# In Which Jos Sedley Takes Care of His Sister explained — Vanity Fair > Chapter companion for Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. ## What happens With George Osborne gone to war, Jos Sedley assumes command of the household in Brussels, caring for the distraught Amelia. His servant Isidor, believing Napoleon will triumph, plots to steal the family's valuables. Mrs. O'Dowd visits Amelia to offer comfort, and the sound of distant cannon fire alarms the city. Later, Rebecca Sharp flirts with Jos to secure her escape plan, but her visit to Amelia provokes a confrontation over her past betrayal. ## Themes in this chapter ### War and Its Aftermath The chapter depicts the civilian experience of war: Amelia's grief, Jos's self-indulgence, and the city's panic at the sound of cannon fire. ### Marriage as Transaction Rebecca flirts with Jos to secure a place in his carriage, treating romantic attachment as a strategic move for safety. ### Appearance vs. Reality Jos appears to care for Amelia but is secretly pleased by George's absence; Rebecca presents herself as concerned while manipulating Jos. ## Character check-ins ### Joseph Sedley Takes charge of the household in Brussels, enjoys George's absence, and is susceptible to Rebecca's flattery. ### Amelia Sedley Grief-stricken after George's departure, she remains in her room and later confronts Rebecca about her betrayal. ### Becky Sharp Flirts with Jos to secure her retreat and visits Amelia, leading to a tense confrontation. ### George Osborne Absent, having marched with his regiment; his hat and belongings remain in the house. ### William Dobbin Mentioned as having interrupted Jos earlier; his departure with the army is implied. ### Mrs. O'Dowd Visits Amelia to comfort her, dines with Jos, and reacts to the sound of cannon fire. ### Isidor Jos's Belgian servant who plots to steal the family's valuables and reports the cannon fire. ### Rawdon Crawley Mentioned in Jos's thoughts as a jealous husband with dueling pistols. ## Key lines > Thus all the superior officers being summoned on duty elsewhere, Jos Sedley was left in command of the little colony at Brussels, with Amelia invalided, Isidor, his Belgian servant, and the bonne, who was maid-of-all-work for the establishment, as a garrison under him. With all the senior officers called away, Jos Sedley found himself in charge of their small household in Brussels, which included the ailing Amelia, his Belgian servant Isidor, and a maid-of-all-work. _Establishes Jos's temporary authority and the household's vulnerability._ > The almost universal belief was, that the Emperor would divide the Prussian and English armies, annihilate one after the other, and march into Brussels before three days were over: when all the movables of his present masters, who would be killed, or fugitives, or prisoners, would lawfully become the property of Monsieur Isidor. Nearly everyone believed Napoleon would split the Prussian and English forces, destroy them one by one, and enter Brussels within three days, after which Isidor expected to inherit his masters' belongings as spoils. _Highlights the prevailing fear of French victory and the servant's opportunistic greed._ > It was the women's tribute to the war. It taxes both alike, and takes the blood of the men, and the tears of the women. The war exacts a price from both sexes: men give their blood, women their tears. _Reflects on the gendered cost of war._ > From Solomon downwards, have not wiser men than he been cajoled and befooled by women? Even the wisest men, from King Solomon onward, have been deceived by women's charms. _Narrator's ironic commentary on Jos's susceptibility to Rebecca's manipulation._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/vanity_fair_se/chapters/xxxi-in-which-jos-sedley-takes-care-of-his-sister - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/vanity_fair_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/vanity_fair_se/chapters