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Chapter 50
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
Pickwick decides that he and Sam should stay near the George and Vulture, leaving Bob and Benjamin to stay elsewhere until Arabella is ready to meet them. The two men agree and find lodging at a tavern in an unreputable part of town. Meanwhile, Sam flirts with Mary, who tells him about a letter that arrived for him days earlier. After some playful banter, Sam reads the letter, which is from Mr. Weller. The letter says that Mrs. Weller suddenly died after she caught a cold sitting on damp grass while listening to Stiggins. The letter is written in a confusing mix of Mr. Weller’s voice and someone else’s formal tone. Sam thinks that Mr. Weller likely tried to add his own words to someone else’s writing, which gives the letter its jarring tone.
Pickwick’s choice to stay near the George and Vulture while sending Bob and Benjamin to a different part of town is his way of maintaining order amidst the unpredictability of the situation. It’s practical—he focuses on the task at hand without letting Bob’s antics get in the way. Meanwhile, Sam’s playful flirting with Mary shows his ability to find lightness even in tough moments. The letter from Mr. Weller disrupts this light tone, as Sam gets some unexpected bad news. Even though Sam had a complicated relationship with his stepmother, he knows that her death will be hard on Mr. Weller, whom he knows he will need to comfort.
Themes
Sam reflects on the news, feeling sympathy for his Mr. Weller and some sadness despite his complicated feelings toward Mrs. Weller. After saying goodbye to Mary, Sam informs Pickwick of his need to leave and support his father, which Pickwick readily approves. Sam arrives in Dorking, finding his father’s inn looking unusually desolate. Inside, he finds his father alone by the fire, still wearing his funeral attire. Mr. Weller is deep in thought and expresses his sorrow for his late wife, admitting that despite her faults, he is sad that she is gone. He recalls her final moments, during which she felt regret for not focusing more on her duties at home.
When Sam arrives in Dorking, the scene shifts into something quieter and more introspective. The inn, which once bustled with life, now feels like a shell of its former self. Mr. Weller’s admission of sadness over his wife’s death—despite their contentious relationship—adds a layer of complexity to his character Loss isn’t neat here; it’s messy and filled with contradictions, as Mr. Weller tries to reconcile his deceased wife’s actions regarding Stiggins with the scene of her death.
Themes
Mr. Weller’s words are interrupted when a buxom cook stops by to flirt with him, offering tea and sympathy. Annoyed, he dismisses her and tells Sam that widows have been relentlessly pursuing him since Mrs. Weller’s death. Mr. Weller informs Sam that he plans to sell the inn and plans to give a portion of the proceeds to Sam. Before they can discuss the matter further, there is a knock at the door, which Mr. Weller suspects is another widow. However, in reality, the visitor is Stiggins. Stiggins enters, expressing false sympathy and asking if Mrs. Weller left anything to him or the chapel. Sam bluntly tells him there was nothing left for him or the church.
The cook’s attempt to flirt offers a bit of comic relief, though Mr. Weller’s annoyance suggests he’s already fed up with the way people have reacted to his wife’s death. His plan to sell the inn and give Sam part of the proceeds shows that he is thinking ahead, even in his grief. Meanwhile, Stiggins’s sudden appearance is like a bad joke. Just as Mr. Weller is processing his loss, Stiggins appears to take advantage of Mr. Weller’s grief.
Themes
Undeterred, Stiggins suggests that he could move in with Mr. Weller and help take care of his affairs. As Stiggins mixes himself a drink from the bar, Mr. Weller finally snaps. He throws the drink in Stiggins’ face, drags him outside, and kicks him repeatedly. After a fierce struggle, Mr. Weller dunks Stiggins’ head in a horse trough, holding it there until the preacher is half-drowned. Exhausted but satisfied, Mr. Weller asks Sam to help him back inside, pleased to have dealt with Stiggins once and for all.
Mr. Weller finally snaps at Stiggins. His violent response is excessive but serves as a release of all the frustration Stiggins has created in his life. Despite Stiggins’s negative influence, Mr. Weller finally rids himself of the pathetic man, who is exactly as horrible as Mr. Weller always knew he was. Sam simply sits back and allows his father to do what he needs to do, knowing it is a necessary catharsis.
Themes
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