Status
Available
Publication
Easton Press (1991).
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. HTML: Love A Christmas Carol? Celebrate the holiday season with the second of Dickens' trio of Christmas classics, The Chimes. This tale of humanity's warring moral impulses and ultimate redemption highlights the true meaning of the holiday season. An uplifting read at Christmastime, or at any time of the year..
User reviews
LibraryThing member souloftherose
The second of Mr Dickens' Christmas Books. According to the introduction in my volume, following the huge success of A Christmas Carol Dickens wanted to write an even more savage attack on the political and economic theories of the day and I think he succeeded but, perhaps because of that, this
Toby Veck is a ticket-porter (a man employed to deliver articles on the London streets). He spends most of his days standing on the street waiting to be given a message. Due to the unreliable nature of his work he's not always able to pay his rent and grocery bills on time but despite this he is a relatively cheerful fellow who is very fond of his daughter, his only living relative.
In a way, The Chimes has a similar story to A Christmas Carol. There are some Scrooge-like characters who believe the poor are only poor because they are lazy and good for nothing and if they simply worked harder and were better people then they wouldn't be such a burden on society (sounds worryingly familiar to some modern day politicians). There are visitations by ghosts (in this case the spirits of the bells from the chapel close to where Toby stands all day) and then there is a happy ending.
The problem is that the spirits visit Toby, who has only been guilty of feeling discouraged about the state of the world after spending a day being told off by the clever sounding Scrooge-like gentlemen. As a result of this sound telling off, Toby has second thoughts about allowing his daughter to marry someone equally poor (one of the pet theories of these gentlemen is that the poor shouldn't be allowed to marry and have children who will also be poor). The spirits visit Toby and show him visions of what will become of his daughter and her fiancee if they don't marry. The visions are more harrowing than those in A Christmas Carol and the happy ending doesn't quite take away the sting of the visions as it seems to in A Christmas Carol. It feels monstrously unfair that poor Toby has to go through all this when all he has done is listened to people whom he will have been told to think of as his betters and I was never convinced that if the spirits hadn't intervened that Toby wouldn't have woken up the next morning to be his usual cheerful self and allowed his daughter to get married.
Apparently (and again, I've gleaned all this useful info from the introduction - aren't they marvellous things?) the Scrooge-like gentlemen in The Chimes were caricatures of specific politicians from Dickens' time and to have them reform in the book as Scrooge did would have softened his attack so poor old Toby had to take the fall. So, it's not a bad book by any means but at the end I was left feeling that it just didn't quite work. Perhaps one that is worth reading if you're after an insight into Dickens' political and sociological views than if you want a good story.
Show More
short book is less fun to read than A Christmas Carol.Toby Veck is a ticket-porter (a man employed to deliver articles on the London streets). He spends most of his days standing on the street waiting to be given a message. Due to the unreliable nature of his work he's not always able to pay his rent and grocery bills on time but despite this he is a relatively cheerful fellow who is very fond of his daughter, his only living relative.
In a way, The Chimes has a similar story to A Christmas Carol. There are some Scrooge-like characters who believe the poor are only poor because they are lazy and good for nothing and if they simply worked harder and were better people then they wouldn't be such a burden on society (sounds worryingly familiar to some modern day politicians). There are visitations by ghosts (in this case the spirits of the bells from the chapel close to where Toby stands all day) and then there is a happy ending.
The problem is that the spirits visit Toby, who has only been guilty of feeling discouraged about the state of the world after spending a day being told off by the clever sounding Scrooge-like gentlemen. As a result of this sound telling off, Toby has second thoughts about allowing his daughter to marry someone equally poor (one of the pet theories of these gentlemen is that the poor shouldn't be allowed to marry and have children who will also be poor). The spirits visit Toby and show him visions of what will become of his daughter and her fiancee if they don't marry. The visions are more harrowing than those in A Christmas Carol and the happy ending doesn't quite take away the sting of the visions as it seems to in A Christmas Carol. It feels monstrously unfair that poor Toby has to go through all this when all he has done is listened to people whom he will have been told to think of as his betters and I was never convinced that if the spirits hadn't intervened that Toby wouldn't have woken up the next morning to be his usual cheerful self and allowed his daughter to get married.
Apparently (and again, I've gleaned all this useful info from the introduction - aren't they marvellous things?) the Scrooge-like gentlemen in The Chimes were caricatures of specific politicians from Dickens' time and to have them reform in the book as Scrooge did would have softened his attack so poor old Toby had to take the fall. So, it's not a bad book by any means but at the end I was left feeling that it just didn't quite work. Perhaps one that is worth reading if you're after an insight into Dickens' political and sociological views than if you want a good story.
Show Less
LibraryThing member theokester
Following Dickens's success with A Christmas Carol he started a tradition of releasing a new story each year at Christmas time. His second Christmas story was The Chimes. The book follows an old porter/messenger in London named Trotty Veck. As with Christmas Carol and many of his other works,
In Christmas Carol and other books, Dickens takes opportunities to have his characters give social commentary. In The Chimes this comes initially from some of the rich society members of the town as they give messages for Trotty to carry. The first commentary is in direct reaction to the announcement of Meg's wedding plans. Alderman Cute speaks with biting reproach against the lower class in general and Trotty, Meg and her fiance in particular. He talks of the "good old days" and eventually concludes that the poor have no real rights or privileges. In essence, they should be done away with entirely and certainly have no right to marry and carry on their wretched existence by propagating more poor creature.
Trotty carries a message from the Alderman to a member of Parliament. In that house Trotty is berated by a commentary on economic stability and responsibility. He is chastised for being poor and owing a few shillings to a local shop where he buys food. Trotty leaves feeling even more disgraced. On his way home he meets another vagrant, William Fern, and his niece Lillian. Trotty knows William is slated to be arrested by the Alderman. Rather than let him be arrested, Trotty warns Fern and takes him to his own poor home with Meg.
The title of the story is based on the Chimes that ring over the city from the church tower near where Trotty stands to await messages to deliver. After taking the Ferns to his home, Trotty gets pensive again and worries about the burden he's putting on society and wonders about the truth of whether it is better that he and his kind were removed from existence. During the night, the Chimes ring and Trotty can hear them speaking to him, calling to him. He follows them up into the church bell tower and encounters a company of goblins and spirits.
