Bleak House by Charles Dickens Part #10

SPOILERS FOR CHAPTERS 30-32

Quite a lot happens in these three chapters.

It is revealed in chapter 30 just how much Esther has been missing out in her narrative. It seems that Mr Woodcourt (a young London Doctor) was calling at Mr Jarndyce’s house more than we were led to believe  - although this does help to make more sense of his parting words.

Mrs Woodcourt (his mother – not his wife, that would just add a whole new level of unnecessary drama to the mix if that was the case)) spends three weeks visiting Bleak House and seems to spend most of her time going on (and on…and on) about her ancestors and her sons blood lines (seriously it is like the poor guy is a horse) and all but sets up a neon sign announcing Esther’s unsuitability for her son. Mrs Woodcourt is sure to cover all of her bases by painting her son as a fickle flirt since he reached eighteen… You know, just in case he was at all attentive to Esther. Yes, she has a snobbish streak the size of the Thames this woman.

There was one little bit that might seem random, but I really liked it when Esther referred to Bleak House as ‘our house’. That just gave me a warm fuzzy feeling for some reason. Like Esther feels like she finally belongs somewhere.

Caddy gets married, Esther meets Jo and she and Charley fall ill.

And then there is Mr Omniscient who picks up with Mr Guppy and his pal who are trying to get their hands on some letters currently in the possession of Mr Krook.

Two word –

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION!

That’s right. Mr Dickens had Mr Krook blow up. Poof.

Now, you have to admit, THAT is random.

The built up to the discovery is a bit squirm inducing in retrospect. There is a heavy soot in the air and falling onto people clothes and a ‘stagnant sickening oil’ covering the windowsill and then My Guppy’s fingers when he taps the sill.

Yip, it is raining Mr Crook. If that isn’t a bit disturbing I don’t know what is…