- "It was a dark night, though the full moon rose as I left the enclosed lands, and passed out upon the marshes ... There was a melancholy wind, and the marshes were very dismal." (p. 425)
Throughout the entire novel, Dickens uses vivid imagery to set a dramatic tone. Keying in on the weather, particularly elements such as darkness and mist, Dickens creates a powerful setting for the mystery and action about to take place. Readers know that whenever mist is present something dangerous is about to happen. Obviously mist and darkness hinder one's vision, therefore, Dickens uses it to forewarn readers of Pip's unsureness and potential risk. Mist is present when Pip meets the convict in the cemetery, when Orlick attempts to kill Pip, and even in the re-written ending, mist appears as Pip meets Estella. Rewriting the ending including the eerie-mist-effect could indicate Pip's potential dangerous future.
Work Cited:
"Great Expectations."
Shmoop. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://www.shmoop.com/great-expectations/symbolism-imagery.html.
Photo Credit:
Trees in the Mist. Photograph.
Google Image. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://gallery.photo.net/photo/1313809-lg.jpg.
careful with language like "perfect" -- try "effective" or similar -- do you see the difference?
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