Product Description

Morrison's descriptions of the fearful physical conditions are based directly on what he saw. He conjures up an extraordinarily vivid picture of a world which, even as he wrote, was about to vanish in one of the first of the slum clearance schemes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58244 in Books
• Published on: 1994-01-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

About the Author
Arthur Morrison

Customer Reviews

'A Child of the Jago' is an accurate appraisal of slum life
'A Child of the Jago' by Arthur Morrison is an excellent book for one major and special reason - its stunningly realistic accuracy. Throughout the book is violent, sad and an accurate view of Victorian slum life. Morrison goes further in many ways than Charles Dickens or Elizabeth Gaskell to write a vivid account of life centered in the slums (essentially the Jago). In Dicky Perrot and through a child's eyes we see: theft, exploitation, hopes, dreams, violence, drunkeness, death, success and loss to name some of the many things Dicky witnesses. His choice is to commit fraud, 'clicks' (muggings) and crime to work his way up slowly and gain his place with the high-mob and thereby risk the gallows, or escape the slums in a 'proper' job. Is there any escape for little Dicky Perrot - perhaps?

A Dickensian style novel said with much fewer words
The Jago was one of, if not the worst slums in London. Dicky Perrot is the main character of the story and we follow him form age 8 to about 17. His fight for survival and the responsibility he feels for his mother and sister whilst his Father is in prison makes you feel like crying. He has nothing and knows, as the local eccentric put it, that the Jago had got him and that there are only two ways out for him - to become a "Swellmobsmen" ( successful thief ) or death. Dicky is encouraged by the local Parson, Father Sturt, who is tireless in his work with the people of the Jago, to try to make something decent and honest with his life and enjoy all the things that the people who he robs enjoy and manages to secure him a job as a delivery boy for the local chandler. Unfortunately for Dicky he is dismissed thanks to an old friend who does not want him to take the straight and narrow path. After this Dicky goes down hill fast, he loses patience with his mother who takes to the Gin and leaves Em his sister to crawl in the gutter and fend for herself, his Father, disenchanted with life after coming out of prison, does his one last fatal job and at the end we see a small, poor desperate Dicky and like his old friend Beveridge told him years before, there are only two ways out of the Jago... Find out which way Dicky gets out in this excellent and realistic portrayal of life in a London slum at the turn of the century.

Excellent
A very easy to read short victorian novel covering many aspects of slum life. Unsentimental un moralistic quite refreshing for the times I would have thought.
With a gripping compelling style Morrison brings the characters to life not forgetting interesting portrayals of various women of the slum community.