Bleak House
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Themes
All Themes
Social Mobility, Class, and Lineage
Law vs. Justice
Passion, Obsession, and Madness
Philanthropy, Social Responsibility, and Kindness
Haunting, Guilt, and Destiny
Identity and Appearance
Quotes
Characters
All Characters
Esther Summerson
Mr. Jarndyce
Lady Dedlock
Sir Leicester Dedlock
Ada Clare
Richard Carstone
Mr. Tulkinghorn
Mr. Vholes
Mr. Guppy
Mr. Jobling / Mr. Weevle
Bart Smallweed
Mr. Smallweed
Mrs. Smallweed
Judy Smallweed
Krook
Miss Flite
Captain Hawdon / Nemo
George
Phil
Jo
Mr. Snagsby
Mrs. Snagsby
Guster
Mr. Bagnet
Mrs. Bagnet
Mr. Bucket
Mrs. Bucket
Mademoiselle Hortense
Jenny
Liz
The Brickmaker
Mrs. Jellyby
Mr. Skimpole
Mrs. Pardiggle
Mr. Jellyby
Mr. Quale
Caddy Jellyby
Prince Turveydrop
Mr. Turveydrop
Peepy
Mr. Chadband
Mrs. Chadband / Mrs. Rachael
Miss Barbary / Esther’s Godmother
Volumnia Dedlock
Tom Jarndyce
Rosa
Mr. Rouncewell
Mrs. Rouncewell
Mr. Woodcourt
Mrs. Woodcourt
Charley
Gridley
Mr. Boythorn
Terms
All Terms
Ward
Plaintiff
Symbols
All Symbols
Fog
Miss Flite’s Birds
Houses
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices
Alliteration
Allusions
Anthropomorphism
Dialect
Foil
Foreshadowing
Genre
Hyperbole
Imagery
Metaphors
Mood
Motifs
Paradox
Pathos
Personification
Satire
Setting
Similes
Style
Tone
Unreliable Narrator
Quizzes
All Quizzes
Chapter 1 Quiz
Chapter 2 Quiz
Chapter 3 Quiz
Chapter 4 Quiz
Chapter 5 Quiz
Chapter 6 Quiz
Chapter 7 Quiz
Chapter 8 Quiz
Chapter 9 Quiz
Chapter 10 Quiz
Chapter 11 Quiz
Chapter 12 Quiz
Chapter 13 Quiz
Chapter 14 Quiz
Chapter 15 Quiz
Chapter 16 Quiz
Chapter 17 Quiz
Chapter 18 Quiz
Chapter 19 Quiz
Chapter 20 Quiz
Chapter 21 Quiz
Chapter 22 Quiz
Chapter 23 Quiz
Chapter 24 Quiz
Chapter 25 Quiz
Chapter 26 Quiz
Chapter 27 Quiz
Chapter 28 Quiz
Chapter 29 Quiz
Chapter 30 Quiz
Chapter 31 Quiz
Chapter 32 Quiz
Chapter 33 Quiz
Chapter 34 Quiz
Chapter 35 Quiz
Chapter 36 Quiz
Chapter 37 Quiz
Chapter 38 Quiz
Chapter 39 Quiz
Chapter 40 Quiz
Chapter 41 Quiz
Chapter 42 Quiz
Chapter 43 Quiz
Chapter 44 Quiz
Chapter 45 Quiz
Chapter 46 Quiz
Chapter 47 Quiz
Chapter 48 Quiz
Chapter 49 Quiz
Chapter 50 Quiz
Chapter 51 Quiz
Chapter 52 Quiz
Chapter 53 Quiz
Chapter 54 Quiz
Chapter 55 Quiz
Chapter 56 Quiz
Chapter 57 Quiz
Chapter 58 Quiz
Chapter 59 Quiz
Chapter 60 Quiz
Chapter 61 Quiz
Chapter 62 Quiz
Chapter 63 Quiz
Chapter 64 Quiz
Chapter 65 Quiz
Chapter 66 Quiz
Chapter 67 Quiz
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Bleak House
by
Charles Dickens
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Introduction
Intro
Plot Summary
Plot
Summary & Analysis
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Themes
All Themes
Social Mobility, Class, and Lineage
Law vs. Justice
Passion, Obsession, and Madness
Philanthropy, Social Responsibility, and Kindness
Haunting, Guilt, and Destiny
Identity and Appearance
Quotes
Characters
All Characters
Esther Summerson
Mr. Jarndyce
Lady Dedlock
Sir Leicester Dedlock
Ada Clare
Richard Carstone
Mr. Tulkinghorn
Mr. Vholes
Mr. Guppy
Mr. Jobling / Mr. Weevle
Bart Smallweed
Mr. Smallweed
Mrs. Smallweed
Judy Smallweed
Krook
Miss Flite
Captain Hawdon / Nemo
George
Phil
Jo
Mr. Snagsby
Mrs. Snagsby
Guster
Mr. Bagnet
Mrs. Bagnet
Mr. Bucket
Mrs. Bucket
Mademoiselle Hortense
Jenny
Liz
The Brickmaker
Mrs. Jellyby
Mr. Skimpole
Mrs. Pardiggle
Mr. Jellyby
Mr. Quale
Caddy Jellyby
Prince Turveydrop
Mr. Turveydrop
Peepy
Mr. Chadband
Mrs. Chadband / Mrs. Rachael
Miss Barbary / Esther’s Godmother
Volumnia Dedlock
Tom Jarndyce
Rosa
Mr. Rouncewell
Mrs. Rouncewell
Mr. Woodcourt
Mrs. Woodcourt
Charley
Gridley
Mr. Boythorn
Terms
All Terms
Ward
Plaintiff
Symbols
All Symbols
Fog
Miss Flite’s Birds
Houses
Lit Devices
All Literary Devices
Alliteration
Allusions
Anthropomorphism
Dialect
Foil
Foreshadowing
Genre
Hyperbole
Imagery
Metaphors
Mood
Motifs
Paradox
Pathos
Personification
Satire
Setting
Similes
Style
Tone
Unreliable Narrator
Quizzes
All Quizzes
Chapter 1 Quiz
Chapter 2 Quiz
Chapter 3 Quiz
Chapter 4 Quiz
Chapter 5 Quiz
Chapter 6 Quiz
Chapter 7 Quiz
Chapter 8 Quiz
Chapter 9 Quiz
Chapter 10 Quiz
Chapter 11 Quiz
Chapter 12 Quiz
Chapter 13 Quiz
Chapter 14 Quiz
Chapter 15 Quiz
Chapter 16 Quiz
Chapter 17 Quiz
