Great Expectations
By Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
(1812-1870)
• the most popular British
novelist of the Victorian era;
• responsible for some of
English literature's most
iconic characters;
• His writing style is florid and
poetic, with a strong comic
touch;
Operas:Great expectations,
David Copperfield •
Oliver Twist
Nicholas Nickleby
famed for his depiction of the
hardships of the working
class, his intricate plots, his
sense of humour;
Great Expectations
-details about the book• first published in serial form in the publication All the
Year Round;
• has been adapted for stage and screen over 250 times;
• the novel can be considered semi-autobiographical of
Dickens, like much of his work, drawing on his experiences
of life and people;
Characters
• Philip Pirrip, nicknamed Pip, an orphan and the protagonist of Great Expectations
• Joe Gargery, Pip's brother-in-law, and his first father figure
• Mrs. Joe Gargery, Pip's hot-tempered adult sister
• Mr. Pumblechook, Joe Gargery's uncle
Characters
• Miss Havisham, wealthy spinster who takes Pip on as a companion
• Estella (Havisham), Miss Havisham's adopted daughter
• The Convict, an escapee from a prison ship, whom Pip treats kindly
• Mr. Wopsle, the clerk of the church in Pip's town
Characters
•
Mr. Jaggers, prominent London lawyer
•
John Wemmick, Jaggers's clerk
•
Biddy, Mr. Wopsle's second cousin
•
Herbert,Pip’s best friend
Style and themes
• Great Expectations is a bildungsroman, a
novel depicting growth and personal
development, in this case, of Pip.
• The main themes of Great Expectations
are those of crime, social class, empire and
ambition .
Symbolism
1. Light/Darkness
Dickens creates a universe of darkness, such that whenever there is any light
(whether from the sun or from some other artificial source), we sit up
right away and pay attention.
The constant contrast between the two also emphasizes the Gothic quality of
the novel and helps create a visual imprint on our brains.
2. Mist on the Marshes
They reveal truths rather than obscure them.
They can obstruct, and they can reveal. No matter what, they are everywhere
in the novel.
3.Miss Havisham’s garden
Everything in it is either dead or deformed. The trees, vegetables, flowers, and
pathways are all decaying.
Miss Havisham’s garden and mansion are both symbols of the wealth and privilege
of high society. But if they are decaying and rotten, what does that say about high
society?
4. Statues
They are representations of humans, animals, or events, and they are
usually made out of stone or other cold materials.
Estella, though human, tells Pip that she doesn’t have a heart, and in
this way, her statue-ness is emphasized.
5.Weather
The weather in Great Expectations does wonders in the realm of
creating a certain mood, mainly a gloomy one. We rarely see the sun, and
when we do, we don’t quite know what to do with ourselves.
6. Shadows
Shadows always abound when Estella is around.
They remind us of the truths that are hidden and of the incredibly
complex nature of humans.
The Title
• The title refers to Pip’s "great
expectations" which are many
dimensional and ever-evolving. His
great expectations arrive in the form of
his fortune and are embodied in his
dream of becoming a gentleman.
The Ending
• There are TWO different endings to Great
Expectations.
• The original is simple. The second one is Hollywood-ified.
• The first ending, the original ending, sees Pip
and Estella reuniting after many years.
• The second ending comes replete with all but fireworks and
we are led to believe that Pip and Estella live happily ever
after.
Quotes
-and their interpretations• Quote: Miss Havisham's house, which was of old brick and dismal,
and had a great many iron bars to it. Some of the windows had been
walled up; of those that remained, all the lower were rustily barred.
• Analysis: Satis house resembles a prison. It's made of brick and is
dismal and dark, has few windows, and many bars (Chapter 8).
• Quote: I thought I heard Miss Havisham answer--only it seemed so
unlikely, "Well? You can break his heart." (Chapter 8).
• Analysis: Pip learns early on what Estella and Miss Havisham's
plans are, yet he continues to pursue her. This introduction to the two
shows the reader immediately what Estella and Miss Havisham are
like.
Why do I think that the book should be
read?
• Iuliana:
“Great Expectations” tells the sad story of a boy who,little by
little,is able to understand the meaning of life.He first believed
that it all came down to love and even money.In the end,he
becomes the prisoner of his own thoughts and realizes that
whatever he ever wanted was not going to bring him happiness…
• Roxana:
• “It is a book that doesn’t have one particular theme,talking
about real experiences and also making the reader feeling very
sensitive”