The Politics of Insignificance in Dickens’s Cityscape

Abstract

Discussing Our Mutual Friend, this essay will explore Charles Dickens’s representation of street characters with an examination of his use of a street-leveled viewpoint. Between a panoramic viewpoint in watching the city from the highest position at one glance and a street-leveled viewpoint in observing pedestrian activities in the streets, Dickens, as I argue, seems to rely on a street-leveled viewpoint in his reading the city. Dickens constructs various kinds of urban characters relevant to the space of the street, where some individuals show off their domination, some others make living, and others enjoy urban architecture. Dickens’s characters, including Fledgeby, often utilize the politics of insignificance on which they intentionally act invisible and voluntarily appear illegible in order to protect themselves and thrive without being watched. Arguing that the politics of insignificance can be a means for the marginalized to find a way to prevail, this paper focuses on Fledgeby as one of the insignificant characters, who deserves our critical attention. Fledgeby, who is presented as a decoy, puppet, and an aid to ‘more significant’ characters, reverses our judgment of himself by showing his ability to manipulate others and capitalize on the knowledge he gathers from the street. In other words, his politics of insignificance is a success because acting small helps him to be a free agent who defies social order.