One of the spirits takes the form of Lillian, the niece of William Fern. The spirit takes Trotty on a journey similar to that of Ebenezer Scrooge though rather than showing his past, Trotty is taken throughout the future of London. He sees the hole he leaves with his death. He sees the misery and pain of the poor around him. He sees the hypocritical behavior of the higher classes of society. He sees the pain and suffering of his own daughter and her eventual loss of all hope as she plummets into complete despair. In a scene reminiscent of Christmas Carol, we find Trotty begging the spirit to let him help Meg. He begs to be given another chance. He promises that he has learned the truth of life and knows now that the poor and feeble classes do have a right to existence. Better yet, they have a right to be happy and have hope and joy of better days to come.
I found The Chimes to be less compelling than A Christmas Carol. I think part of that comes due to the lengthy sermons from Alderman Cute, Joseph Bowley (the member of Parliament) and others. While these narrations were interesting at a level they were also very steeped in political and social language of the times. Because I am not super familiar with the details of Victorian social woes there were plenty of allusions and references that just blew by me without the impact that they surely had on readers in Dickens's day. Even though I was bogged down by some of the very specific details, I was touched, shocked and appawled by the nature of the discussions. Especially knowing that these conversations and speeches were based in reality I found myself disgusted at the behavior of these individuals.
I really liked the "spirit voyage" that Trotty goes on and found it very compelling. It had scenes similar to A Christmas Carol where Trotty sees the poverty and vagrancy in which people live but he also gets to see that they are capable of joy and happiness in spite of their enormous lack of sustenance. More than these expected scenes, I really liked the counterpoint scenes of the upper class members of society. I found it interesting to see their hypocrisy and the paradox that in some cases they weren't nearly as happy as those who had nothing.
Doing a little bit of research, it sounds like The Chimes enjoyed great success upon release and had a wonderful reception. In reading the book I had thought that some of Dickens's satirical social commentary might have come a little too close to the mark and earned him reproof from those in government or business but it doesn't sound like there was too much of that. Instead it seems like this well received novel may have fufilled some of Dickens's hope that he could help bring more people to the knowledge of the plight and horrible situation of the poor.
Personally I didn't enjoy the story as much as A christmas Carol so Chimes certainly won't a replacement for me as a new classic Christmas story. Still, I felt like the writing, characters and themes were very well presented and I think this is an excellent story well worth reading if only to provide additional subject matter to think on when considering the themes presented in A Christmas Carol. All in all, a solid piece of work.
***
3.5 out of 5 stars
Show More
Dickens has plenty of focus on the social structure of the country. Trotty is a very poor old widower with a single daughter, Meg. At the onset of the book, Meg brings Trotty lunch and announces that she plans to get married within the week on New Year's Day. At first Trotty is a little nervous but generally happy for his daughter. As the day goes on, Trotty becomes less sure of whether or not they should marry or even if any of them deserve to be happy.In Christmas Carol and other books, Dickens takes opportunities to have his characters give social commentary. In The Chimes this comes initially from some of the rich society members of the town as they give messages for Trotty to carry. The first commentary is in direct reaction to the announcement of Meg's wedding plans. Alderman Cute speaks with biting reproach against the lower class in general and Trotty, Meg and her fiance in particular. He talks of the "good old days" and eventually concludes that the poor have no real rights or privileges. In essence, they should be done away with entirely and certainly have no right to marry and carry on their wretched existence by propagating more poor creature.
Trotty carries a message from the Alderman to a member of Parliament. In that house Trotty is berated by a commentary on economic stability and responsibility. He is chastised for being poor and owing a few shillings to a local shop where he buys food. Trotty leaves feeling even more disgraced. On his way home he meets another vagrant, William Fern, and his niece Lillian. Trotty knows William is slated to be arrested by the Alderman. Rather than let him be arrested, Trotty warns Fern and takes him to his own poor home with Meg.
The title of the story is based on the Chimes that ring over the city from the church tower near where Trotty stands to await messages to deliver. After taking the Ferns to his home, Trotty gets pensive again and worries about the burden he's putting on society and wonders about the truth of whether it is better that he and his kind were removed from existence. During the night, the Chimes ring and Trotty can hear them speaking to him, calling to him. He follows them up into the church bell tower and encounters a company of goblins and spirits.
One of the spirits takes the form of Lillian, the niece of William Fern. The spirit takes Trotty on a journey similar to that of Ebenezer Scrooge though rather than showing his past, Trotty is taken throughout the future of London. He sees the hole he leaves with his death. He sees the misery and pain of the poor around him. He sees the hypocritical behavior of the higher classes of society. He sees the pain and suffering of his own daughter and her eventual loss of all hope as she plummets into complete despair. In a scene reminiscent of Christmas Carol, we find Trotty begging the spirit to let him help Meg. He begs to be given another chance. He promises that he has learned the truth of life and knows now that the poor and feeble classes do have a right to existence. Better yet, they have a right to be happy and have hope and joy of better days to come.
I found The Chimes to be less compelling than A Christmas Carol. I think part of that comes due to the lengthy sermons from Alderman Cute, Joseph Bowley (the member of Parliament) and others. While these narrations were interesting at a level they were also very steeped in political and social language of the times. Because I am not super familiar with the details of Victorian social woes there were plenty of allusions and references that just blew by me without the impact that they surely had on readers in Dickens's day. Even though I was bogged down by some of the very specific details, I was touched, shocked and appawled by the nature of the discussions. Especially knowing that these conversations and speeches were based in reality I found myself disgusted at the behavior of these individuals.
I really liked the "spirit voyage" that Trotty goes on and found it very compelling. It had scenes similar to A Christmas Carol where Trotty sees the poverty and vagrancy in which people live but he also gets to see that they are capable of joy and happiness in spite of their enormous lack of sustenance. More than these expected scenes, I really liked the counterpoint scenes of the upper class members of society. I found it interesting to see their hypocrisy and the paradox that in some cases they weren't nearly as happy as those who had nothing.
Doing a little bit of research, it sounds like The Chimes enjoyed great success upon release and had a wonderful reception. In reading the book I had thought that some of Dickens's satirical social commentary might have come a little too close to the mark and earned him reproof from those in government or business but it doesn't sound like there was too much of that. Instead it seems like this well received novel may have fufilled some of Dickens's hope that he could help bring more people to the knowledge of the plight and horrible situation of the poor.
