Like Minds and Late Night Hilarity

What a great class tonight!  We have such a great time, and there is always tons of laughter to accompany any worthy scholarly pursuits we may undertake.  Knowledge surrounded with laughter is one of my favorite things on earth! I was so excited to discuss the end of Bleak House with everyone.  I love getting together and discovering things I completely missed when reading the novel. 

Surprises of the night…

1. I heard Esther’s narrative as a woman without ever questioning the fact that a man penned her words.
2. The fog was a sort of bleak house because it surrounded and clogged everything.
3. Dickens was much more miserable in his latter years that I had realized. 
4. Others swept through the ending as I did (and nobody knows what happened to Smallweed – miserable man that he was!)
5. Nobody really discussed the murderess or what prompted her to kill the lawyer.  I figured that would be a hot topic, but we all seemed to take that little portion of the story in stride.
6. Chris (ponderingdickens)  was responsible for all the blogs anybody mentioned… Oh, wait!  That’s not a surprise…

Anyway, there’s always lots of silliness and goofing off to accompany the serious work we do, and I for one, am glad to have been a part of it.

Love “Lady” Bucket

Dear Mr. Dickens,

Thank you so much for including Mrs. Bucket in the solving of the murder mystery ofBleak House.  My grandmother used to say behind every successful man is a tired woman.  She worked as hard or harder than Detective Bucket to catch the killer!  She was judicious and careful, sincere and tenacious… I love that she was the key to catching a killer!

Thank you again.

Revisiting Dickens

Dear Mr. Dickens,… follow up letter (Warning – **Spoilers**)

17 March 2010

To the Admirable Mr. Dickens,

I finished your latest novel, Bleak House, last night.  When I picked it up at around 8:00pm, I didn’t have the intention of finishing it.  However, once you left off of berating the court system, the upper classes, and society in general (as I asked you to do in my last letter – I’m sure your remember it) and reengaged the story and your characters, I found myself unable to put it down.  It turned out to be an excellent example of the balance between romance and realism so many writers seek. 

As per my last letter, I was quite frustrated with your diatribes that seemed to go on and on about the “bleak house” that was London; however, as I look back, I realize the fault was probably mine in my impatience to uncover the fates of your characters and clear up the remaining mysteries.

I see and appreciate your revealing society as a collection of bleak houses.  I love that the only setting which is NOT bleak is the home titled Bleak House.  Here there was happiness and peace. 

In the end, I was very pleased with the fates of most of your characters. While Richard’s death saddened me, I was fully prepared for it due to the parallels you drew between Richard and Gridley.  A life obsessed may only end one way, unhappily.  I was also terribly saddened by the fates of Lady Dedlock and Nemo (Hawdon), but I love that Lady Dedlock retreated to the cemetery where he lay to die herself – nicely done.  Leicester Dedlock certainly came down in the world – clearly as a result of his highhanded and antiquated ideas; however, the fact that George was able to find a place for himself (and Philip) brought me a great deal of joy.  After all, George was one of my favorite characters.

I am also happy with Ester’s marriage to Allan Woodcourt – it absolutely broke my heart when she burned the flowers that he had given her, and I’m not sorry she didn’t marry a man she continually referred to as her “guardian.”  Thank you for avoiding that uncomfortable and significantly icky ending. I was also thrilled to find that Detective Bucket was not the villain I had feared.  He was actually one of the good guys… you fooled me again.  (I also love that his wife was his trusty sidekick!)

The ending of the court case, Jarndyce and Jarndyce was also very fitting.  It reminded me of a children’s book that is one of my son’s favorites – Eric Carle’s The Greedy Python.  It is a story of a snake that gobbles up everything in sight and eventually bites his own tail and swallows himself… sounds like a Chancery Court case to me.

I very much appreciate your efforts to tie up loose ends when concluding your story, but I am left with several questions. 1) Does Jarndyce remain alone or is there some sort of connection forming between him and the elder Ms. Woodcourt? – I do hope so.  2) Does Mrs. Jellyby get a one way trip to her beloved Africa as I so hoped she would? 3) What happened to Grandfather Smallweed? Such a despicable character surely got his just desserts.