Chapter 18 Quiz
Chapter 19 Quiz
Chapter 20 Quiz
Chapter 21 Quiz
Chapter 22 Quiz
Chapter 23 Quiz
Chapter 24 Quiz
Chapter 25 Quiz
Chapter 26 Quiz
Chapter 27 Quiz
Chapter 28 Quiz
Chapter 29 Quiz
Chapter 30 Quiz
Chapter 31 Quiz
Chapter 32 Quiz
Chapter 33 Quiz
Chapter 34 Quiz
Chapter 35 Quiz
Chapter 36 Quiz
Chapter 37 Quiz
Chapter 38 Quiz
Chapter 39 Quiz
Chapter 40 Quiz
Chapter 41 Quiz
Chapter 42 Quiz
Chapter 43 Quiz
Chapter 44 Quiz
Chapter 45 Quiz
Chapter 46 Quiz
Chapter 47 Quiz
Chapter 48 Quiz
Chapter 49 Quiz
Chapter 50 Quiz
Chapter 51 Quiz
Chapter 52 Quiz
Chapter 53 Quiz
Chapter 54 Quiz
Chapter 55 Quiz
Chapter 56 Quiz
Chapter 57 Quiz
Chapter 58 Quiz
Chapter 59 Quiz
Chapter 60 Quiz
Chapter 61 Quiz
Chapter 62 Quiz
Chapter 63 Quiz
Chapter 64 Quiz
Chapter 65 Quiz
Chapter 66 Quiz
Chapter 67 Quiz
Theme Wheel
Theme Viz
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Bleak House: Chapter 21 Quiz
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What theme does Dickens explore through the Smallweed family's story?
1 of 11
The importance of family traditions
The joy of growing up in a wealthy family
The consequences of child labor on personal development
The benefits of being obsessed with money
How does Mr. Smallweed maintain control over Mrs. Smallweed in their apartment?
2 of 11
By discussing their finances calmly
By hiding his legal documents
By sending Bart to distract her
By throwing a cushion at her to silence her
What aspect of Judy's childhood is emphasized in the passage?
3 of 11
Her enjoyment of typical childhood activities
Her lack of a normal or playful childhood
Her close relationship with her brother
Her love for fairy tales and dolls
How does Mr. Smallweed react to Bart dining at his friend's expense?
4 of 11
He praises Bart for saving his own money
He is disappointed that Bart did not pay for his own meal
He scolds Bart for not inviting him
He is indifferent to Bart's actions
What does George's demand for a pipe signify in his dealings with Mr. Smallweed?
5 of 11
His resignation to unfair treatment
His indifference towards the debt he owes
His attempt to assert a semblance of dignity
His willingness to pay more interest than owed
How does Mr. Smallweed attempt to absolve himself of responsibility in his dealings with George?
6 of 11
By claiming to be just a middleman for a more sinister figure
By physically intimidating his clients into submission
By offering generous repayment terms to George
By denying any involvement in the lending business
What does George's questioning about the man in the city imply?
7 of 11
He believes there is actually a man in the city controlling the debts
He suspects Mr. Smallweed's dealings are legitimate and fair
He is curious about the identity of the man for personal reasons
He metaphorically suggests that Mr. Smallweed has sold his soul to the devil
Why is George pleased he did not succeed in finding Captain Hawdon?
8 of 11
Because it would have led to a dangerous adventure
Because he discovered Captain Hawdon was deeply in debt
Because he realized he could make more money elsewhere
None of the above
How does Mr. Smallweed feel about Captain Hawdon's actions?
9 of 11
He feels that Captain Hawdon was unjustly targeted by others
He believes Captain Hawdon intentionally deceived him
He is sympathetic towards Captain Hawdon's financial troubles
He thinks Captain Hawdon was a reliable debtor
What does the state of George’s Shooting Gallery suggest about his business?
10 of 11
It is thriving and popular among the locals
It is a front for another type of business
It is struggling due to a lack of customers
It is under renovation for a grand reopening
What does George's treatment of Phil suggest about his character?
11 of 11
He values Phil's expertise in combat
He is exploiting Phil for cheap labor
He is unkind and violent
He is compassionate and helps those in need
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Greenall, Lily. "Bleak House."
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LitCharts LLC, 20 Aug 2019. Web. 2 Apr 2025.
Greenall, Lily. "Bleak House." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 20 Aug 2019. Web. 2 Apr 2025.
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