Event—Adult Education

A Serial Reading of Little Dorrit

Charles Dickens's challenging novel Little Dorrit explores poverty and privilege, fact and fiction, history and memory, the human capacity for fiction, and the experience of confinement.

Newberry Adult Education Seminars will meet virtually via Zoom. For more information about the Newberry’s virtual seminars, including a Zoom tutorial, please see our Virtual Seminars FAQ page. If you have questions about online learning, please reach out to seminars@newberry.org.

Seminar Description

Charles Dickens's challenging novel Little Dorrit explores poverty and privilege, fact and fiction, history and memory, the human capacity for fiction, and the experience of confinement. In this seminar, we will read and discuss the novel in manageable weekly installments (with no spoilers), following its characters and themes through the streets of London and the cities of Europe. Sessions will be supplemented with slides and audio clips.

Eight sessions. Registration – $280

Steven J. Venturino, PhD, is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism. He has led seminars at the Newberry and taught at Loyola University Chicago.

Materials List

Required:

First Reading:

  • For the first session, please read chapter 1-4 of Little Dorrit, but not the introduction or preface.

Registration Information

Registration opens at 9 am (CST) on Wednesday, May 19th. Newberry Associates members at the Literati level and above will have access to early registration beginning May 12th at 10am. Learn more about membership benefits and becoming a Newberry Associate.

Please note: For more information about registration, including a guide to online registration, see our Registration Information page. Questions? Please contact seminars program staff via email at seminars@newberry.org.

We offer a 10% discount to members, seniors, and students.

This seminar is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about registering for a seminar, program policies, or teaching a seminar.