggy and the friends she misses.
- She describes her father's improved health and Fanny's easy adjustment, contrasting these with her own struggles under Mrs. General.
- Memories of familiar rooms, old responsibilities, and exclusion interrupt her enjoyment of foreign scenery.
- She suppresses the urge to comfort her father, fearing disapproval from him, Fanny, and Mrs. General.
- She begs Clennam not to let her wealth change his understanding of her affection and gratitude.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Little Dorrit’s plea identifies her deepest fear: that wealth changes Clennam's feelings toward her. She wants their connection to rest on remembered kindness, not social position.
Quick check
What does Little Dorrit most urgently ask Clennam to preserve?
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