In Charles Dickens’ monumental work “Bleak House”, there was a subplot involving a busybody named Mrs. Jellyby. She was heavily involved in raising money for a minister in Africa, and used her furious activity to give her life meaning and to avoid the real life going on in her own family.
Near the end of the book, it turns out that the minister was a fraud, and kept all the money for himself. Did this crush her? Did it cause her to reflect on the waste and family pain she caused? No. She just went on a new crusade, women MPs.
In some ways she was a mirror image of Skimpole, who was a lazy, irresponsible spendthrift rascal, bringing himself and family to ruin. At least he had small pleasures to show for it.
Mrs. Jellyby is a mirror of MANY leftists (and some superficial conservatives).
The book is worth the read, but Mrs. Jellyby is omitted from most movie versions.
Thanks. Have not read it.