McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson XIII · Part 3: Lessons XIII-XXIV: Dickens, Gray and Patrick Henry
19. Death of Little Nell (Charles Dickens)
Goal: Your student reads a famous passage of pathos with control and discusses how Dickens creates feeling.
You'll need
- The book, or the scan beside this guide
- A notebook and pen
- A dictionary
What's in the book
A long author note on Dickens, then the death and burial of Little Nell, from The Old Curiosity Shop (1840).
The lesson, step by step
Words and meanings
Before reading, find these words in the selection and look up any your student does not know: pathos, couch, fatigues, solemn.
About the author
The book says Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was born in Portsmouth and lived nearly all his life in London. His family was poor, and his early years were hard. He worked as a reporter, published sketches as "Boz," and became famous with The Pickwick Papers. The note praises his humor and pathos, his lifelike characters and his pictures of childhood and of the suffering of the poor.
Read it aloud
Read the opening slowly:
She was dead.
No sleep so beautiful and calm, so free from trace of pain, so fair to look upon.
Your student reads on in a quiet, steady voice. Later comes:
Dear, gentle, patient, noble Nell was dead.
Talk about it
SayWhy does Dickens begin with three short words?
SayFind the repetitions (of words or sentence shapes). What effect do they have?
SayRead: "Where were the traces of her early cares, her sufferings, and fatigues?" What is the answer?
SayReaders in Dickens's time wept over this passage. Why do you think it moved them so much?
Tell it back
Your student tells, in their own words, what the passage describes: Nell, her room, and the burial.
Copywork and memory
Copy:
No sleep so beautiful and calm, so free from trace of pain, so fair to look upon.
Write (optional)
Write a paragraph on how Dickens uses repetition in this passage.
Tip
A sad passage. A calm, steady reading is more moving than a dramatic one.