- 20 -
Fnoulr
Be h.i'Iiilir Mr BuA'il'
hi il/iisifatiM /'i Rh;z tor
Bleak House
On several occasions we see that Bucket shows this basic attitude as defined by
Grant. While trying to find Jo, the cross-walk sweeper, Bucket happens to open a door
and start a conversation with the wives of the bricklayers. He asks where they come from,
when they arrived in London, the age of the baby and why the other woman is so fond
of that baby. Bucket not only contents himself with their answers to his inquiries, he
also teaches one of the women about the value of raising a child properly, "You train
him respectable and he'll be a comfort for you". A second extensive example of Bucket's
eagerness to get to know people is when he unexpectedly drops in at the Bagnet's to arrest
George the Trooper. Mr Bagnet is celebrating Mrs Bagnet's birthday by preparing a feastly
dinner and letting Mrs Bagnet do "nothing but sit in her very best gown". George was
already attending the party when Bucket drops in uninvited, much to the astonishment of
the party-goers. It doesn't take long for Bucket to win the hearts of the Bagnets. He speaks
about health, happens to be fond of children, tells openly about his desire to have children
of his own and plays just like little Woolwich the 'Five'. Bucket leaves the family, as soon
as George leaves, by saying that he has spent one of the most pleasant days of his life,
so hiding the real reason of his presence. One can see this as deceptive to George; it is
also possible to perceive this as an attempt to be discreet, as an attempt not to humiliate
George in the eyes of his friends by arresting him in their presence. What has been
