Comparisons

As I was thinking about the novel, I realized that many authors use acts of betrayal as main themes in novels. Betrayal can be portrayed into many different story lines and can tie a story together. The book Kite Runner came to me because one of the main themes of the novel was the act of betrayal between two brothers. In Great Expectations, Pip and Joe have the bond of brothers/fathers also. Even though The Kite Runner and Great Expectations are two very different novels, they were both very similar in that they both had characters that were overcome by guilt due to their selfish desires in their past.

Connecting the Dots

As many know, I am an avid reader. Sometimes, I feel as though i have read almost every good book out there. One thing I have noticed throughout every novel is that no good author puts something in without good reason. I forgot this while reading Great Expectations, and therefore could not find the truth for the ending. Once i reached the end of the book, and found out who the mysterious benefactor really was, I immediately remembered a scene earlier in the book-not where Pip first met the criminal though, but the meeting where Pip got the coin. When i first read that chapter, i had thought, how does this connect to the purpose of the novel, or even relevant to the plot? It made an interesting story, but I couldn't figure out why the author had included it. At first, I thought that it might have had something to do with showing more of the characters personality traits, but that was ruled out as those traits had already been shown. Once I had read the ending though, it had made sense-it was a sign of things to come for Pip. By the time I had read about Pip becoming a gentleman, i had forgotten about the coin-the first ever that was Pips, and not claimed by his sister. I think if i had remembered that, an connected it to what I had read in other books, i could have foreseen his benefactor, or at least thought of it once, instead of what the author wanted us to think. My favorite kind of book-the one that has stuff in the beginning that you forget about or don't know the truth behind until the plot spirals together and everything is revealed, and all loose ends are tied.

Are there any other instances in the novel that were not obvious from the start that anyone noticed?

Assumptions

In Great Expectations, Dickens criticizes social classes and the assumptions that go along with them. Pip, growing up under the care of the Gargery family, is a part of the poor working class. When he is exposed to Miss Havisham’s lifestyle, being a part of the wealthy, upper class, Pip longs to become a part of that as well. However, Dickens opposes the stereotypical view of the social classes, describing Miss Havisham as a lonely, selfish woman with a “cold heart” (338). Joe, however, is a “good-natured, sweet-tempered… dear fellow”, even though he is just a poor peasant (7). Dickens also uses this contrary belief with Magwitch and Pumblechook. Pip does not like Pumblechook for his proud, haughty characteristics. Magwitch, although at first Pip is terrified of him, later grows in Pip’s eyes and he becomes very fond of the ex-convict. Dickens portrays the difference between Pumblechook and Magwitch through their greed. Pumblechook, although already well set off in life, attempts to gain even more recognition through taking claim to Pip’s fortunes, telling everyone he is the benefactor. Magwitch, however, with nothing to his name, works hard to gain money to give to Pip, purposefully being anonymous. The difference between the selfish ambitions of Magwitch and Pumblechook demonstrates a major theme in the novel. Dickens uses these charcaters to depict a person’s worth does not derive from their money or social standings. Pip could not stand to be around Pumblechook, whereas he willingly took his “place at magwitch’s side” because he felt it “was his place” (495). Also, Pip admires and loves the “tenderness of Joe” and his giving spirit, whereas Miss Havisham only thinks of herself and justifying her longings in life (518). Because of their characteristics, the wealthy in Great Expectations are less valued than the poor, yet more admirable characters. Thoughts?

The Mists

In Great Expectations, the mists are a significant symbol throughout Pip’s adventures. Their dark, mysterious characteristics symbolize changes Pip will experience, often becoming almost another character in itself. As a young boy, when Pip goes out to give his convict food, the mists were so thick they “seemed…like a phantom” to him, weighing down his already guilty conscience (Dickens 17). When Pip was with the convict, later known to be Magwitch, he sees another escaped convict that “the mist had shrouded”, foreshadowing an importance to this other convict. The mists also symbolize a change in Pip’s life when he is leaving home, headed for his life as a wealthy gentleman. The mists “had all solemnly risen”, demonstrating his new direction in life, leaving behind his past (Dickens 177). After Pip experiences many trials, including losing a dear friend, Magwitch, and losing all his fortunes, Pip returns to his humble beginnings. While meeting with Estella, they decide to be friends; and with the mists rising around them, in “all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed” Pip sees “no shadow of another parting from her” (Dickens 539). The mists symbolize a positive, certain ending to Pip’s life with Estella, leaving them forever friends and united in companionship, which is what Pip has always wanted.

What other symbols do you notice in the novel?

Pip: A barbarian (from space?) amongst ghosts

It is clear throughout Great Expectations that Dickens is trying to portray the character Pip as a tyrannical nomad (or barbarian) who constantly struggles to dominate the ghost like figures around him.  This theme is clearly symbolized both in the beginning of the novel when a young pip sits upon the graves stones of his parents, as well as later within his affection for fair skinned characters such as Estella and Herbert. It could also be presumed that this is the reason Dickens made his characters so shallow in comparison to Pip's wild depth. In the end, this parallel of barbarian and ghosts created a gentle humanism within Pip, even if he was possibly from space.

For response: Do you think Pip was indeed from Space? Why?

Modern Struggle

Clearly a major theme of this novel is the desire for power and is demonstrated through Pip's constant struggle to get to the top. Through most of the novel Pip struggles to become in power and gain control through social status and even within his relationships. This constant need for power eventually transpires into Pip's needs to free himself from the power of society. He struggles to see past the materialistic standards of society. Dickens demonstrates how Pip struggles to break through the expectations of society, but these struggles still clearly exist today. In the modern day world individuals are constantly faced with the struggle to conform to society or break through and see past these social-economic needs.

How do you see people today struggling with these same needs as Pip?

Pip and Joe vs. Judas and Jesus

While I was reading Great Expectations I happened to of also been reading a Bible passage form church around the same time. I couldn’t help but notice that the Bible story about Judas and Jesus closely resembles that of Pip and Joe’s.

So for some background on the Bible story; Jesus takes Judas under his wing as his disciple and through this Jesus gains Judas’ trust and also a strong relationship. Eventually, the local priests pressure Judas into betraying Jesus and in return he not only gains good social standing with the church but also 30 silver coins (wealth). In turn Jesus was disappointed but continued to provide unconditional love and forgiveness to Judas.

This simple Bible story kind of breaks down Pip and Joe’s relationship. Judas represents Pip, the oppressor while Jesus represents Joe. As Judas continues to abuse Jesus, Jesus continues to hang on and keep the relationship afloat, much like we often let God down or disappoint him yet he never leaves us to sink. I believe that a lot of our personal relationships in life also follow this same pattern. Relationships with parents, friends, family, etc. will eventually lead to some sort of disappointment, but for the majority of the time the relationship continues to stay afloat and in turn each individual grows stronger and closer.

What other relationships in the novel do you see that follow this pattern?

East of London

After I finished reading the novel, I looked back and reread the first couple of pages, paying attention to small details. In doing so, I came across the passage in which Pip reveals the location of the marshlands in which he lives. Nothing seemed too far out of the ordinary until I read a footnote that stated that Pip's home was in the lowlands east of London. At that, I perked up. Pip is east of London. In the Old Testament story of Cain and Abel, after murdering his brother, Cain is exiled to the Land of Nod, which is east of Eden. Cain settles in a land that is east of where he should be, east of where he was designed to be. Also found in the Old Testament is the story of Jonah. Jonah is sent by God to go to Nineveh, but instead, Jonah refuses and charters a ship bound for Tarshish. Tarshish, many historians believe, is located hundreds of miles east of Nineveh, again, we find a man east of where he should be. In Great Expectations, Pip believes that he needs to be in London instead of the marshlands east of London. He feels that he should be in and was designed for London, but instead, he finds himself east of it. Any thoughts on this subject?