The Old Curiosity Shop — Charles Dickens | A Level Student Guide | Coleman’s Notes CN-SG050
Discover Charles Dickens’s unforgettable story of innocence, gambling, pursuit, childhood and moral responsibility with this comprehensive Coleman’s Notes® Student Guide.
Little Nell Trent lives with her grandfather in a strange London shop filled with old and mysterious objects. Her grandfather loves her deeply, but his obsession with gambling — undertaken in the mistaken belief that he can create a fortune for Nell — instead destroys their security.
When the threatening moneylender Daniel Quilp takes possession of the shop, Nell and her grandfather leave London and begin a long journey across England.
Their travels take them through the world of itinerant entertainers and Mrs Jarley’s waxworks, into an oppressive industrial landscape and eventually towards a quiet rural refuge. Throughout the journey, Nell increasingly assumes responsibilities that should belong to the adults around her.
Back in London, Dickens develops equally memorable parallel stories involving Kit Nubbles, Dick Swiveller, the Marchioness, Sampson and Sally Brass, while Quilp’s schemes threaten those who remain loyal to Nell.
The result is a novel that combines grotesque comedy, social criticism, pathos, symbolism, suspense and the journey narrative while examining the vulnerability of childhood and the consequences of greed and irresponsible adult behaviour.
Everything you need in one guide
Follow the complete story through all 73 chapters, with clear chapter commentary explaining both events and their literary significance.
Explore the major characters, relationships and themes, together with dedicated analysis of gambling and moral responsibility, childhood and innocence, Dickens’s use of sentiment, the industrial landscape, London and the road, motifs, imagery, language, structure and historical context.
Then develop stronger examination and essay-writing skills with:
Five detailed essay plans • Five model answers • Practice examination questions • 25 Exam & Revision Questions • Common mistakes and improvements • Quick Revision Checklist • Quick Recall
Written at A Level English Literature standard, this substantial digital guide is suitable for students, tutors, teachers, home educators and serious independent readers.
CN-SG050 | Digital Student Guide | £6.95
Complete the Dickens collection
The Old Curiosity Shop is the fifth title in Charles Dickens Collection Volume Two:
Oliver Twist • The Pickwick Papers • A Tale of Two Cities • Nicholas Nickleby • The Old Curiosity Shop
Complete five-guide collection: £29.95
Five guides separately: £34.75
Save £4.80
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