# Fanny Dorrit — Little Dorrit character guide > Fanny Dorrit in Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Fanny, Miss Fanny **First appearance:** 0009-vii-the-child-of-the-marshalsea ## Snapshot Amy's proud, sharp-tongued sister, determined to claw her way into society and never be pitied again. ## Who they are Fanny Dorrit has spent her life watching her father's shame and her sister's sacrifice, and she has resolved to escape both. Trained as a dancer and armed with a fierce sense of injury, she pursues position and marriage with a bitterness that masks real vulnerability. Her rivalry with Mrs. Merdle and her marriage to the hapless Sparkler show how the Dorrit fortune becomes both liberation and trap for a woman who cannot forgive the world for what it made her endure. ## Relationships ### [Little Dorrit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters/little_dorrit) _family_ Fanny is Little Dorrit's older sister, often jealous and condescending toward her, yet they share a complex sibling bond. ### [Mrs. Meagles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters/mrs_meagles) _social_ Fanny interacts with Mrs. Meagles in society, often with snobbery and rivalry over status. ### [Little Dorrit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters/little_dorrit) _family_ Fanny is Little Dorrit's older sister, often jealous and condescending toward her, yet they share a complex sibling bond. ### [Little Dorrit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters/little_dorrit) _family_ Fanny is Little Dorrit's older sister, often jealous and condescending toward her, yet they share a complex sibling bond. ### [Mrs. Meagles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters/mrs_meagles) _social_ Fanny interacts with Mrs. Meagles in society, often with snobbery and rivalry over status. ### [Mrs. Meagles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters/mrs_meagles) _social_ Fanny interacts with Mrs. Meagles in society, often with snobbery and rivalry over status. ## In the story ### [The Child of the Marshalsea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/vii-the-child-of-the-marshalsea) Amy's wayward sister, who learns to dance from a dancing-master in the prison and prefers to be outside the Marshalsea. ### [VIII: The Lock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/viii-the-lock) William Dorrit's eldest daughter, comes to collect her clean dress from Amy. ### [Little Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/ix-little-mother) Mentioned as having run away from the room; she is heard behind a door in an undress. ### [Little Dorrit's Party](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xiv-little-dorrit-s-party) Mentioned as being engaged at the theatre; Little Dorrit went to see her perform without Fanny's knowledge. ### [Little Dorrit's Lover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xviii-little-dorrit-s-lover) Little Dorrit's sister, who asserts the family gentility by flouting Young John as he loiters around the prison. ### [Moving in Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xx-moving-in-society) Proudly receives gifts from Mrs. Merdle and criticizes Amy for lacking spirit, while asserting the family's superiority despite their reduced circumstances. ### [Spirit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xxxi-spirit) Angrily confronts Little Dorrit for walking with a pauper, accusing her of deliberately disgracing the family. ### [The Marshalsea Becomes an Orphan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xxxvi-the-marshalsea-becomes-an-orphan) Indignant at Little Dorrit's shabby dress and the manner of her exit, she scolds her sister and Arthur Clennam. ### [Book II: Riches](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/book-ii-riches) Fanny revels in the social opportunities afforded by the family's wealth, displaying a haughty and ambitious demeanor. ### [Mrs. General](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/ii-mrs-general) One of Mr. Dorrit's two daughters, for whom Mrs. General is hired to complete her education and serve as chaperon. ### [On the Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/iii-on-the-road) Criticizes Little Dorrit for not upholding the family's dignity and insists on maintaining social distance from servants and former acquaintances. ### [Something Wrong Somewhere](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/v-something-wrong-somewhere) Weeps and protests after being rebuked by Uncle Frederick for setting up superiorities against Amy, claiming she is anxious for the family credit. ### [Something Right Somewhere](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/vi-something-right-somewhere) Fanny manipulates Mr. Sparkler's affections, planning to make him a slave and use him to challenge Mrs. Merdle's social standing. ### [Mostly, Prunes and Prism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/vii-mostly-prunes-and-prism) Enjoys high society and condescendingly patronizes Little Dorrit; warns Amy that Mrs. General has designs on their father, Mr. Dorrit. ### [A Letter from Little Dorrit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xi-a-letter-from-little-dorrit) Improves daily and is kind to Little Dorrit; she has a persistent lover who follows her from Switzerland to Venice and then to Rome. ### [Taking Advice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xiv-taking-advice) Fanny advises Amy about their family's social standing, expresses resentment toward Mrs. General and Mrs. Merdle, and contemplates marrying Mr. Sparkler to carry the family through. ### [No Just Cause or Impediment Why These Two Persons Should Not Be Joined Together](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xv-no-just-cause-or-impediment-why-these-two-persons-should-not-be-joined-together) Announces her engagement to Edmund Sparkler, fully embraces her new role, and shines as the Bride at the Roman wedding. ### [Getting On](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xvi-getting-on) Begins her competition with Mrs. Merdle, now married to Sparkler and fully embracing her new social position. ### [XVIII: A Castle in the Air](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xviii-a-castle-in-the-air) Parting from her father at the Merdle dinner, she asserts her dignity and refuses to send any message to others, with Mrs. General looming in her mind. ### [The Storming of the Castle in the Air](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xix-the-storming-of-the-castle-in-the-air) Mentioned as having a blemish of jealousy toward Mrs. General; now married as Mrs. Sparkler. ### [The Evening of a Long Day](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xxiv-the-evening-of-a-long-day) Now Mrs. Sparkler, she is fretful and bored, mourning her father while criticizing her sister Amy and brother Edward. ### [Going!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/chapters/xxxiii-going) Proud and fitful, she quarrels with Mrs. Merdle and is resolved to be comfortless and wronged. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters/fanny_dorrit - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/little_dorrit_se/characters