Little Dorrit · Character

Tip Dorrit

Amy's feckless, spendthrift brother who struggles to find work.

minor

Also known as Tip, Edward Dorrit

First appearance: The Child of the Marshalsea

Tip Dorrit shows up with force in The Child of the Marshalsea. The page is where that presence becomes real.

Amy's idle brother, who repeatedly abandons jobs and even a voyage to Canada, always returning to the Marshalsea.

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In The Child of the Marshalsea: Amy's idle brother, who repeatedly abandons jobs and even a voyage to Canada, always returning to the Marshalsea. Later, in VIII: The Lock: William Dorrit's son, comes to collect his…

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Character Web

17 connections

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Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Circumlocution Office and Society
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

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

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

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

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In the story

Tip Dorrit appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Child of the Marshalsea
Amy's idle brother, who repeatedly abandons jobs and even a voyage to Canada, always returning to the Marshalsea.
VIII: The Lock
William Dorrit's son, comes to collect his clothes from Amy.
Little Dorrit's Party
Little Dorrit reveals that her brother is now 'at large' (released from prison) thanks to an unknown benefactor.
Little Dorrit's Lover
Little Dorrit's brother, who asserts the family gentility by swaggering and threatening Young John in the skittle ground.
Moving in Society
Mentioned as having become a billiard-marker after his release from the Marshalsea, and as respecting his sister Amy despite his selfishness.
The Marshalsea Becomes an Orphan
Requires no direction in making a fashionable appearance; hires a cabriolet, horse, and groom to grace the Borough High Street.
Something Wrong Somewhere
Provides information about the Gowans' connection to Mr. Merdle through Sparkler, influencing the family's decision to allow Amy's visit.
The Evening of a Long Day
Edward Dorrit, Fanny's brother, is ill with malaria fever in Sicily, attended by Amy.

Chapter companion notes

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