Nicholas Nickleby

Summary by chapter

CHAPTER 1: UNCLE RALPH.
Nicholas, his mother and his younger sister, Kate, are forced to travel to London to seek help from her only relative, Uncle Ralph Nicholas Nickleby. Ralph, a cold and heartless businessman, has no desire to help their poor kin and hates Nicholas on sight. He gets Nicholas a low-paying job as an assistant to Wackford Squeers, who runs the schoolDotheboys Hall.
CHAPTER 2: DOTHEBOYS HALL
Nicholas is initially wary of Squeers because he is nasty and violent towards his young pupils, but he tries to quell his suspicions. As he said goodbye to his family, he is handed a letter by Newman Noggs. The letter expresses concern for an innocent young man and offers help if Nicholas ever requires it. Once he arrives in Yorkshire, Nicholas comes torealise that Squeers is running a scam: he takes in unwanted children by a high price, they starve and he mistreats them, while using the money sent by their parents to pad his own pockets. Squeers and his monstrous wife hit the children regularly while spoiling their own son rotten, young Wackford. Meanwhile Nicholas befriends a simple boy named Smike, who is older than the other “students” and nowacts as an unpaid servant.
CHAPTER 3: FANNY SQUEERS.
Nicholas attracts the attention of Fanny Squeers, his employer's daughter (short and ugly), who deludes herself into thinking that Nicholas is in love with her. She attempts to disclose her affections during a game of cards, but Nicholas doesn't catch her meaning. After being accosted by Fanny again, Nicholas bluntly tells her he does notreturn her affections and wishes to be free of the horrible atmosphere of Dotheboys Hall, earning her hatred.
One morning, Smike runs away, but is caught and brought back to Dotheboys. Squeers begins to beat him, but Nicholas intervenes. Squeers strikes him across the face and Nicholas snaps, beating the schoolmaster violently. Quickly packing his belongings and leaving Dotheboys Hall, he meets JohnBrowdie on the way. Browdie finds the idea that Squeers himself has been beaten uproariously funny, and gives Nicholas money for his trip back to London. At dawn, he is found by Smike, who begs to come with him.
CHAPTER 4: RETURN TO LONDON.
Nicholas and Smike return to London. Nicholas seeks out the help of Newman Noggs, who shows him a letter that Fanny Squeers has written to Ralph viciouslyexaggerating the events of the beating. Noggs tells Nicholas, who is intent on confronting his uncle, that Ralph is out of town and advises him to find a job. Nicholas goes to an employment office, where he encounters a strikingly beautiful girl. His search for employment fails, and he is about to give up when Noggs offers him the position of French teacher to the children of his neighbours.Meanwhile, Kate and her mother are forced by Ralph to move into a cold and old house in a London slum.
Several days later, Nicholas discovers that his uncle has returned. He visits his mother and sister, just as Ralph had readed them Fanny's letter and incriminate Nicholas. He confronts his uncle, who denied to give financial help to the Nicklebys as long as Nicholas stays with them. Nicholas agreesto leave London, but warns Ralph that he will be punished.
CHAPTER 5: SIR MULBERRY HAWK.
Kate lost her job at the dressmaker´s. One day her mother saw an offer to be a companion of Mrs Wititterly. A week after the interview, Kate moved all her things to Mrs Wititterly´s house and started work. During a business dinner to organize Ralph, Kate meets Mr Mulberry. Unfortunately for her, thishorrible old man had liked her a lot. He infiltrated into Mrs Nickleby’s company and he had access to the Wititterly house for conquering to Kate. Kate goes to her uncle for help, but he refuses to help her, citing his business relationships with Hawk. Newman Noggs helps her and he writes to Nicholas, telling him that his sister’s need for him. Nicholas immediately returns to London.
CHAPTER 6:...