In Chapter 4, one of Mr. Wopsle's statements puzzled me greatly. It says that "'Swine,' pursued Mr. Wopsle, in his deepest voice, and pointing his fork at my blushes, as if he were mentioning my christian name; 'Swine were the companions of the prodigal. The gluttony of swine is put before us, as an example to the young.'" (Dickens, pg. 25)
Prodigal generally means gifted, or at the very least intelligent, yet Mr. Wopsle says the word as if it is a bad thing. Either he is saying that young men should be gluttonous, or his meaning of "prodigal" is entirely different from what I know the word as.
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