Bleak House Interesting Tidbits (1-8)

Chapter One

The fog in "Bleak House" represents the ineffectiveness and lack of integrity in the Court of Chancery. Though the fog is literal in the way that the weather is bad and how London appears to be very gloom and doom, it is also a metaphor for the "fogginess" of the Justice system; more specifically, the lack of clarity the case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce has, since the founders of the case have long since passed, and now it sits on the shoulders of their grandchildren.

Chapter Two

This chapter is about the introduction of Lady Dedlock and the going-ons in her life. They also introduce a character named Mr. Tulkinghorn, who is very scary in the way that he knows everyone's secrets. During chapter two,  Lady Dedlock faints when she sees the handwriting on one of the documents Mr. Tulkinghorn brings to her. This could be a foreshadow to something relevant in the J&J case because back then, everything was handwritten so you got to know everyone's individual style- especially that of your loved ones. This foreshadows a connection between this frivolous character and someone mentioned in the telling of Esther's life.

Chapter Three

A bit of irony abounds with the introduction of one of the dueling narrators- Esther Summerson. I think it's interesting that Dicken's chose a self-depricating, humble, kind girl as a main character, considering she doesn't have the personality of someone who would even dream of talking about her experiences. In my opinion, he created a very biased character (thinking the best of everybody and their actions) which may come in handy later in the story.

Chapter Four

This chapter introduces a theme in the book of ignoring your domestic responsibilities. Mrs. Jellyby doesn't keep track of her kids, there is rarely well-cooked food, cleanliness is not a priority, the staff is either drunk or not present, and she is more absorbed with a country hundreds of miles away more than she is with her own home. Basically, she represents the shambles London has fallen into.

Chapter Five

Some symbolism takes place in the Crazy Old Lady's house where the four young adults are beckoned into during their walk. So, Krook, an old man, owns a store full of things that he bought, but will never sell. He is a hoarder with a house filled with meaningless nonsense that has no value, and the majority of it is probably garbage. His house/store is nicknamed The Court of Chancery.

Chapter Six

Mr. Skimpole is a mooch when it comes to Mr. Jarndyce's resources, and apparently doesn't have a knack for responsibility, working, or providing for his family. He is a very controversial character because even though we are inclined to hate him, Esther seems very intrigued by his lifestyle, and wonders how he avoids so much responsibility. He shows Mr. Jarndyce's soft-spot for lost case's, but also makes you wonder why he would put up with this atrocious man for so long.

Chapter Seven 

During this chapter, Mrs. Rouncewell recounts the story of a terrace they call "The Ghost's Walk" because a few centuries ago, the past Lady Dedlock cursed the Dedlock family. Apparently, she cursed this spot in particular so that every time something horrible was about to happen to a future Dedlock, you would be able to hear her footsteps walking about. This is a very obvious foreshadow.

Chapter Eight

In chapter eight, Mrs. Pardiggle, a woman attempting to start some kind of organization, shows up at Mr. Jarndyce's house looking for funds. Her whole character further supports the theme of ignoring your domestic responsibilities and instead caring more about a different cause. She is rude, mean, and thinks very lowly of anyone and everyone. Her home circumstances are very similar to Mrs. Jellyby's because she works from home, her house is in shambles, her kids are merely used to humanize her organization so she brings to all of her events, and she controls her husband, who has no say in anything.

"The Big Two-Hearted River" Questions

1.     The barren landscape, lack of people, and remembrance of fallen partners are all examples of how this story could relate to WWI. The man in the story has PTSD from the war. This is apparent in the negative way he views his surroundings, such as the black and burnt landscape he discovers when he returns home. It reminds him of the bombed landscape he was attempting to get away from. This area, which used to be full of vegetation and life is now charred and full of ruin- just like the soldier is after going to war and coming back. The lack of other characters in this story is reminiscent of the loneliness soldiers feel when returning to war, because no one else understands what he went through. He feels he cannot reconnect this location, or the people there, with home because it is too similar to what he left behind.

2.     In my opinion, reading “The Big Two-Hearted River” before “The Sun Also Rises” would be a good idea because they have similar themes and characters. Much like “the Sun Also Rises”, “the Big Two-Hearted River” has a main character that has returned from war with PTSD. Also, both are written using the “iceberg theory”. This theory is that the author should describe one thing (Nice Adams fishing, Jake being an aficionado of bull fighting) when an entirely different thing occurs beneath (concentrating on fishing so he doesn’t have to think about anything else, Jake being into a masculine sport to make up for his own castration).

3.     Hemingway shows the theme in “Big Two-Hearted River” by paralleling and contrasting Nick Adams experience in World War I with his return to home. When he left the war, he was in a place that was burned and charred, and now, his home is too. This represents Nick because he is emotionally destroyed, just like his hometown, by the PTSD he is struggling with. Seeing the trout in its’ rightful place, the river, makes Nick want to fit in, and the river represents his journey to finding himself again.

4.     The first section focuses on Nick’s homecoming, and more intimately, how veterans returning from war feel that their homes have been metaphorically (or physically in this case) destroyed. They can no longer associate their past abodes with the safe and carefree place they left, and the fact that no one in their community really understands what they’ve been through makes them feel as though they might as well be alone. This creates a sad and desolate tone since Nick feels as though he is still in the war. The second section, however, creates a more positive tone. Nick sees the trout in their natural habitat, and feels envious. The river represents the journey he will need to take to recover the feeling belonging, and the grasshoppers represent the reformed person he will come out as on the other side, because they too have found

5.     The combination of Hemmingway’s simplistic diction, short sentences, and varied syntax made “The Big Two-Hearted River” very simple to read and comprehend. One thing I noticed while reading this story was that it was much easier to focus on the images that writing invoked because the writing was very straightforward. It seemed Hemmingway was going for the illusion that you are bobbing to the rhythm of the river mentioned in the story because it was very melodious and resembled a calm flow.