Personally I didn't enjoy the story as much as A christmas Carol so Chimes certainly won't a replacement for me as a new classic Christmas story. Still, I felt like the writing, characters and themes were very well presented and I think this is an excellent story well worth reading if only to provide additional subject matter to think on when considering the themes presented in A Christmas Carol. All in all, a solid piece of work.
***
3.5 out of 5 stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member john257hopper
This is Charles Dickens's second Christmas book, published in 1844, following on the heels of the groundbreaking A Christmas Carol the previous year. This is, of course, nowhere near as well known, and when I read The Chimes for the first time seven years ago, I understood why as I thought it
Show More
lacked any of the charm and deep impact of its predecessor (it's also a New Year's Eve story, rather than a Christmas one). I think more highly of The Chimes now. Its depiction of grinding poverty and class division is more starkly portrayed, and much of the time it is true that it lacks the popular warmth of the more famous story. It contains the same theme of redemption, that of Trotty Veck, though he is no Scrooge, and the worst that can be said of him is that he was naive and gullible. Things turn right just at the end after some harrowing experiences. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa_Saks
The Chimes is the second of Dickens' Christmas Books, but it is really more of a story of New Years Eve, which is when it takes place. The story is "Dickenesque" through and through, as it satirises British society and has a strong social and moral message.
The story begins with Trotty, a
The story wasn't as entertaining as A Christmas Carol, but it does carry some resemblences to it. The Chimes has the same gloomy feeling to it, and it even has some occational goblins visiting the protagonist. What I really like about the story is that the chimes are almost characters in their own right. They help create the perfect atmosphere of gloom, but most importantly, hope. And that is why I think the New Years-setting is so perfect for the story. It represents hope, and a clean slate for all the characters as they wake up on the first day of the new year - Meg and Richard's wedding day.
The story begins with Trotty, a
Show More
"ticket-porter", who spends his days on the steps of a church thinking of the newspapers' reports of crime and immorality in the society. It is New Years Eve, and suddenly his daughter Meg arrives with her fiance, Richard, to announce that they are to marry the next day. As they are not wealthy people, Trotty is filled with gloom and misgivings about their future happiness. I won't give the entire plot away, but Dickens provides the reader with a happy ending in the end, which really is all I want of a Christmas story.The story wasn't as entertaining as A Christmas Carol, but it does carry some resemblences to it. The Chimes has the same gloomy feeling to it, and it even has some occational goblins visiting the protagonist. What I really like about the story is that the chimes are almost characters in their own right. They help create the perfect atmosphere of gloom, but most importantly, hope. And that is why I think the New Years-setting is so perfect for the story. It represents hope, and a clean slate for all the characters as they wake up on the first day of the new year - Meg and Richard's wedding day.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jasonlf
More didactic and heavy handed than A Christmas Carol, The Chimes was Charles Dickens' second Christmas Novella. It also feels less considerably imaginative and more derivative of his other works than A Christmas Carol (although, in fairness, some of the works it is "derivative" of were actually
The Chimes tells the story of a poor messenger who encounters his social "betters" with their scrooge-like social Darwinian attitudes about the poor. From this, he sets out to discourage his daughter from marrying an equally poor man. He is then drawn by the chimes to a church, encounters a bunch of goblins, and like the ghost of Christmas yet to come, they show him the future he has created: one of sheer misery, destitution, alcoholism, prostitution, premature death, and ultimately the verge of infanticide/suicide. None of this has anything approaching the subtlety and terror of the ghost of Christmas yet to come. And all of which ends abruptly when the poor messenger wakes from his dream with his daughter about to wed the man after all, and they all live happily ever after.
Show More
written later--like Hard Times).The Chimes tells the story of a poor messenger who encounters his social "betters" with their scrooge-like social Darwinian attitudes about the poor. From this, he sets out to discourage his daughter from marrying an equally poor man. He is then drawn by the chimes to a church, encounters a bunch of goblins, and like the ghost of Christmas yet to come, they show him the future he has created: one of sheer misery, destitution, alcoholism, prostitution, premature death, and ultimately the verge of infanticide/suicide. None of this has anything approaching the subtlety and terror of the ghost of Christmas yet to come. And all of which ends abruptly when the poor messenger wakes from his dream with his daughter about to wed the man after all, and they all live happily ever after.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Bill.Bradford
One of Dicken's Christmas stories, although it is set at New Year's rather than Christmas. The second written, it is somewhat similar to the first, A Christmas Carol, as it involves a supernatural means of changing a person's heart. While a Christmas Carol involves visits to past, present, and
The biggest difference in the two books is who is being changed and what is changed. Of course, in A Christmas Carol you have a radical transformation. In the Chimes, Toby Veck has simply lost faith in himself and his fellows, so the transformation is much less. While it still carries a powerful message, and conveys Dicken's social messages about the poor, it is not as moving as A Christmas Carol.
Show More
future by supernatural means, in the Chimes only the future is so visited. The biggest difference in the two books is who is being changed and what is changed. Of course, in A Christmas Carol you have a radical transformation. In the Chimes, Toby Veck has simply lost faith in himself and his fellows, so the transformation is much less. While it still carries a powerful message, and conveys Dicken's social messages about the poor, it is not as moving as A Christmas Carol.
Show Less
LibraryThing member nosajeel
More didactic and heavy handed than A Christmas Carol, The Chimes was Charles Dickens' second Christmas Novella. It also feels less considerably imaginative and more derivative of his other works than A Christmas Carol (although, in fairness, some of the works it is "derivative" of were actually
The Chimes tells the story of a poor messenger who encounters his social "betters" with their scrooge-like social Darwinian attitudes about the poor. From this, he sets out to discourage his daughter from marrying an equally poor man. He is then drawn by the chimes to a church, encounters a bunch of goblins, and like the ghost of Christmas yet to come, they show him the future he has created: one of sheer misery, destitution, alcoholism, prostitution, premature death, and ultimately the verge of infanticide/suicide. None of this has anything approaching the subtlety and terror of the ghost of Christmas yet to come. And all of which ends abruptly when the poor messenger wakes from his dream with his daughter about to wed the man after all, and they all live happily ever after.
