1. The title of the novel is The Old Curiosity Shop.

It is written by a famous English

novelist Charles Dickens.
2. The book I’ve chosen is a historical novel with an item of an adventure story.This
novel is an example of dramatic genre.The novel is written in the form of a diary.
3. The novel represents a 3rd person narration. The novel is interlaced with dialogues,
inner monologues of the leading character, the author’s digression where he
speculates upon the problem of love, life etc. This is a third-person omniscient
narrative.
4. The basic theme of The Old Curiosity Shop may be defined as the difficult and
troubled life of the English people during the 19th century.
5. In the novel the writer dwells upon the problem of relations between an individual
and society .
6. The idea of the text is a fast-moving life and an unfair death.

7.The prevailing mood of the extract is gloomy and dramatic.

8. Retell the text

1) The novel opens with the exposition, from which the reader comes to know that the
action takes place in London in the 19th century.As you read, you will be surprised at
how cruel people were to survive.To my great surprise,the author introduces us to the
main characters at the very beginning of the novel- a extremely precocious 12 year
old girl Nell(or Nelly) and an affectionate and affable the old man,grandfather of
Nell.The author of the book was very amazed to meet a lonely Nell late at night, so he
decided to accompany the girl to her house.The author was charmed by the girl.She
was fragile, but boldly held the author-stranger with great strength.She had blond hair
and looked like a real angel.They reached the old shop where Nell lived and were met
by the dismal and excited old man.He was waiting for her and was very worried,it was
clear how worried he was for her.Nell's grandfather invited the author to the house for
tea as a token of gratitude.Also in this old curiosity shop we get acquainted with
industrious Kit, an honest rules boy of 15 years who worked for the old man.The
house itself was small and rather poor in furniture in it, but it contained many
different Souvenirs and old things. It was clear that once the old man had enough
money to buy all this.But why did they live like this now,why did the grandfather
expect to be rich soon, and why did the girl stay home alone at night? To my relief,we
will learn about this when reading the book.

2) The novel can be divided into 3 parts. Part 1 is an introduction to the main and
secondary characters and the growth of the conflict.The conflict appears with the
appearance of Nell's brother Fred and his friend-Dick Swiveller in the store.Fred
regarded the old with a contemptuous sneer. He was a young man of one-and-
twenty,well-made, and certainly handsome,though his manner and even his dress had
a dissipated,insolent air.Fred wanted to see Nell to find out where their grandfather
was hiding them.However, all was unsuccessful, as the grandfather forbade his
beloved granddaughter to talk to her brother. His manner gave him the aspect of his
father who ruined mother's life and reduced the family to poverty with his
festivities.The aghast author and Mr. Quilp were also present at the time of the old
man's argument with his grandson.Let's focus on hideous Quilp in more detail
because he is the one who helped the author create the adventures of the main
characters.He was quiet a dwarf ,though his head and face were large enough for the
body of a giant . His black eyes were restless,sly, and cunning; his complexion was
one of that kind which never looks clean.But the most terrible was his ghasty
smile,which revealed the few discoloured fangs that were yet scattered in his
mouth.His dress consisted of a large high-crowned hat,a worn dark suit, a pair of
capacious shoes, and a dirty white neckerchief. His hair was black,cut short and
straight upon his temples. His hands were very dirty; his finger-nails were
crooked,long,and yellow.Although he had a lot of money, he was a miser. He bullied
his young wife and her mother. He kept the whole city at Bay. Suddenly he was good
to Nell in his own way, because he wanted to make her his next wife. Certainly the
dwarf reminds the reader of the image of an evil being.
Nell's grandfather had taken money from harsh Quilp as collateral, and had often
asked for money of late. This alarmed Quilp,so he decided to follow the old man.
Unfortunately, hopeless the old man lost all his money playing cards. He became so
gambling that he did not notice how he pawned everything that he had.As a
result,Quilp, with his indifference to the old man as human, threw them out on the
street,taking the house.He induced Nell to stay with him,however wanted to send her
grandfather to an asylum.It was at this moment that an old man fell ill,but they had no
choice to stay, so they decided to leave the city as the companions in adversity.

