Little Dorrit, Book 1

Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit is a sweeping novel of social critique, family, and imprisonment—both literal and psychological. At its heart is Amy Dorrit, born in the Marshalsea debtors’ prison where her father is confined, yet whose quiet strength and moral integrity shine amid hardship. As the Dorrit family’s fortunes unexpectedly change, Amy navigates wealth, class, and identity with humility. Parallel storylines follow Arthur Clennam, returning from abroad to unravel family secrets, and a scathing satire of the British bureaucracy, embodied by the “Circumlocution Office.” Dickens weaves a complex tale of love, duty, and systemic failure, exposing the prison-like constraints of Victorian society. Ultimately, Little Dorrit is a powerful exploration of compassion, resilience, and the human spirit’s triumph over institutional indifference and personal misfortune.