Little Dorrit, Chapter 12 summary
Chapter 12 of 70 · Book 1: Poverty · 15 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 12, Arthur Clennam visits the Plornishes, learns how Little Dorrit finds work with his mother, and secretly pays to secure Tip’s release through Plornish. Their journey to the prison also exposes the poverty of Bleeding Heart Yard and the distance between its struggling workers and the officials who ignore them.
What happens
- Clennam enters Bleeding Heart Yard with Daniel Doyce and Mr Meagles, then visits the Plornishes alone.
- Mrs Plornish welcomes him and describes her husband’s difficulty finding work.
- Plornish returns, and the couple explain their friendship with the Dorrits and their help in finding Little Dorrit employment.
- Clennam employs Plornish to negotiate with Tip’s creditor, who accepts twenty pounds and grants a full discharge.
- Clennam asks Plornish to conceal his identity and suggest discreet ways to help Little Dorrit.
- During their drive to the prison, Plornish describes widespread hardship, leaving Clennam thinking about official indifference.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of La Petite Dorrit, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
In this chapter
What to notice
The sentence separates Plornish’s direct knowledge of hardship from his inability to explain its causes. It anchors his account of workers whom officials fail to hear.
Quick check
What does Clennam ask Plornish to conceal from Tip?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of La Petite Dorrit, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
