Charles Dickens: Bleak House, Caricature, and the Meaning and Meaningfulness of Reality Itself

This chapter argues that Charles Dickens’ humor distinctively brings out the truth and meaningfulness not just of the reality of particular persons, things, or issues, but of reality itself in general and in its own right. Because of this sustained emphasis on a particular form of sense, Dickens’ distinctive focus is much more limited than either Fielding’s or Austen’s with respect to the kind or range of truth it brings out. But, on the other hand, the truth it brings out is a very deep kind of truth.