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That's okay, I haven't been that active either. Legolas Send a noteboard - 09/02/2011 09:16:59 PM
Ah. That is one of his staple traits, if you are talking about what I think you are talking about.

Probably.
I think it is true of most writers. Good guys are hard to nuance. I am still reeling from the horror of Dumas' protagonist in Le Chevalier de Sainte-Hermine. And if you ever have occasion to read Bleak House I think you will find Esther Summerson another. Bad guys always seem to be more interesting.

Well, yes, but modern writers, at least in "literary" works, generally don't go with "good" and "evil" anymore so much.

Bleak House, is that the book that recent TV show is based on? The name rings familiar, but I certainly haven't read it (nor seen the show, my mum found it "too complicated" and stopped watching).
You know what Miss Prism said: the good ended happily and the bad unhappily -- that is what fiction means.

Who is Miss Prism? I take it she was a Victorian, too. :P
I suppose you are right about the great masses of Dickens readers -- they would want the happy ending for its own sake. But I know the awareness of the "false" happy ending is there in some of the literati. I came across a letter from Stevenson to J.M. Barrie, for example, where he commended the latter for his so obviously false happy ending in ... hmm, I cannot remember which book it was.

*nods* No doubt. Stevenson doesn't really seem to be one for happy endings, now that you mention him... but I've never read the original version of Treasure Island, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is ages ago and the Black Arrow does have a happy ending, so maybe I'm just talking nonsense here. :P
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Charles Dickens - Oliver Twist Legolas - 01/02/2011 08:55:22 PM 7862 Views
I need to reread this one Camilla - 09/02/2011 06:06:06 AM 1584 Views
Finally! I was waiting for you to reply. Legolas - 09/02/2011 07:28:53 PM 1610 Views
Sorry. I have been particularly swamped the past couple of weeks. Camilla - 09/02/2011 07:36:52 PM 1589 Views
That's okay, I haven't been that active either. Legolas - 09/02/2011 09:16:59 PM 1559 Views
Re: That's okay, I haven't been that active either. Camilla - 09/02/2011 09:29:26 PM 1779 Views
I am rather surprised that nobody else is weighing in on this Camilla - 10/02/2011 10:23:24 PM 1385 Views
You and me both. Especially when my reviews of rather more obscure books do get replies... *NM* Legolas - 10/02/2011 10:24:45 PM 777 Views
A Christmas Carol would be his most famous book, methinks. Rebekah - 10/02/2011 10:29:00 PM 1451 Views
There are many candidates Camilla - 10/02/2011 10:29:54 PM 1316 Views
I think Oliver Twist is far more famous internationally. But maybe that's just around here. *NM* Legolas - 10/02/2011 10:30:22 PM 737 Views
It was the first one I heard about Camilla - 10/02/2011 11:21:44 PM 1350 Views
I agree DomA - 12/02/2011 01:11:54 PM 1507 Views
I was busy with a work audit the days it was first visible here (3 day settings for me) Larry - 10/02/2011 11:40:04 PM 1403 Views
Re: I was busy with a work audit the days it was first visible here (3 day settings for me) Camilla - 10/02/2011 11:44:21 PM 1451 Views
There is that Larry - 10/02/2011 11:48:19 PM 1343 Views
I had assumed I had alread read this but I haven't. How did that happen? Tashmere - 16/02/2011 01:24:36 AM 1399 Views
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