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Chapter 41
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Pickwick Papers, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Male Friendship
Predatory Social Institutions
Social Class and Inequality
Marriage and Courtship
Generosity and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
In the grimy, poorly ventilated room of the Insolvent Court, commissioners preside over cases while a crowd of barristers, insolvent debtors, and a shabby audience fills the space. The court, seemingly a refuge for London’s down-and-out, is always packed with people who have no personal stake in the proceedings. The air reeks of beer, spirits, and unwashed bodies, while barristers and attorneys, like the greasy Mr. Solomon Pell, conduct business with an air of seedy opportunism. Mr. Weller meets with Pell to support his friend George, who faces debt-related charges. As they discuss George’s assets and prepare for the case, Pell confidently assures them of success.
The Insolvent Court embodies the corrupt and broken nature of the legal system in Dickens’s England. The foul smell and the crowd of indifferent spectators reinforce the sense of decay that permeates not only the room but the entire debtors’ system. Solomon Pell’s opportunism embodies the predatory nature of lawyers who thrive on misfortune, treating insolvency like a business. Mr. Weller’s attempt to support his friend George adds a personal dimension to the otherwise grim and transactional atmosphere.
Themes
While waiting for George’s case, Mr. Weller bumps into Sam, who tells Mr. Weller about what is happening with Pickwick. Sam devises a plan, asking his father for a loan of twenty-five pounds. With the money in hand, Sam hires Pell to issue a writ against Sam himself, arranging to be arrested for debt. As a result, Sam is escorted into the Fleet Prison, determined to stay with his master no matter what. Once in prison, Sam finds Pickwick and tells him what he has done. Sam firmly declares his loyalty, making it clear that he won’t leave, even if it means staying in prison indefinitely.
Sam’s bold plan to intentionally imprison himself again demonstrates his unwavering loyalty to Pickwick, revealing a devotion that transcends mere duty. The choice to involve Pell in his scheme adds a layer of irony, as Sam uses the very system designed to punish debtors to achieve his goal of solidarity. Sam’s decision turns the prison from a place of punishment into a symbol of camaraderie.
Themes
