Little Dorrit, Book 2: Riches, Chapter 5 summary
Book 2: Riches, Chapter 5 of 70 · 24 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 5, Mr Dorrit and Mrs General press Amy to adopt fashionable manners, while her father demands that she erase reminders of their prison life. Connections to the Merdles secure permission for her proposed visit to Mrs Gowan, but Frederick openly condemns the family's pride and ingratitude toward Amy.
What happens
- Mr Dorrit consults Mrs General, who criticizes Amy's manners and recommends that he speak to her himself.
- Amy asks for time to adjust, but Mrs General urges polished appearances and avoidance of anything unpleasant.
- Alone with Amy, Mr Dorrit demands freedom from reminders of prison, then breaks down and accepts her comfort.
- At breakfast, Edward's account of the Gowans' Merdle connections wins approval for Amy's proposed visit to Mrs Gowan.
- After Amy leaves, Frederick denounces the family's treatment of her and rebukes Fanny for forgetting her sister's care.
- Mr Dorrit and Fanny attribute Frederick's protest to his condition, agree to conceal it, and leave Amy unaware.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Frederick names the faults beneath the family's demands for refinement. His protest openly defends Amy's care against their concern for rank.
Quick check
What persuades Mr Dorrit to approve Amy's proposed visit to Mrs Gowan?
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