Summary Chapter 57





It is the eve of the emigrants’ departure to Australia. A gathering is held at the Micawbers’ temporary residence, which is a ramshackle public house whose protruding rooms overhang the river. Having informed Traddles and Mr. Micawber of the tragedy at Yarmouth, David emphasizes the importance of keeping it a secret from Mr. Peggotty. Mr. Micawber vows, that if he could help it, the news will remain so until such time David finds it fit to break it to Mr. Peggotty.

Presently, Mr. Micawber prepares a jug of punch, the making of which he relishes and excels at, and of which all partake in, including David’s aunt and Agnes. Mr. Micawber then makes one of his grandiloquent statements when a boy comes in with a message requesting Mr. Micawber’s presence downstairs. When Mrs. Micawber supposes that the visitor might be a relative from her side of the family who has come to see the Micawbers off, Mr. Micawber determines to make the relative wait, a small act of vengeance for all the slights and insults they have heaped upon him. Mrs. Micawber objects, however, reminding her husband that he must take the high road, and that her family’s snobbish attitude towards Mr. Micawber is their loss, for it has deprived them of the opportunity of knowing the real Mr. Micawber, i.e. hardly the insolvent, talentless man they think Mr. Micawber is.

Subsequently, Mr. Micawber goes downstairs. Time passes when the boy returns with a note for David. The note is from Mr. Micawber; he has been arrested. Would David do him the honor of sending him his “knife and pint pot,” which are his last worldly possessions? David does one better. He goes to the Sheriff’s Office and pays for Mr. Micawber’s release. Needless to say, Mr. Micawber is grateful, and upon their return, Mr. Micawber attributes his prolonged absence to a fictional necessity before handing Traddles a document stating what he—Mr. Micawber—owes Traddles and when and how the debt will be paid in full.

When in reference to Australia’s remoteness David’s aunt reminds Mrs. Micawber to write often, which Mrs. Micawber intends to do, Mr. Micawber makes light of the distance. Indeed, as far as Mr. Micawber is concerned, the distance between England to Australia is not as great as the distance between Canterbury and London, David notes with amusement. Mr. Micawber also states his determination to never look back, contradicting Mrs. Micawber who argues that succeeding in Australia will only strengthen their ties to England, and that her fervent wish is for her grandchildren to eventually return to England. She is so impassioned on this point that Mr. Micawber defers to his wife way of seeing things.

The gathering breaks up at this point to the chagrin of the Micawber children who are loathe to part with Agnes.

Early the next morning, David goes to check up on the Micawbers; they have already boarded the ship. In the afternoon, David and his old nurse Peggotty take a boat which ferry them to the ship. There they behold the mass of people who are going to Australia to start life anew. Among the emigrants, David notices a young woman who David swears could’ve been Emily or Agnes.

Presently, David informs Mr. Peggotty of Ham’s death. Needless to say, Mr. Peggotty is deeply affected and offers his thoughts on the event, which affects David all the more. Then Mr. Peggotty asks David if he—Mr. Peggotty—had forgotten anyone with regard settling his accounts. When David mentions Martha, Mr. Peggotty taps a woman on the shoulder. She is Martha who will leave her disgraced life behind to start her life anew in Australia courtesy of Mr. Peggotty. David is in awe of Mr. Peggotty’s generosity.

When David and Peggotty return to shore and the ship signals the start of her long voyage, David notices Mr. Peggotty waving from the deck. Beside him Emily stands and waves.



Art of Worldly Wisdom Daily
In the 1600s, Balthasar Gracian, a jesuit priest wrote 300 aphorisms on living life called "The Art of Worldly Wisdom." Join our newsletter below and read them all, one at a time.
Email:
Sonnet-a-Day Newsletter
Shakespeare wrote over 150 sonnets! Join our Sonnet-A-Day Newsletter and read them all, one at a time.
Email: