The Pickwick Papers, Chapters 31-46 Quiz

Answer: Snubbin

¯P´p"¬ Snubbin seems to have every intention of avoiding any work whatsoever in regards to Pickwick's case, and displays this quite clearly by foisting poor Pickwick off on a relatively new lawyer, Mr. Phunky. At this point, the reader senses trouble, considering that Pickwick has made clear his intention of not paying a cent of any damages that may be incurred in a court loss!

Answer: Necklace

Hopkins relates this recent case, much to the shock of the Pickwickians! When the child walked about you could hear the rattle, according to the storyteller. The raucous crowd at Sawyer's place is abruptly ousted late that evening, after having drunk and talked up a storm. We discover here that poor Sawyer has been late on his rent payments, much to the ire of the landlady Mrs. Raddle and her diffident husband.

Answer: Pickwick

Sam Weller is convinced that one must never sign a valentine with his own name, so Pickwick it is! Naturally Mary will realize immediately that Sam wrote the letter, so this is all academic. Following the mailing of the valentine, Sam and his father proceed to a temperance meeting hosted by Mr. Stiggins, the red-nosed hanger-on of Mrs. Weller. Mr. Stiggins displays bizarre behavior by declaring the meeting 'drunk', inspiring a raucous free-for-all. Sam's father takes advantage of the chaos to get a bit physical with Stiggins before Sam pulls him away.

His first act of physical revenge.

Answer: Chops and tomato sauce

Or as Buzfuz puts it, 'Chops and tomata sauce. Yours, Pickwick. Gentlemen, what does this mean? Chops and tomata sauce. Yours, Pickwick? Chops! Gracious heavens! and Tomata sauce!' I am forced to agree with Buzfuz, the implications of this lurid 'dinner' request are a clear sign of the incorrigibly lascivious nature of Mr. Pickwick...good heavens!

Answer: Winkle

Poor Winkle, he just never seems to get anything right. Somehow, during his testimony he manages to leak the instance wherein Pickwick accidentally stumbled into a certain Miss Witherfield's room at the Great White Horse inn. Later he was to be found back at the George and Vulture, head buried in the sand!

Answer: That depends on the taste and fancy of the speller, my lord.

Sam continues, 'I never had occasion to spell it more than once or twice in my life, but I spells it with a 'V'.' Sam's father is the one who shouts about the 'we', almost landing him in contempt. Sam's testimony does relatively well for Mr. Pickwick, but not well enough...the case is lost.

Answer: 750 pounds

Bardell wins the case, and the jury returns the damages, 750 pounds. Pickwick refuses to pay!

Answer: The tears of a young prince

A very short story, it relates the sad tale of Prince Bladud, who fails to find love and, in the throws of despair, makes a wish which the pagan gods grant. He is taken underground and forevermore cries tears that are now the source of the warm waters of Bath.

Answer: Winkle

Naturally, the lovable but klutzy Winkle gets himself once again into an odd situation. (I think this gent is our comic relief!) After answering the door late in the evening he finds himself confronted with Mrs. Dowler in her chaise, he wearing only his nightclothes! So embarrassed, he makes off for Bristol where he finds Sawyer and Allen, both of whom are conspiring revenge on whomever the 'secret' love of Arabella Allen might be (we know it's Winkle himself!)

Answer: Bristol

Winkle is insistent at this point that he be able to woo Arabella Allen, and he entreats Sam Weller to assist him in the endeavor. Sam notifies Pickwick, who is still staying in Bath; the old gentleman comes immediately to promote the union of these two favorable young people.

Answer: Dark lantern

Pickwick has an interesting new toy with him, a dark lantern, which he shows off to Sam Weller while they 'surreptitiously' attempt to visit Arabella Allen. The entire scene is comical, with Pickwick bumbling and stumbling, Sam Weller holding back his chuckle and the 'scientific gentleman' theorizing on the mysterious light show created by the dark lantern.

Answer: Habeas corpus

Sam's version of the Latin term habeas corpus is 'have-his-carcase', not a bad transliteration, I must say!

Answer: Roker

Roker's attitude is quite stalwart, a no-nonsense sort of fellow. He leads poor Pickwick to his room for the first night, a dirty, dark room with several other prisoners. The following day Roker's attitude changes when he discovers Pickwick's desire to get a room of his own...

Answer: False

In a clear presentation of the depth of Pickwick's compassion, the confrontation between the two men is, on the contrary, quite amiable. In fact, Pickwick, upon seeing the miserably state of his old nemesis, fixes to assist in the future endeavors of the corrupt Jingle and his servant Job Trotter. Pickwick's compassion seems to know no bounds, even while incarcerated!

Answer: No

In reality, Sam has himself tossed into the unforgiving debtor's prison by creating the illusion to the authorities that he owes 25 pounds to his 'parent' Tony Weller. It's obvious that Mr. Sam Weller will do anything for his beloved employer Pickwick.

Answer: Crumpets

Sam relates this story to Pickwick in the hopes that he can teach his beloved employer about the inefficacy of stubbornness. This scheme doesn't work however, Pickwick obstinately remains in his cell!

Answer: The Wardles

The Wardles never make it up to the Fleet, but the rest of the individuals mentioned do make their way to visit our incarcerated heroes. The most comical visit belongs to the elder Weller, his wife and the dogmatic Stiggins. While Stiggins preaches, Sam catches a few Zs!

Answer: Mr. and Mrs. Raddle

You may remember that the Raddles were the landlords over Mr. Bob Sawyer, and that Mrs. Raddle had particularly given Bob a hard time over his delinquent rent. Mrs. Raddle had encouraged her husband to enforce her edicts towards Sawyer and friends, but he proved too timid. Once again in this scene with Mrs. Bardell we see the diffident nature of Mr. Raddle.

As Mrs. Raddle puts it, 'Raddle ain't like a man; he leaves everythink to me.' (Did she really mean 'think'? I think so...)

Answer: Cognovit

Cognovit means 'he/she acknowledges', referring to the fact that Mrs. Bardell had signed documentation promising the costs of her law case against Pickwick. Mrs. Bardell obviously had signed this document unwittingly, or without knowledge of its meaning. Dodson and Fogg, the oiliest of the oily characters in this novel!

Answer: Mr. Perker

At Sam Weller's urging, Perker presents his greatest and most convincing case, suggesting that Pickwick can end the suffering of his friend Sam Weller, Mrs. Bardell and son and himself by simply paying the charges for the case. Mrs. Bardell would follow by essentially 'dropping the charges'. Pickwick finally agrees, ending three months in the Fleet!