THE AUTHOR
Who is Charles Dickens?
He wrote Bleak House and many other famous Victorian novels.
Who is Esther Summerson?
She is the kind and modest narrator of the story.
What is Jarndyce vs Jarndyce?
Jarndyce vs Jarndyce is a very long inheritance lawsuit in the novel. Dickens uses it to criticize the slow and complicated legal system.
What is London?
The novel begins in this city.
What is fog?
This weather element symbolizes confusion in the novel.
What is England?
This country is where Charles Dickens was born.
Who is John Jarndyce?
This generous man becomes the guardian of Esther, Ada, and Richard.
What is the Court of Chancery?
This court handles the Jarndyce case.
What is fog?
The first chapter describes this weather condition covering the city.
What are the rich and the poor?
Dickens shows a strong contrast between these two social groups.
What is the Court of Chancery / legal system?
Dickens often wrote about poverty, social problems, and this unfair legal system.
Who are Ada Clare and Richard Carstone?
These two young cousins are involved in the Jarndyce inheritance case.
What is inheritance / property?
Inheritance = money or property received from someone who has died.
Property = land, houses, or valuable possessions someone owns.
What is Bleak House?
This is the home where Esther, Ada, and Richard go to live.
What is neglecting family while focusing on distant charity?
Mrs Jellyby wants to help people in Africa, but she ignores her own family. Dickens uses her character to criticize people who care about distant causes but neglect their duties at home.
What is the Victorian era?
Dickens wrote during this historical period in Britain.
Who is Lady Dedlock?
This aristocratic woman becomes curious when she sees a legal document.
What is bureaucracy or legal delay?
The case has lasted for this reason: the legal system is very slow and complicated.
Who is Mrs Jellyby?
This woman focuses on charity work in Africa but ignores her own children.
What is the legal system?
Dickens shows that the legal system is slow, confusing, and unfair, and it harms the people who depend on it.
What are Oliver Twist and Great Expectations?
Two other famous novels written by Dickens are these.
Who is Harold Skimpole?
This charming but irresponsible man avoids responsibility and lets others pay his debts.
What is the inefficiency of the legal system?
This is the main criticism Dickens makes through the court case.
Who is Harold Skimpole?
This character pretends to be innocent and childlike but avoids responsibility.
What is social injustice?
Social injustice means unfair conditions in society, where some people are very rich while others live in poverty.