I have other concerns, but those are my most pressing.  If you could get back to me on these questions, I would be most grateful. 

Best Regards,

Samantha Vance

Dear Mr. Dickens – Tired of Being Beaten over the Head in Bleak House

Dear Mr. Dickens,

Recently I wrote a note of apology to you for having maligned some of your works based on my limited understanding.  I stand firmly by that apology but would like to express some additional thoughts to you about Bleak House.

One of the things that I love about Our Mutual Friend is that you deliver your social commentary without beating us over the head with it.  Even your rants about the Nuevo Riche are related to the plot.  You skillfylly tie your commentary into some details or at least use characters from the rest of the story.  In Bleak House,  you don’t even bother to make the commentary really relevent to any of the action.  

At this point, I have been bashed over the head with commentary on the Chancery Court until I am sick of it- okay, Mr. Dickens, I get that the legal system is a convoluted mess… you can move on.  I have been bashed over the head with the Doodle, Coodle, and Toodle and familial elements of the government – okay, Mr. Dickens, I get that the government is a convoluted mess… you can move on.  In addition, I don’t need to be continually reminded that this book is allegorical – as a matter of fact, the painted individual referred to as “Allegory” is overkill at best. 

I find myself “lightly reading” (I don’t dare say skimming due to Skimpole’s role) the parts which involve these long diatribes about the social system.  Is your personal life filled with events involving judicail or governmental interference?  That is the only explanation for this novel that is so full of vitriol that it makes an otherwise enjoyable and pleasant read turn into something tedious and distracting.

Mr. Dickens, please climb down off your high horse about the court and government systems and get back to the story…

Sincerely,

Samantha Vance

Bleak House – Swimming in Molasses

Where am I on Bleak House? I wish I knew.  When Dr. W said that the beginning was convoluted and confusing, she wasn’t kidding.  Lots of words … lots of words in Bleak House, and I am struggling to sort through and get what’ s important.  Dickens’ books are so rich and so full of every element of life and literature that I feel like I am trying to swim a race in molasses.  I can’t slow down or I’ll drown, but I can’t really be effective in my reading.  Oh well, here’s to perseverance!

 I am not really sure of much; however, there are a few things that seems to be repeating themselves in Dickens’ writing.

• Nasty Weather – the fog permeates and foreshadows shady dealings and bad news.
• Mud -A Tale of Two Cities began in the mud and we know how disgusting that story got before its conclusion.
• Distaste for the legal system – Dickens’ feelings for the legal workings of his time are clear in his many descriptions of all things related to law. 
• First Person Narration -  I’m not sure why Dickens moves from one point of view to another unless he is mimicking the idea that every story has many sides.  I do like that it helps fully develop Esther. 
• Self-importance – This seems to be a recurring theme throughout the descriptions of characters.  Dickens seems to make fun of those who think themselves more important than others.
• Shady Beginnings – Esther’s mother and early life are a mystery to the reader.  This may reflect Dickens’ wish that his own beginnings had remained a mystery.
• Philanthropy – Dickens was involved in projects of philanthropy, but they were primarily focused on the needs of his own people.  He is clearly criticizing those who focus their efforts on distant problems while ignoring the disasters existing in their own society.  I think he is also criticizing those who go around harassing people for donations to various causes, something I am sure Dickens dealt with quite often.  We see the same thing happen to Boffin in OMF.  It can change people.  Dickens also saw charity as DOING not talking about doing. 
• Ghost Story – Well, who doesn’t love a good ghost story?  I know I do, and Dickens’ ghost story and Poe’s writing have much in common.
• Doubles – we see twins, doubles, opposites, and other elements of repetition.  The painting of Lady Dedlock is obviously related to one of the other characters as an identical image.  Skimpole is clearly a polar opposite from Boythorn.  
• Artistic Mindset – I don’t admire the character of Skimpole.  I think Dickens points out that artistry is not an excuse to be a leech on society.  Dickens himself worked hard even though he was incredibly gifted, and I think he expected the same work ethic from others.  I would be interested to see if Skimpole is indicative of anyone from his personal life.
• Idleness – Turveydrops is the perfect example of someone who is absolutely useless but relies on those around him to care for his needs and wants.  What a leech!

That’s where I am, and the race continues.