Come Little Children ~Ashlyn Scism

     Children and youth are prominent themes in this novel. Since Dickens wrote during the industrial revolution it has clearly impacted his works. The industrial revolution forced entire family units into the workforce. Children were working to put food on the table for their families. Not even mentioning the horrible working conditions, this is something too intense for any child to experience. This experience forced children to grow up too soon. Dickens himself was a victim of this and his perspective is enlightening. The Jellyby children are all miserable and they act as if they do not have parents. When our main characters arrive at Bleak House Richard tries to explain this to Mr. Jarndyce: “‘The little Jellybys,’ said Richard, coming to my relief, ‘are really—I can’t help expressing myself strongly, sir—in a devil of a state” (Dickens 61). The Jellyby parents do almost nothing to actually take care of their children. These children are forced to fend for themselves. 

The idea of youth is fickle at best in the story. The characters who seem to maintain their youth or naivety are the adults. Esther is one example. She holds a certain childlike innocence and affable countenance. On the other hand, Harold Skimpole refers to himself as a child: “He told us, however, that as he had always been a mere child” (Dickens 65). He, however, seems to exemplify the more selfish nature of children, unlike Esther. Harold has no sense of responsibility and no real regard for other people. He revealed this about himself when he asked to borrow money without a thought of returning it.

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