Show More
written later--like Hard Times).The Chimes tells the story of a poor messenger who encounters his social "betters" with their scrooge-like social Darwinian attitudes about the poor. From this, he sets out to discourage his daughter from marrying an equally poor man. He is then drawn by the chimes to a church, encounters a bunch of goblins, and like the ghost of Christmas yet to come, they show him the future he has created: one of sheer misery, destitution, alcoholism, prostitution, premature death, and ultimately the verge of infanticide/suicide. None of this has anything approaching the subtlety and terror of the ghost of Christmas yet to come. And all of which ends abruptly when the poor messenger wakes from his dream with his daughter about to wed the man after all, and they all live happily ever after.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jmoncton
SPOILER alert
This novella is about Trotty Veck, a poor porter who lives near a church with a set of impressive bells that chime the hours. Like many of Dickens' stories, he is downtrodden and ekes out a meager living. His kind and humble daughter is about to be married on New Year's Day, but when
This novella is about Trotty Veck, a poor porter who lives near a church with a set of impressive bells that chime the hours. Like many of Dickens' stories, he is downtrodden and ekes out a meager living. His kind and humble daughter is about to be married on New Year's Day, but when
Show More
he shares this with some of the Aldermen (wealthy and snobby) they discourage the marriage warning the young couple that they will be doomed to a life of poverty. The bride will soon be tied down with lots of crying children and the husband will become a horrible drunk. One night hearing the bells chime, Trotty goes up to the bell tower and has a magical experience where the bells foretell a bleak future if the young couple don't follow their dreams. Plot sound familiar? It definitely is a similar tale to A Christmas Carol, but without some of the charm that has made that classic a favorite for so many people. It's missing the depth of characters like Ebeneezer Scrooge or Tiny Tim and I found it not nearly as compelling or endearing. Show Less
LibraryThing member The_Hibernator
When Trotty's daughter brings him a happy surprise (tripe and news of her engagement for the upcoming New Year), he is quickly disillusioned by a group of wealthy people who delight in "putting-down" poor folk. That evening, Trotty explores his beloved bell-spire and sees things that he never
This story was hard to read at first because it was so darned depressing. I mean, here Trotty was as happy as a clam (because we all know clams smile all the time) and suddenly these horrible wealthy men stomp all over his happiness. As the story goes on, the family becomes even more downtrodden. In fact, I was wondering if the story was going to turn around into a happy Christmas story until the very end.
This wasn't my favorite of Dickens' works. It's nice to read another of his lesser known Christmas stories, but I guess it's lesser-known for a reason. It was quaint and a good poke-in-the-eye to the strong who "put-down" the weak. But other than that, it was kind of a "meh" book for me.
Show More
expected to see. This story was hard to read at first because it was so darned depressing. I mean, here Trotty was as happy as a clam (because we all know clams smile all the time) and suddenly these horrible wealthy men stomp all over his happiness. As the story goes on, the family becomes even more downtrodden. In fact, I was wondering if the story was going to turn around into a happy Christmas story until the very end.
This wasn't my favorite of Dickens' works. It's nice to read another of his lesser known Christmas stories, but I guess it's lesser-known for a reason. It was quaint and a good poke-in-the-eye to the strong who "put-down" the weak. But other than that, it was kind of a "meh" book for me.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bibleblaster
A New Year Carol (replete with ghosts and a life-changing glimpse of a possible future). Definitely worth reading, with Dickens' usual concern for the poor and the most vulnerable in society. A scathing portrait of officials who "know what's best for these people." Apparently considered far too
Show More
radical by some reviewers in his time...Go, Dickens! Show Less
LibraryThing member hoosgracie
This novella by Dickens was a Christmas gift from Audible. Yuck. It's no wonder that A Christmas Carol is the most well known of his Christmas morality stories as this was not enjoyable. Excellent reader.
LibraryThing member krau0098
I got this audiobook from Audible as part of their free Christmas audiobook release. This was a like a much darker version of A Christmas Carol by Dickens.
The narration is well done but a bit hard to hear at times (I listen to these in the car while driving). The heavy accents on the character
As for the story itself I enjoyed the imagery throughout, but thought the story lagged at times. Dickens definitely has a way with words and creates quirky and intriguing characters.
However, you can’t help but compare this story to A Christmas Carol. It’s shorter than A Christmas Carol and darker but has the same basic storyline. A ghost visits an old man named Trotty Veck and teaches him the power of compassion and goodwill towards his family.
This isn’t a story that is appropriate for kids though; it involves the topics of suicide, destitution, implied prostitution and mental illness. It’s set in a dark time and the story reflects that.
Overall this was an okay story but not one I would necessarily recommend. A Christmas Carol delivers a very similar story and with a much less sinister tone to it. If you are interested in a lesser known Dickens story check it out; just be aware that it’s not a very uplifting tale...in fact it’s downright depressing.
The narration is well done but a bit hard to hear at times (I listen to these in the car while driving). The heavy accents on the character
Show More
voices make them a bit hard to follow when you have background road noise. When I listened to this in more quiet environments it was a pleasure to listen to. I love Richard Armitage as a narrator and was excited that this was narrated by him.As for the story itself I enjoyed the imagery throughout, but thought the story lagged at times. Dickens definitely has a way with words and creates quirky and intriguing characters.
However, you can’t help but compare this story to A Christmas Carol. It’s shorter than A Christmas Carol and darker but has the same basic storyline. A ghost visits an old man named Trotty Veck and teaches him the power of compassion and goodwill towards his family.
This isn’t a story that is appropriate for kids though; it involves the topics of suicide, destitution, implied prostitution and mental illness. It’s set in a dark time and the story reflects that.
