Dombey and Son is yet another novel by Charles Dickens which depicts the relationship between a father and his children. How the father longs for a son and abandons his daughter and the over a period of time realizes that his daughter was everything and regrets for the deeds he had done to her. A lovely and lengthy story with many characters bought in to explain the series of the story.
The story revolves around a wealthy owner of a shipping company, Paul Dombey. Dombey had a dream to have a son and he was indeed blessed with a son, also named Paul. Soon after the birth of Jr. Paul, Dombey`s wife passes away and the baby is being looked after by a nurse. Paul also has an elder sister, ‘Florence’ who is being rejected by her father in all means and for any unhappy events in the family, Florence is being criticized. Jr. Paul is a weak and fragile kid and he was sent to Bringhton for treatment. In-spite of all the efforts taken, poor Paul passes away when he is only six years old. The death of her brother is also being shadowed by Florence by her father.
Dombey, feeling bad about the loss of his son, when out meets Major Joseph B who has deliberately set out to befriend him and through him only he meets Edith and her mother and then later he marries Edith. However this marriage is loveless and his wife always loathe him for his over bearing pride. She does not leave initially as she love Florence very much, but then when it got beyond, she leaves with Mr. Carker, who is the manager of Dombey`s company Dombey and Son. This agitates Dombey and he hurts his daughter instead and she runs away from home.
reedgallery.co.nz
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Dombey is in search of his wife and is joined by Alice who hold a revenge to Carker. On his journey he overhears the conversation among the employees of Carker and he finds out where they are and set for them. But on the other side, Carker and Mrs. Dombey do not go well and in his return back to England, he accidentally falls under a train and is dead.
It was after his death that it was realized that the firm was run far beyond it means and this finally ends up in the doom of Dombey. Dombey retires to two of his room in his house when everything else is up for sale. It is at this time that he starts to think about his daughter.
He recalls everything happens in the past and understands that in spite of all the changes, it was only his daughter that did not change and now when he wanted her most, she is not there. But fortunately, one day Florence comes back with her son whom she has named Paul and is reunited with her father.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
At the end of the story, it is seen that Dombey has become very old and is blessed by his two grandchildren. However whenever he keeps them on his lap, and kisses them, tears flow down and for the questions to his grandchildren, he only says’ Little Florence’.
This is a very beautiful story that highlights the value of love and understanding among a father and daughter and how the father regrets for his doings to his daughter.