Re: dickens
Charles Dickens (cdickens@RMPLC.CO.UK)
Fri, 1 May 1998 12:00:43 -0100
My dear Miss Teeters,
For the purposes of my book, some humble manual craft needed to have been
forced upon Dr Manette in the Bastille, the materials and tools of which are
reasonably portable, easily put away, and easily got out again. It had to
be a humble manual craft in order to mark the doctor's degradation. The
rest was necessary so that, at times of stress after his restoration to
freedom and dignity, Dr Manette could credibly be shown reverting in mind
and in habitual activity, to his old occupation. Shoe-making seemed a good
choice. Stone-breaking, blacksmithery, even carpentry, call for materials
and equipment not easily shut away in a cupboard, to be forgotten for a period.
Perhaps, too, I was influenced by experiences of my younger days that,
even now, I do not find it easy to speak of. When I was about the age of
twelve, my poor father fell deeply into debt. He was even imprisoned in the
Marshalsea Debtors' Gaol for three months. At this time a job was found for
me in a shoe-blacking warehouse. For about a year my daily occupation was
the sealing and labelling of bottles of blacking. At the time this seemed
to dash every hope I'd ever had of eminence and distinction. For me, humble
manual labour, connected with boots and shoes, is a powerful reminder of
deep humiliation.
Faithfully yours,
Charles Dickens
________________________________________________________________________________
>Ihave just finished reading A Tale of Two Cities and i had a question.
> In the story , why was Doctor Manette made to make shoes and not some
other object, in prison. THANK YOU ,
> CRYSTAL TEETERS
>
>
======================
Charles Dickens
charles_dickens@rmplc.co.uk
Author