Overall this was an okay story but not one I would necessarily recommend. A Christmas Carol delivers a very similar story and with a much less sinister tone to it. If you are interested in a lesser known Dickens story check it out; just be aware that it’s not a very uplifting tale...in fact it’s downright depressing.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mbmackay
The second of Dickens' short "Christmas books" and continues what seems to be a supernatural trend - ghosts in the Christmas Carol; goblins in this book. Largely a polemic against the churlish attitude to the poor of even those folks who profess a supportive interest, this one is not as well
Show More
remembered as the Christmas Carol, and I am not going to fight the trend. Read February 2012. Show Less
LibraryThing member JalenV
Although the art-type J. G. Ferguson edition of Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens containas both 'The Chimes' and "A Christmas Carol,' I'm not going to bother to review the very famous latter. 'The Chimes: a Goblin Story of Some Bells That Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In' is the story of
Trotty is hanging around, waiting, when his pretty young daughter, Meg, brings him a special treat: tripe for his dinner. Trotty is a widower and Meg is all he has. Meg and her blacksmith beloved, Richard, plan to marry on New Year's Day. Trotty has almost finished his meal when Alderman Cute, accompanied by a Mr. Filer and a red-faced gentleman whose name is never given. They are depressingly like some politicians today. Mr. Filer makes Trotty nervous by blathering about how uneconomical a dish tripe is. He actually claims that unboiled tripe of the number of animals butchered would feed a garrison of 500 men for five months of 31 days, including February. He has the gall to tell Totty that he robs widows and orphans by eating tripe. The red-faced gentleman goes on and on about the good old days. These men even suggest that Meg and Richard had better not get married.
Trotty Veck is given a letter to take to a Member of Parliament, Sir Joseph Bowley. Sir Joseph likes to call himself the poor man's friend and father, but by listening to him the reader can tell he's no such thing. The letter is about a laboring man under suspicion named Will Fern. Alderman Cute thinks he should be put down. (I'm not sure if that means imprisoned or hanged.)
On his way home, Trotty happens to meet Will Fern, who is on his way to Alderman Cute. Trotty warns him off before inviting Will and his orphaned nine-year-old niece, Lillian, to his house to eat and rest. Lillian and Meg are very taken with each other. The reader will not be surprised to figure out that Will Fern is a good man, no matter what Alderman Cute thinks. Will is looking for Lillian's mother's friend to leave her with.
Trotty goes to check on the church's bell tower because the chimes are louder than they usually are. The door isn't locked. He goes up all the way to the bells and swoons. Then follow the goblins, which is a spooky enough sight.
The story takes a turn for the even more depressing and Trotty witnesses a bleak future for Meg, Richard, and Lillian. Richard and Meg haven't married. Richard is a drunkard. Meg makes a meager living embroidering. Lillian, it's hinted, has turned to prostitution. Will Fern, let out of jail after nine years, gives a heart-felt speech to the Sir Joseph & Lady Bowley, Alderman Cute, Mr. Filer, and the red-faced gentleman. There's also a scene about Trotty's grocer, Mrs. Chickenstalker, married to Sir Joseph's porter, Mr. Tugby.
This story is even darker than 'A Christmas Carol'. How is Dickens to bring some New Year hope into it all?
Show More
a ticker-porter named Toby 'Trotty' Veck. He's poor, but honest. He waits around for someone to pay him to take items elsewhere. He is very familiar with a nearby church whose bells ring out the chimes of the title.Trotty is hanging around, waiting, when his pretty young daughter, Meg, brings him a special treat: tripe for his dinner. Trotty is a widower and Meg is all he has. Meg and her blacksmith beloved, Richard, plan to marry on New Year's Day. Trotty has almost finished his meal when Alderman Cute, accompanied by a Mr. Filer and a red-faced gentleman whose name is never given. They are depressingly like some politicians today. Mr. Filer makes Trotty nervous by blathering about how uneconomical a dish tripe is. He actually claims that unboiled tripe of the number of animals butchered would feed a garrison of 500 men for five months of 31 days, including February. He has the gall to tell Totty that he robs widows and orphans by eating tripe. The red-faced gentleman goes on and on about the good old days. These men even suggest that Meg and Richard had better not get married.
Trotty Veck is given a letter to take to a Member of Parliament, Sir Joseph Bowley. Sir Joseph likes to call himself the poor man's friend and father, but by listening to him the reader can tell he's no such thing. The letter is about a laboring man under suspicion named Will Fern. Alderman Cute thinks he should be put down. (I'm not sure if that means imprisoned or hanged.)
On his way home, Trotty happens to meet Will Fern, who is on his way to Alderman Cute. Trotty warns him off before inviting Will and his orphaned nine-year-old niece, Lillian, to his house to eat and rest. Lillian and Meg are very taken with each other. The reader will not be surprised to figure out that Will Fern is a good man, no matter what Alderman Cute thinks. Will is looking for Lillian's mother's friend to leave her with.
Trotty goes to check on the church's bell tower because the chimes are louder than they usually are. The door isn't locked. He goes up all the way to the bells and swoons. Then follow the goblins, which is a spooky enough sight.
The story takes a turn for the even more depressing and Trotty witnesses a bleak future for Meg, Richard, and Lillian. Richard and Meg haven't married. Richard is a drunkard. Meg makes a meager living embroidering. Lillian, it's hinted, has turned to prostitution. Will Fern, let out of jail after nine years, gives a heart-felt speech to the Sir Joseph & Lady Bowley, Alderman Cute, Mr. Filer, and the red-faced gentleman. There's also a scene about Trotty's grocer, Mrs. Chickenstalker, married to Sir Joseph's porter, Mr. Tugby.
This story is even darker than 'A Christmas Carol'. How is Dickens to bring some New Year hope into it all?
Show Less
LibraryThing member smik
This is really not crime fiction at all, but rather a moralistic tale along the lines of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, where ghosts tell us how we should live. Trotty Veck is convinced that the cathedral bells are talking to him and on New Year's Eve, unable to sleep, goes up into the bell tower where they
I think it is a reminder too of how fiction writing has changed. I can't imagine a novella like this being written today.
Show More
point out the faults of the way he lives. It is actually a very sombre tale, not the least aspect of which is the squalid nature of daily life for those in England's poorer classes.I think it is a reminder too of how fiction writing has changed. I can't imagine a novella like this being written today.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kristykay22
This is the second of Dickens' Christmas novellas, after A Christmas Carol. The Chimes takes the moral of the importance of generosity, charity, and goodwill from the first novella and extrapolates it from one individual (Scrooge) to all of society. This story, however, is much heavier on the
Trotty Veck is a poor porter in his 60s who waits at the base of a church steeple for folks to hire him to carry letters or packages. He loves the sound of the chiming bells, which cheer him through a hungry and rough life. His one joy, besides their ringing, is his daughter Meg, and when she brings him a rare dinner of tripe to eat on a stoop and tells him that she is to be married to her beau Richard, they are both overjoyed. Their joy is fleeting, though, as they are are interrupted in their dinner by Alderman Cute and his aristocratic friends who quickly use their dinner and joy as an illustration for their thoughts on the lives of the poor. Alderman Cute, in particular, wants to Put Down any kind of poor people hijinks, including the idea of getting married and having children. He tells Meg and Richard not to marry because they will only tire of each other and their children will suffer, because he, for one, certainly will not help them. As he steps into his carriage, he hires Trotty to carry a letter to another aristocrat who, after some speechifying, lets it be known that he agrees that another worker in the neighborhood should receive no mercy for a petty crime (committed out of hunger) and should be put in jail immediately. On his way back home, Trotty runs into that worker and his orphaned niece, warns him against showing up to court, and takes them in for a meager meal with him and Meg.
