Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Errors in the Novel?
I noticed a few errors in Mr. Bumble's speech, and I was wondering if you all think it is purposeful on Charles Dickens part. It is in the scene where Mr. Bumble is complaining to Mrs. Mann in chapter seventeen. He says "A porochial (he means "parochial,") life ....... is a life of worry, and vexation, and hardihood; but all public
characters, as I may say, must suffer prosecution" (he meant persecution). I only noticed the first one because I did not know the definition of 'porochial', so I looked it up. I found the definition of "parochial", which is to mean working for the parish. I just thought this is interesting, and wonder if Charles Dickens is showing that even the higher class are slightly uneducated?
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That's really interesting that you noticed that. It's probably not a simple spelling error, but Mr. Bumble's character himself, although hard to notice. I like your theory that higher class can be uneducated as well. Perhaps Dickens was using malapropisms to show that Mr. Bumble doesn't always know what he is talking about, revealing more about his character.
ReplyDeleteI see where you and Stephanie are coming from, and agree with you. It could also just be the way that the word was spelled at the time. Sometimes words in British English are spelt differently than American English. Favorite vs favourite, color vs colour, learned vs learnt, ect. But if what you two are saying is true, it could be a subtle commentary on education for the higher class. I'm not entirely sure.
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