누가 조를 죽게 만들었는가?

Abstract

This paper aims to inquire the responsibility following the death of Jo in Bleak House. Jo and his 'habitat', Tom-all-Alone's are the critical links connecting the privileged and the under-privileged, the high and the low, so his death comes out to be central to the meaning of this novel, which is related with "class privilege and inequality" and also with the quality of life in this society. The recognition that, contrary to the apparent class distinctions, people cannot be ultimately separated and the so-called 'diseases' in one part of society soon contaminate the whole society comprises the main theme of this work, which is reinforced by the closely organized structure. The close relation of all the parts of this novel shows the writer's growing awareness of the social interconnections, and vice versa. If not, we don't have to pay attention to the social outcast like Jo. In order to establish connections between parts, Dickens resorts to, besides plot, many methods or motifs. We can enumerate the coherence of images, the mystery techniques, the motif of epidemic and parenthood, and "sudden relationships" among characters, and what not. In conclusion, it is clear the ultimate responsibility for the death of Jo should go to the whole social system, that is, the capitalist economy, not to the particular section. No one in this system is immune from the death of Jo.

This paper aims to inquire the responsibility following the death of Jo in Bleak House. Jo and his 'habitat', Tom-all-Alone's are the critical links connecting the privileged and the under-privileged, the high and the low, so his death comes out to be central to the meaning of this novel, which is related with "class privilege and inequality" and also with the quality of life in this society. The recognition that, contrary to the apparent class distinctions, people cannot be ultimately separated and the so-called 'diseases' in one part of society soon contaminate the whole society comprises the main theme of this work, which is reinforced by the closely organized structure. The close relation of all the parts of this novel shows the writer's growing awareness of the social interconnections, and vice versa. If not, we don't have to pay attention to the social outcast like Jo. In order to establish connections between parts, Dickens resorts to, besides plot, many methods or motifs. We can enumerate the coherence of images, the mystery techniques, the motif of epidemic and parenthood, and "sudden relationships" among characters, and what not. In conclusion, it is clear the ultimate responsibility for the death of Jo should go to the whole social system, that is, the capitalist economy, not to the particular section. No one in this system is immune from the death of Jo.