And then things get weird.
After everyone goes to bed, Trotty hears the bells calling to him. He goes to the steeple and finds that the door that is always closed is, on this night, wide open. He goes up the dark stairwell to the bell tower and has a wild vision. In what is probably the best scene in the novella, he sees that the bells are actually these weird giant gnome things, surrounded by wild fairies and goblins. The gnomes tell him to look out the window of the tower and he sees himself, dead on the ground. A spirit then leads him through the world after his death where he watches his daughter work herself to the bone, the worker's niece sell herself into prostitution, and her daughter's fiancée ruin himself with gambling and drink. In the end, when Richard and Meg do make a last ditch effort at saving each other and marrying and having a child, their happiness ends when Richard dies of a sudden illness, Meg can't support herself and her child, and the two of them walk off to drown themselves in the river.
And then Trotty wakes up! For you see, it was all a dream. OR WAS IT! This quick summary I have provided so that you do not have to read the novella yourself takes away the long speeches, dreary descriptions, and very very very heavy handed moralizing. Will the third novella perk things up a bit? I will report back!
Show More
moralizing than it is on plot, humor, or character, which makes for a much less enjoyable read than its better-known predecessor. It is also very very very bleak!Trotty Veck is a poor porter in his 60s who waits at the base of a church steeple for folks to hire him to carry letters or packages. He loves the sound of the chiming bells, which cheer him through a hungry and rough life. His one joy, besides their ringing, is his daughter Meg, and when she brings him a rare dinner of tripe to eat on a stoop and tells him that she is to be married to her beau Richard, they are both overjoyed. Their joy is fleeting, though, as they are are interrupted in their dinner by Alderman Cute and his aristocratic friends who quickly use their dinner and joy as an illustration for their thoughts on the lives of the poor. Alderman Cute, in particular, wants to Put Down any kind of poor people hijinks, including the idea of getting married and having children. He tells Meg and Richard not to marry because they will only tire of each other and their children will suffer, because he, for one, certainly will not help them. As he steps into his carriage, he hires Trotty to carry a letter to another aristocrat who, after some speechifying, lets it be known that he agrees that another worker in the neighborhood should receive no mercy for a petty crime (committed out of hunger) and should be put in jail immediately. On his way back home, Trotty runs into that worker and his orphaned niece, warns him against showing up to court, and takes them in for a meager meal with him and Meg.
And then things get weird.
After everyone goes to bed, Trotty hears the bells calling to him. He goes to the steeple and finds that the door that is always closed is, on this night, wide open. He goes up the dark stairwell to the bell tower and has a wild vision. In what is probably the best scene in the novella, he sees that the bells are actually these weird giant gnome things, surrounded by wild fairies and goblins. The gnomes tell him to look out the window of the tower and he sees himself, dead on the ground. A spirit then leads him through the world after his death where he watches his daughter work herself to the bone, the worker's niece sell herself into prostitution, and her daughter's fiancée ruin himself with gambling and drink. In the end, when Richard and Meg do make a last ditch effort at saving each other and marrying and having a child, their happiness ends when Richard dies of a sudden illness, Meg can't support herself and her child, and the two of them walk off to drown themselves in the river.
And then Trotty wakes up! For you see, it was all a dream. OR WAS IT! This quick summary I have provided so that you do not have to read the novella yourself takes away the long speeches, dreary descriptions, and very very very heavy handed moralizing. Will the third novella perk things up a bit? I will report back!
Show Less
LibraryThing member ToniFGMAMTC
This is more on what the true meaning of the holidays is and just every day being good to others with focus on the poor. The Chimes covers New Years instead of Christmas. I liked it, but I didn't like it as much as A Christmas Carol.
LibraryThing member ToniFGMAMTC
This is more on what the true meaning of the holidays is and just every day being good to others with focus on the poor. The Chimes covers New Years instead of Christmas. I liked it, but I didn't like it as much as A Christmas Carol.
LibraryThing member Huba.Library
It's not "A Christmas Carol" but a nice break during those crazy weeks of Nov/Dec.
LibraryThing member wanderlustlover
DNF
I have attempted to listen to/read this book several times across two years, and sadly I'm going to have to let it swim off into that great blue yonder unfinished.
I have attempted to listen to/read this book several times across two years, and sadly I'm going to have to let it swim off into that great blue yonder unfinished.
LibraryThing member Kristelh
The Chimes is one of Dickens Christmas stories along with Christmas Carol, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life (1846) and The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain (1848). Dicken's Christmas books have a strong moral message to them. The Chimes is divided into 4 parts called Quarters that
• Harking back to a golden age that never was, instead of striving to improve conditions here and now.
• Believing that individual human joys and sorrows do not matter to a higher power.
• Condemning those who are fallen and unfortunate, and offering them neither help nor pity.
Over all, a good story, it reminded me a lot of The Christmas Carol. I've read The Cricket on the Hearth but feel it needs a reread.
Show More
represent the bells. The bells are in an old church where Trotty Veck stands. He often hears the bells talking to him. The Christmas Carol had 4 parts called Staves (representing the Carol) and The Cricket on the Hearth had 4 chirps. I've read all three. The Chimes reminds me of The Christmas Carol in many ways. It's New Year's Eve in London. Trotty, a poor elderly "ticket-porter" or casual messenger, is filled with gloom at the reports of crime and immorality in the newspapers. Kind of like the current times, heh? Trotty worries about his daughter who has pledged herself to marry on New Years Day. Trotty makes a visit to the bells and there he has an experience of the Goblin of the bells. The chimes, of course, represent time. That's pretty obvious. The Goblin (bells) accuse Trotty of three sins or crimes; • Harking back to a golden age that never was, instead of striving to improve conditions here and now.
