# Nurse and Patient explained — Bleak House > Chapter companion for Bleak House by Charles Dickens. ## What happens Esther and Mr. Jarndyce take in the sick boy Jo, providing him shelter in a loft-room despite Mr. Skimpole's callous suggestions to turn him out. Charley helps nurse Jo, but he vanishes during the night, prompting a fruitless search. Soon after, Charley falls ill, and Esther isolates herself to nurse her, keeping Ada at a distance to protect her from infection. ## Themes in this chapter ### Social Class and Inequality Jo's suffering and the difficulty of securing him medical care underscore the vast divide between the wealthy and the destitute. ### Bureaucracy and Dehumanization Mr. Jarndyce's remark that a convicted prisoner would receive better care than Jo exposes the dehumanizing flaws in the system. ### Appearance vs. Reality Skimpole's cheerful, childlike demeanor masks a profound lack of empathy and moral responsibility. ## Character check-ins ### Esther Summerson Esther takes charge of nursing Jo and later Charley, isolating herself to prevent the spread of illness. ### Mr. Jarndyce Mr. Jarndyce arranges for Jo's shelter and writes a letter on his behalf, showing his compassion. ### Harold Skimpole Skimpole dismisses Jo's plight with flippant remarks, suggesting he be turned out and amusing himself with music. ### Charley Charley assists in nursing Jo but later falls ill herself, becoming Esther's patient. ### Jo Jo is taken in sick and sheltered in the loft, but he mysteriously disappears during the night. ### Ada Clare Ada is kept at a distance by Esther to avoid infection, communicating through the window. ## Key lines > Such is will! I have no will at all—and no won’t—simply can’t. Skimpole claims he lacks the willpower to act, using this as an excuse for his inaction. _Skimpole's self-deprecating remark deflects responsibility for helping Jo._ > is it not a horrible reflection, that if this wretched creature were a convicted prisoner, his hospital would be wide open to him, and he would be as well taken care of as any sick boy in the kingdom? Mr. Jarndyce laments that a convicted criminal would receive better medical care than the innocent, sick Jo. _This highlights the injustice of the social system._ > Gone, miss. Dead, miss? No. Gone clean off. The servant reports that Jo has disappeared rather than died. _Jo's mysterious escape adds to the suspense and his vulnerability._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xxxi-nurse-and-patient - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bleak_house_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters