Thoughts on Reading

1. In general I enjoyed this book. It was, however, a little difficult to beleive in some parts, as a few of the main concepts or happenings were a little far-fetched. How many times have you had the experiance of randomly running into an escaped convict? Also, most every chasracter was way overblown. Miss Havisham was overly creepy to imagine. She isn't your the average little old lady down the street. She was deranged and dramatic to a point that she was almost obnoxious to read about because she is so unbelievable. There were some humerous parts too, though. My favorite was when Wemmick is with Miss Skiffins and he keeps trying to put his arm around her. So in all it was a good book to have read, but probably not one I would reread willingly. I was able to deduce most of the mysteries myself exept for Estalla's parents. I wish at he end that Dickens showed Molly again, to see how she reacted to her daughter.

2. I am proud to say that I actually read the whole book. I got behind for two days, and frantically caught up by reading three assignments in one night. After that, I never fell behind again. I either did my reading right before bed; that has always been my favorite time to read, or in the morning. It may sound like procrastination, but like you had your coffee, I would make myself a steaming, delicious chai tea latte. I get up at 5:10, take a shower, then look forward to settling down with my tchai and book. At 6:00 Mackenzie comes over and she finishes her other homework before we go to the bus stop. My mornings are peaceful and I probably prefered reading before school in the morning than at night because I would usually end up going to sleep late. Also, I could comprehend the book better in the morning and it would be fresher in my mind before first period. I will sorely miss my chai tea, Pip-filled mornings.

Alena

Picture Connection

This picture of a plant, that grew from a "Pip" reflects the motif of wanting to become a gentleman. All of Pip's potential that he had as a child (or seed) let him bloom when he got his great expectations. And just as a plant can droop, Pip also changed his ways for the worse as he grew older.

Alena

A Book SImilar to Great Expectations

In Robert Stevenson's Treasure Island there are similar themes to Great Expectations. Both novels have a convict or pirate motif. The criminals from GE aren't really pirates but that is the image I get from them simply because they went to jail in the Hulks, and the way they are physically described. Pistols and leg irons, eye patches and the like. Having the pirate/convict theme in both of the novels sets a similar atmosphere or mood to the book. Another thing that makes them seem similar is the time period. Both are very old fashioned because the writes lived around the same time as eachother. The way of speaking is specific to that special era.

Also, the main characters are similar. Jim Hawkins from TI and Pip from GE are both young lads as they set out to see the world. Jim and Pip both have a sense of conscious. They can destinguish right from wrong. Whether they chose to act on these morals is a different story. In both tales you get to know the character as he grows up. Jim on his unexpected adventure, and Pip following his great expectations. They seem to act similarly most of the time, but have their moments of differences also. For example, Jim is never really ashamed of his humble upbringing as he goes into the company of higher class people.

To conclude, these novels are similar because both share the theme of convicts and pirates and the main characters are quite alike also.

Alena

Second Stage of Great Expectations

One motif from the first stage is Pip's desire to become a gentleman. He yearns for a better life and to not be common. He becomes embarrassed to be seen with Biddy and Joe and starts to act indifferent or aloof to them. This grows in the second stage as he prepares to become a full-fledged member of upper society. Mr. Jaggers is seen to Pip as a sort of role model. An extremely respected and distinguished wealthy gentleman. Pip strives to become like him. Although London came as a dissapointment to Pip, it shows  him how common he really was and enhances his snobbish attitude.

 

Through wanting to become a gentleman, Pip changes considerably as a character. He is less liked by the reader because he isn't an innocent little boy who isn't ashamed of the only people who actually care about him. He used to be content with his life as a normal boy, and although he  didn't have parents or a nice sister, he had Joe. He was happy with the notion of becoming his only companion's apprentice. When the time came, his change of heart made him want more. He was not satisfied with what he had. Pip thinks he deserves more than he has. What a coincidence it is when he randomly gain's a gentleman's fortune and education. When he does learn this, his actions and thoughts change for the worse as he developes into an arrogant "gentleman".

 

Alena

Response to Quote

Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.

Pip is saying that a chain of iron or gold, flowers or thorns is like your life. Each link makes up a day, where a good day would equal a flower or gold in the link, and a bad day would equal a thorn or iron link. By becoming an apprentice to Joe, something he doesn't want to do because it makes him "common", it puts a thorn or iron link on his life. Because of Pip's change of heart, no longer wanting to learn this trade, it shows a significant turning point in the book. From chapters 1-9 Pip is content with Joe's compainonship but in cahpters 10-16 he lets what Miss Havisham say shame him. By Dickens making Pip feel this relatively new emotion of shame, the reader tends to like Pip less. I no longer want to root for him as he struggles through the hardships of his life because he was so easily influenced.

One time that was deffinately a thorn in my life was when my parents got divorced. I am pretty sensative on the subject and have passionate opinions about it and i have very cynical views on marriage and parenthood. I can be overly critical and extremely jealous of people that were raised by two parents. Sometimes I feel like it was my fault and blame myself, and other times I feel cheated of a normal childhood. No matter what I do with my life or who I become, having my parents get divorced is one thing that will always be a part of me.

Alena