• Believing that individual human joys and sorrows do not matter to a higher power.
• Condemning those who are fallen and unfortunate, and offering them neither help nor pity.
Over all, a good story, it reminded me a lot of The Christmas Carol. I've read The Cricket on the Hearth but feel it needs a reread.
Show Less
LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
There are not many people—and as it is desirable that a story-teller and a story-reader should establish a mutual understanding as soon as possible, I beg it to be noticed that I confine this observation neither to young people nor to
WHAT'S THE CHIMES ABOUT?
Apparently, the original title of this was: The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In. But for pretty obvious reasons, people shortened the name to The Chimes when talking about it, and this edition went with the short version, too.
The Chimes are the bells in a church steeple--powerful goblin spirits reside in them, (not everyone gets to see the goblins--or this'd be a very different kind of story). Our protagonist, Trotty, is summoned to the steeple by these bells. Bells he's lived under for years and has come to love their ringing. However, he's now called to account by them for...essentially losing faith in humanity and disparaging them. Particularly lower-class humanity--like he's part of.
Trotty is a ticket-porter, barely scraping by--but is a hearty, cheerful man. His daughter is in love with someone who hopes to marry her soon. But Trotty reads something in the news one day (inspired by a true story, incidentally) that makes him doubt people's goodness. This is followed by him being hired by/interacting with an Alderman and an MP who look down the poor, exacerbating Trotty's dismay.
These bells show Trotty a future in which he dies that night and how the ripples from his death impact the lives of several of his acquaintances. Very much in a Ghost of Christmas Future kind of way. But these are darker futures than anything Scrooge saw, if you ask me.
Trotty repents of his negative outlook and does something in this vision that proves his sincerity. He's brought back to the present and life is good--even better than it was thanks to his attitude adjustment.
Oversimplification, I know, but I'm still trying to stay away from details. It's only been in print for 179 years...
THESE GUYS ARE THE WORST
So this year I've read about misanthropes, mass murderers, people who kill without remorse, people who target minorities for fun, demons and other monsters, etc., but I'm honestly not sure that there were people who disgusted me and enraged me nearly as much as Alderman Cute and Sir Joseph Bowley.
Bowley loves to think of himself as a benefactor to the poor, a charitable soul...listen to him brag about it a bit (to an actual poor person),
Every New Year’s Day, myself and friends will drink his [a generic poor person's] health. Once every year, myself and friends will address him with the deepest feeling....‘I do my duty as the Poor Man’s Friend and Father; and I endeavour to educate his mind, by inculcating on all occasions the one great moral lesson which that class requires. That is, entire Dependence on myself. They have no business whatever with— with themselves.
He does (at least in the vision), bring poor people into a great New Year's feast with his guests so they can see he and his friends drink to their health and hear paternalistic (at best) speeches about how they need to better themselves, although they probably can't because if they could...well, they wouldn't be poor, after all.
Cute dissuades Trotty's daughter and her beloved from marrying because it's not like they'll be able to subsist on whatever money they can eke out--and they'll just end up having kids they can't afford to feed, and thereby expanding the need for welfare and whatnot.
Sure, Dickens was probably exaggerating for satirical purposes. But I doubt it was much. And it'd be really easy to imagine these despicable guys as contemporary figures.
DICKENS' WRITING
He saw the tower, whither his charmed footsteps had brought him, swarming with dwarf phantoms, spirits, elfin creatures of the Bells. He saw them leaping, flying, dropping, pouring from the Bells without a pause. He saw them, round him on the ground; above him, in the air; clambering from him, by the ropes below; looking down upon him, from the massive iron- girded beams; peeping in upon him, through the chinks and loopholes in the walls; spreading away and away from him in enlarging circles, as the water ripples give way to a huge stone that suddenly comes plashing in among them. He saw them, of all aspects and all shapes. He saw them ugly, handsome, crippled, exquisitely formed. He saw them young, he saw them old, he saw them kind, he saw...
When Dickens first introduced the goblins (and I only gave you a sample), I really enjoyed it. And was reminded that he typically got paid by the word. Not necessarily for this novella--but the impulse was still there. Because the man can go on...never using 5 words when 20 will do.
I have zero problems with it in this novella--but it jumps out at you occasionally.
A few other lines that jumped out at me that I want to bring up...they're so good.
‘There’s nothing,’ said Toby, ‘more regular in its coming round than dinner- time, and nothing less regular in its coming round than dinner. That’s the great difference between ’em. It’s took me a long time to find it out.'
This gentleman had a very red face, as if an undue proportion of the blood in his body were squeezed up into his head; which perhaps accounted for his having also the appearance of being rather cold about the heart.
‘The good old times, the good old times!’ The gentleman didn’t specify what particular times he alluded to; nor did he say whether he objected to the present times, from a disinterested consciousness that they had done nothing very remarkable in producing himself.
(I'm forever going to be thinking of this anytime I hear someone talk about the good old days)
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE CHIMES?
I'm told that the hardcover is gorgeous--I ordered this late, so I can't confirm (I'll try to remember to update this post when I get it). The cover looks pretty neat, though. I bring this up so you'll think about getting your hands on this hardcover edition for your own personal use/shelf decoration.
But what about the novella itself? I dug it. I know I don't read enough Dickens--and never have. But when I'm exposed to him, I regret many of my life choices that lead to this dearth (not so much regret that I see that I'll change that anytime soon). I really appreciated his writing, his characters (even the ones I spent time hating). I would've appreciated a little more time with some of the characters, but we didn't need it.
The way the bells show Trotty the future really did make me think of the Ghost of Christmas Future, I know they inspired It's a Wonderful Life, but I got more of the former vibe than the latter. I'd like for people to tell me what I'm missing, incidentally. Either way, I liked the way Dickens uses this tool to get people to change their way of thinking, even if he uses it too frequently.
The social commentary was well done (if heavy-handed), and probably needed as much then as now. And probably as effective then as now. Oh well, would be nice to think otherwise.
