Tuesday 11 March 2014

"When Mr. Bucket and that finger are much in conference, a terrible avenger will be heard of before long."

Guess who's writing their Bleak House on a Monday night? GUESS? I mean, I realise this doesn't have anything to do with the book and, you know, no one really cares, but it's almost like I'm sorting my life out and getting things in order! YES!

I'm also stalling because this week I read the chapters at my parents' house, and didn't have my sticky tabs with me, so I'm having to rely on notes on my phone that are basically just quotes to prove how much Ada and Esther love each other, SECRET MARRIAGES to the contrary.
How could you do that, Ada? How could you?
OK, so. Important things have happened. Mr. George is absolutely in prison for a murder there was no way he committed, although now we know why he had some chapters with Mr Tulkinghorn even though they seemed kind of random. Also important to note: George totally isn't his surname. So why we know him as Mr. George is a mystery to us all, because I don't really care that his mother is the housekeeper at Chesney Wold? But there you go.

Ada and Esther were both harbouring secrets that kept them at a distance from each other, both about their ill advised marriages. It's difficult to say which one I'm more against, since I basically just want Esther and Ada to be together for always, but Mr Jarndyce is at least a decent human being, so there's that. When Ada was all weird that Esther was marrying Mr Jarndyce, I assumed it was because she was sad that SHE couldn't marry Esther, but it turned out that she was just sad because she was married to an idiot. 
SPEAKING OF WHICH: How important was it that they get married, really? Were they that desperate to get laid that it just couldn't wait? Or did Ada just want to get away from Esther sniffing her hair and whatever as she slept? "I lingered for one more look of that precious face, which it seemed to rive my heart to turn from." Of course you did, Esther. Of course you did.

Enough of unworthy husbands, lets talk about Mr Bucket. Who is awesome. Despite scaring poor little Jo nearly to death (Oh! Jo. No.) I liked him the last time he appeared, and this time, I really really liked him. I am so into his amazing crime solving skills, even though everyone apparently knew who'd murdered Mr T immediately last week. I say everyone, when really I mean everyone except me, of course.
But the point is, Mr Bucket you are a master of crime solving and I like you a lot. Even if, in the process of outing the murderer, you totally helped to out Lady Dedlock's hugest secret to her husband, making him upset but still loving, and her run away to... somewhere. We shall see! I don't quite understand why Mr George is still in prison in the chapter after Mr Bucket figures out that Hortense is the murderer, but it's very possible I missed something there.

SPEAKING OF MR GEORGE (see what I did there?) I just have to bring up my favourite part of the whole of this section, namely the bit where, every time Mrs Bagnet is overcome with emotion because she loves Mr George but doesn't know how not to be stern, she pokes him with her umbrella. I just... couldn't get over how adorable it was! I'm still not over it now! Just, yes, Dickens, please keep writing things like this and I will keep coming back to you, I swear!
The end. Except not the end. But IS NEXT WEEK THE END? What the hell, everyone. Nice work letting this happen. *Glares*

7 comments:

  1. The timeline's really screwy in these chapters. So I think the George-still-in-prison thing happens before Bucket arrests Hortense? Not that he's out of prison when she's arrested. But he's about to be. I think. Also I love Bucket.

    ALSO I'm pretty sure Richard said they had to get married because she was all "Take my money!" and he was all "No!" but then he was like "Well, if we're married, your money's mine because haha women don't own property" so he seemed to consider that situation fine.

    According to some research I justttt did, married women couldn't own property in England until the Married Women's Property Act of 1870, and this book was 1853. That act "allowed women to be the legal owners of the money they earned and to inherit property," which...aha. Ha. Ha.

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    1. '""Well, if we're married, your money's mine because haha women don't own property" so he seemed to consider that situation fine." - well, now I hate Dick-chard even more

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    2. I guess the George still being in prison stuff could have been happening at the same time as the Bucket being awesome stuff. Which makes sense, actually, since Mrs George (I can't remember her naaaaame) arrives in time to help Sir Leicester with his fit and all. So there's that.

      UGH, damn laws of sexism and bullshit. Damn damn damn damn damn them.

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  2. That GOB gif is perfect. I assume Ada will have this moment eventually, even if she hasn't had it yet. I mean she had Esther RIGHT THERE. Ugh. Those two need to be together.

    Bucket I'm still not into. I distrust how easily he pretends to be friends with people just to be like "haHA kidding! clap him in irons and all that"

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    1. Ada's made a huge mistake, Esther's about to make one by marrying Mr. J, Lady D had sex before marriage... it's all about mistakes, this book. HOW WILL IT END?!

      But but but also Mr Bucket! He's amazing. I love him. And his face (probably)

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  3. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS HORTENSE. If we're being honest, i didn't even think about WHO it might be. I was just like, Oh! Tulkinghorn. He dead.

    I'm going to start poking people with an umbrella to express my affection.

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  4. I think they MUST have rushed the marriage because of the money reasons. I wonder...if they were already married when he quit the military. Because that might explain how he was planning to afford to live without any income. Does he EVEN love Ada? I just don't think he does, even if he's tricked himself into thinking he does.

    Can he and Skimpole spontaneously combust?

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