← All characters

Little Dorrit · Character

Mrs. Chivery

The practical wife of Mr. Chivery, who manages the family tobacco shop.

minor

Also known as the prudent Mrs. Chivery

First appearance: xviii little dorrit s lover

Mrs. Chivery shows up with force in A Puzzle. The page is where that presence becomes real.

Wishes to speak with Clennam about Little Dorrit; shows him a view of the prison yard.
In the storyA PuzzleOpen this moment free

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

In A Puzzle: Wishes to speak with Clennam about Little Dorrit; shows him a view of the prison yard. Later, in Conspirators and Others: Mentioned as the prudent mother who allows her son to undertake missions for…

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Mrs. Chivery sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Mrs. Chivery in xviii little dorrit s lover

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupEscalationAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This excerpt represents the story's dramatic climax because it depicts Arthur Clennam’s psychological nadir an…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

In the story

Mrs. Chivery appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Mrs. Chivery unlock in the free preview.

See Mrs. Chivery in xviii little dorrit s lover