3) The culminating point is Nell's journey with her grandfather through the lands of
England in search of a quiet and peaceful life.This journey described the life line of
Nell.Along the way, she met different people, both good and bad. But I'd like to tell
you more about Mrs. Jarley and the old man's younger brother.
The old man and the child passed,without stopping two or three inconsiderable
clusters of cottages, a public-house where they had some bread and cheese,and they
were very weary and fatigued. In the evening they arrived at a point where the road
made a sharp turn and struck across a common.On the border of this common,and
close to the hedge which divided it from the cultivated fields, a caravan was drawn up
to rest. It was not a shabby,dingy,dusty cart,but a smart little house upon wheels,with
white dimity curtains festooning the windows.Neither was a gypsy caravan, for at the
open door sat a Christian lady,stout and comfortable to look upon,who wore a large
bonnet trembling with bows.This is how we first met Mrs. Jarley.There is no doubt
that her image in the book as a guardian angel of a little girl.Mrs.Jarley was the owner
of the Jarley`s wax-work. Her stupendous collection had one hundred figures the full
size of life. Morover, she was the delight of the Nobility and Gentry. However, she
could not read, even though she was a noblewoman. The little girl impressed her with
her literacy and kindness, so she offered her a joint job as a tour guide for the
exhibition. She suggested that the old man wipe the figures from the dust.She had
sheltered them for the duration of the exhibition, and it had been one of Nell's best
days, if it hadn't been for Quilp's pursuit and her grandfather's clouded mind playing
cards.Unfortunately, during this period, the old man started playing cards again and
now he spent all the money earned to Nell,telling her that he was only doing it for her
and future wealth.The card players push him to steal Miss Jarley's accumulated
money. By chance, Nell finds out about this plot.Nell decided to save her
grandfather,so they leave Mrs. Jarley's house at night,afraid to offend and disappoint
her.

4) The falling action is the journey of Kit and the old man's brother in the footsteps of
Nell and her old man.Here we learn about Nell's family and why they became
poor,why they survived together.There were once two brothers,who loved each other
dearly.There was a disparity in their ages some twelve years.But they became rivals
too soon: the reason is the girl.The youngest had been a sickly child. His brother was
sitting beside his coach, telling him old stories till his pale face lighted up. Also he
carried him in his arms to green sports.The youngest left his brother to be happy,he
quitted the country.The elder brother married that girl,but after she died and left him
with an infant daughter.In this daughter the mother lived again.She grew and met a
man,she fell in love.All the misery followed this union!She died,leaving to her
father`s care two orphans; one a son of ten or twelve years old and the other a girl.So
the old man was now a broken man; crushed and borne down . He began to trade
curious ancient things.The wayward boy soon left him,the old man and the child
dwelt alone together. In this period of time, the younger brother had been a traveller in
many countries. The communication between him and the elder was difficult and
uncertain, and often failed. Then he settled his affairs; converted into money all the
goods he had, and guess that, with wealth enough for both,with open heart and hand ,
after 10 years he arrived one evening at his brother`s door. Unlikely, he was too late.

5) In the end of the story we learn of the death of poor and unhappy Nell, and the
death of the nasty Quilp.As you can understand, Nell's death was unfair and difficult
to accept.Dear, gentle, patient,noble Nell was dead. Where were the traces of her early
cares,her sufferings,and fatigues?All gone.But as you can see, death was a gift for this
girl. She had been through too much in her early years.Once in spring, her old man
didn`t return at the usual hour, he was lying dead upon the stone.At last they both
found peace.

9. The novel has a close-ended plot structure because we find out what happened to
the main characters and how the life of the secondary characters turned out.
The narration is vivid, powerful, meaningful, highly emotional.
The novel is rich in dialectal words and colloquial expressions.
The text is written in bookish style.The main character can be described as
dynamic.The portrayal of literary personages is done skillfully .The characters are
well-drawn, true-to-life.I am sure you will benefit by reading this lifelike and
profound book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because it is realistic and not mawkish.
I especially liked the youngest brother of the old man because he tried his best to
reunite with his family
The part of the book I liked best was the latter because Nell had found peace
Something I found interesting in the book was the description of the hard life of
children at that time.
If I had been the writer, I would have thought more cruel and painful death for Quilp.
From this book I have learnt that we should try to strive for our goal no matter what.