Tuesday
I find myself thinking of America’s current election as a Charles Dickens novel, given that it’s a fairly clear battle between good and evil. Whatever one thinks of Joe Biden’s policies, even Republican opponents have acknowledged he’s a good man, while few would deny Trump’s similarities with various Dickens villains. Here are five Dickens novels that come to mind.
Oliver Twist – Trump in this setting would be Fagan, the evil fence who turns young boys into criminals, essentially living off of “other people’s money” (to use one of Trump’s favorite phrases). Biden would be Mr. Brownlow, the benevolent gentleman who saves Oliver as Biden will strive to save those kids in cages. In the end, Fagan is imprisoned and divisions are healed. While I can’t compare Trump to Jack Dawkins, the “Artful Dodger” moniker fits him.
Martin Chuzzlewit – Trump sanctimoniously holding up a Bible after ousting peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square is something Pecksniff would do (see illustration above). Pecksniff is the hypocritical employer in what was one of Dickens’s most popular novels of its day, even though it is less well known today. Martin must go through many travails in the course of the novel but is finally rescued by a benevolent grandfather, from whom he had become estranged. America needs to reunite with such a grandfather at the moment.
Hard Times – In the past I’ve compared Trump to Bounderby, the heartless industrialist who claims populist roots (he claims to have raised himself up by his own bootstraps) but actually was born to privilege. Biden here might be Stephen Blackpool, a virtuous member of the working class. One difference, however: Biden is a strong supporter of labor unions, which are not portrayed positively by Dickens, who preferred benevolent rich people to collective worker action.
Christmas Carol: I have also compared Trump to Scrooge, who has been relentlessly trying to deprive people of health care and, more recently, food stamps. We can then cast Biden as Bob Cratchett, a man whose moral center never wavers.
Scrooge’s memorable interaction with the gentleman requesting charity donations is always worth revisiting:
“Are there no prisons?”
“Plenty of prisons,” said the gentleman, laying down the pen again. “And the Union workhouses,” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”
“Both very busy, sir.”
“Oh. I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,” said Scrooge. “I’m very glad to hear it.”“Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,’ returned the gentleman, ‘a few of us are endeavoring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?”
“Nothing!” Scrooge replied.
“You wish to be anonymous?”
“I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned-they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.”
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
David Copperfield – I would cast Trump as Uriah Heep only that character has already been taken by Mike Pence. (See my post on that here.) Let’s say that he’s Mr. Murdstone and that Biden is Betsey Trotwood, who saves David from his wicked stepfather and brings him up right. Under her care, David grows up to be a successful young man, which is what we would like to see in America right now. Also like Biden, David loses a cherished wife but finds another wonderful woman.
There are other Dickens parallels to be found. With Bleak House, I think of Trump’s incessant lawsuits and with Little Dorritt of his bankruptcies. Please send in your own Dickens comparisons.