This is a novel written by Charles Dickens and considered as the last of his novels. Though Dickens expected this novel to be a success, it was one among his least popular works. The works mainly depicts about selfishness portrayed in a mocking fashion using the members of the Chuzzlewit family.
The novel begins with the time of Martin’s grandfather and father. Sr. Martin raises an orphaned girl named Mary and she is to be his nursemaid and all his wealth would be inherited by her, only upon his death. This would make her look after him well, unlike his other family members who are only interested in the money. But Jr. Martin falls in love with Mary and gets adamant in marrying her. At this point, his grandfather disinherits him.
This novel had the best villain characters, the Seth Pecksniff and Jonas Chuzzlewit. Pecksniff was Jr. Martin’s employer and a greedy architect. He hired Martin only because he though, Martin would inherit his grandfather’s wealth. But when Sr. Martin comes to know of his grandson’s whereabouts, he comes to put him out and eventually falls under Pecksniff`s control.
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Meanwhile, Jonas who is Sr. Martins`s brothers son, is also a greed for wealth. He somehow manages his father’s death and feels happy to inherit his wealth too. In between he flatters Cherry who is Pecksniff daughter, but declares to marry Merry, who is also another daughter of Pecksniff.
Martin meets two good people in his life, Tom Pinch and Mark Tapley. Pinch was met when he was with Pecksniff, who leaves that place and goes to London and gets a good job there. Mark is some one who is already wealthy and content and wants to see how life is in the other side of the coin and thus both Mark and Martin set to United States to seek a fortune. But they almost die because of malaria and Mark finds himself in a scenario that he considers himself to be lucky to be alive. This caring and helping attitude of Mark brings a change in the selfish character of Martin and they return to England to reunite with his grandfather. However his grandfather does not accept him on his return.
Martin reunites with Tom Pinch and Pinch finds out that the old Martin Chuzzlewit is his mysterious benefactor and he was pretending with Pecksniff as if in his spell. All of them together, tackle Pecksniff realizing his true character.
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Once the ordeal was done, old martin reveals that he initially had plans to get Mary and Jr. Martin married, but wanted himself to let out the plan and was shamed when the young Martin declared about their marriage. Martin and his grandfather reunite and get Mary and Jr. Martin marries and lives. However Pinch remains in his unrequited love for Mary for the rest of his life and remains unmarried.
A simple story that portrays , how greed for money could end up in disasters and by doing good, good comes back to you in many folds.