It's a quick read that packs a powerful punch with some clever writing. If you're like me, and have never heard of this novella before, take advantage of this opportunity to pick it up. If you're a better-educated reader and are familiar with it--isn't it about time to re-familiarize yourself?
---
There are not many people—and as it is desirable that a story-teller and a story-reader should establish a mutual understanding as soon as possible, I beg it to be noticed that I confine this observation neither to young people nor to
Show More
little people, but extend it to all conditions of people: little and big, young and old: yet growing up, or already growing down again—there are not, I say, many people who would care to sleep in a church. I don’t mean at sermon-time in warm weather (when the thing has actually been done, once or twice), but in the night, and alone.WHAT'S THE CHIMES ABOUT?
Apparently, the original title of this was: The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In. But for pretty obvious reasons, people shortened the name to The Chimes when talking about it, and this edition went with the short version, too.
The Chimes are the bells in a church steeple--powerful goblin spirits reside in them, (not everyone gets to see the goblins--or this'd be a very different kind of story). Our protagonist, Trotty, is summoned to the steeple by these bells. Bells he's lived under for years and has come to love their ringing. However, he's now called to account by them for...essentially losing faith in humanity and disparaging them. Particularly lower-class humanity--like he's part of.
Trotty is a ticket-porter, barely scraping by--but is a hearty, cheerful man. His daughter is in love with someone who hopes to marry her soon. But Trotty reads something in the news one day (inspired by a true story, incidentally) that makes him doubt people's goodness. This is followed by him being hired by/interacting with an Alderman and an MP who look down the poor, exacerbating Trotty's dismay.
These bells show Trotty a future in which he dies that night and how the ripples from his death impact the lives of several of his acquaintances. Very much in a Ghost of Christmas Future kind of way. But these are darker futures than anything Scrooge saw, if you ask me.
Trotty repents of his negative outlook and does something in this vision that proves his sincerity. He's brought back to the present and life is good--even better than it was thanks to his attitude adjustment.
Oversimplification, I know, but I'm still trying to stay away from details. It's only been in print for 179 years...
THESE GUYS ARE THE WORST
So this year I've read about misanthropes, mass murderers, people who kill without remorse, people who target minorities for fun, demons and other monsters, etc., but I'm honestly not sure that there were people who disgusted me and enraged me nearly as much as Alderman Cute and Sir Joseph Bowley.
Bowley loves to think of himself as a benefactor to the poor, a charitable soul...listen to him brag about it a bit (to an actual poor person),
Every New Year’s Day, myself and friends will drink his [a generic poor person's] health. Once every year, myself and friends will address him with the deepest feeling....‘I do my duty as the Poor Man’s Friend and Father; and I endeavour to educate his mind, by inculcating on all occasions the one great moral lesson which that class requires. That is, entire Dependence on myself. They have no business whatever with— with themselves.
He does (at least in the vision), bring poor people into a great New Year's feast with his guests so they can see he and his friends drink to their health and hear paternalistic (at best) speeches about how they need to better themselves, although they probably can't because if they could...well, they wouldn't be poor, after all.
Cute dissuades Trotty's daughter and her beloved from marrying because it's not like they'll be able to subsist on whatever money they can eke out--and they'll just end up having kids they can't afford to feed, and thereby expanding the need for welfare and whatnot.
Sure, Dickens was probably exaggerating for satirical purposes. But I doubt it was much. And it'd be really easy to imagine these despicable guys as contemporary figures.
DICKENS' WRITING
He saw the tower, whither his charmed footsteps had brought him, swarming with dwarf phantoms, spirits, elfin creatures of the Bells. He saw them leaping, flying, dropping, pouring from the Bells without a pause. He saw them, round him on the ground; above him, in the air; clambering from him, by the ropes below; looking down upon him, from the massive iron- girded beams; peeping in upon him, through the chinks and loopholes in the walls; spreading away and away from him in enlarging circles, as the water ripples give way to a huge stone that suddenly comes plashing in among them. He saw them, of all aspects and all shapes. He saw them ugly, handsome, crippled, exquisitely formed. He saw them young, he saw them old, he saw them kind, he saw...
When Dickens first introduced the goblins (and I only gave you a sample), I really enjoyed it. And was reminded that he typically got paid by the word. Not necessarily for this novella--but the impulse was still there. Because the man can go on...never using 5 words when 20 will do.
I have zero problems with it in this novella--but it jumps out at you occasionally.
A few other lines that jumped out at me that I want to bring up...they're so good.
‘There’s nothing,’ said Toby, ‘more regular in its coming round than dinner- time, and nothing less regular in its coming round than dinner. That’s the great difference between ’em. It’s took me a long time to find it out.'
This gentleman had a very red face, as if an undue proportion of the blood in his body were squeezed up into his head; which perhaps accounted for his having also the appearance of being rather cold about the heart.
‘The good old times, the good old times!’ The gentleman didn’t specify what particular times he alluded to; nor did he say whether he objected to the present times, from a disinterested consciousness that they had done nothing very remarkable in producing himself.
(I'm forever going to be thinking of this anytime I hear someone talk about the good old days)
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE CHIMES?
I'm told that the hardcover is gorgeous--I ordered this late, so I can't confirm (I'll try to remember to update this post when I get it). The cover looks pretty neat, though. I bring this up so you'll think about getting your hands on this hardcover edition for your own personal use/shelf decoration.
But what about the novella itself? I dug it. I know I don't read enough Dickens--and never have. But when I'm exposed to him, I regret many of my life choices that lead to this dearth (not so much regret that I see that I'll change that anytime soon). I really appreciated his writing, his characters (even the ones I spent time hating). I would've appreciated a little more time with some of the characters, but we didn't need it.
The way the bells show Trotty the future really did make me think of the Ghost of Christmas Future, I know they inspired It's a Wonderful Life, but I got more of the former vibe than the latter. I'd like for people to tell me what I'm missing, incidentally. Either way, I liked the way Dickens uses this tool to get people to change their way of thinking, even if he uses it too frequently.
The social commentary was well done (if heavy-handed), and probably needed as much then as now. And probably as effective then as now. Oh well, would be nice to think otherwise.
It's a quick read that packs a powerful punch with some clever writing. If you're like me, and have never heard of this novella before, take advantage of this opportunity to pick it up. If you're a better-educated reader and are familiar with it--isn't it about time to re-familiarize yourself?
Show Less