It seems that Dickens has a commentary on decisions made out of irrational and hasty choices. Like the Chaos Theory, perhaps Dickens couldn’t even guess where these decisions would take the characters. When comparing a few characters, we see their demise begin with this decision. Even if they don’t see it, we can see how their characters are truly suffering due to the previous decisions or actions they made.
Starting with Lady Dedlock, this one seems pretty easy to determine. With her decision to get rid of Esther as a child and move on from Captain Hawdon, we see many things be effected by it. Esther had to live with her mean Aunt, who neglectfully raised her in bitterness. Because she had to take care of Esther, she denied her love with Boythorn. This bitterness led to an untimely and young death for her. Captain Hawdon’s love was also denied in this instance. He led a life in a downward destructive spiral without her love. Once her secret is out, she flees without knowing that her husband had forgiven her. Out of an irrational decision, she leaves and ends up dying in the cold at Captain Howdon’s grave. By first having the love affair with Howdon, Lady Dedlock set forth all of these other issues that lead to more pain and suffering by others.
The other two characters concerned with decisions would be Mrs. Flite and Richard. Both of these characters become consumed by the case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce in some way. Mrs. Flite has been the “crazy lady” of the on-going case. Although she has seen first-hand how it consumes the lives of wishful partakers, she still goes to the courts and listens in each day. This decision of devoting herself to see the case through hasn’t proven fatal on her part, but she missed completely out on her life with her obsession of the case. Her madness is seen at her first meeting with the girls outside the court room: “I expect a judgment. Shortly. On the Day of Judgement.” (88). The girls are a little frightened due to her eccentric and forward attitude, seeing what the case could do to a person.
Richard decided to depend on the case at an early age and also got wrapped up in it like all of the others. Even when he is pushed by Jarndyce and others to pursue a career, his mind always turns back to the case to rely on. We see his demise also fueled by other slackers like Skimpole and Mr. Vholes, pushing him in the direction of vices and addictions. Richard gets carried away with stressing about the case and lives in a state of bitterness and hatred, one that Ada can't even pull him out of. Even Skimpole, as carefree and loving as he his, doesn’t want to go somewhere where there is no pleasure, like Richard’s (713). Skimpole knows the miserable state that hs is in and doesn’t feel the need to add to Richard’s predicament. Richard, dying at a young age, succumbs to the untimely death like the previously mentioned women ended with. I think Dickens is showing us readers how stress and negative feelings can physically affect us. Through stress, hate, and dishonesty, we can expect a shorter lifetime from one who dwells in that kind of world of feelings.
This is an interesting reading, which I hadn’t thought of before. The idea that consequences might occur in the future and not in the present is very strong in the novel. When we meet most of the characters, they haven’t been in a lot of trouble. But, through their choices, we can see how one bad decision can create problems that might have lasting effects on their lives. Dickens seems to be asking his readers to think before they make a choice. However, he also seems to be asking for people to listen to those who have made good choices. If Richard had listened to Jarndyce, then he wouldn’t have died young.
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