Great Expectations 7

• But, judging from the wind, it looked to me that when he see the ghost in the queen's apartment, he might have made more of his stockings." (p.257)

Charles Dickens alludes to Hamlet, a play written by Shakespeare, throughout Chapter 31. In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet portrays himself as insane, ultimately to reveal the cause of his father's death and his uncle's rise to power. Hamlet shows disgust towards his mother and her decision to so quickly marry his uncle. Hamlet desires to ruin the King's power and to make the truth known. Dickens alludes to Hamlet in Great Expectations because many of the main ideas draw parallel connections with each other. Like Hamlet, everything Pip is doing will lead to his eventual downfall. Hamlet desires to marry the beautiful Ophelia -- except other characters hinder that wish -- where Pip is madly in love with Estella, despite the fact that she cannot accept his affection. Overall, Great Expectations and Hamlet possess similar themes: trust, love, deception, status/power, etc.

Work Cited:

"Hamlet: Plot Overview." Sparknotes. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/summary.html.

Photo Credit:
Photograph. Concentric.net. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://www.concentric.net/~marlowe/olivier_hamlet3.jpg.

Great Expectations 6

• "Now, Biddy," said I, "I am very sorry to see this in you. I did not expect to see this in you. You are envious, Biddy, and grudging. You are dissatisfied on account of my rise in fortune, and you can't help showing it." (p. 150)

As soon as Pip realizes the opportunity he is given, he becomes extremely rude towards Biddy and Joe. Dickens introduces the significant theme of social class importance through Pip's excitement of becoming a gentleman. Being immature, Pip is excessively boastful (as he thinks this is how wealthier people act) until the point where he turns snobbish towards his main supporters. Throughout the novel, Dickens shows the importance of loyalty and maintaining good relationships, yet here, Pip is so eager to improve his status, he acts completely out of line towards his friends and family. Dickens stresses that social class has little matter in comparison to human relationships. Although Pip acts disrespectful here, eventually he comes to the realization that his bond with Joe/others is invaluable and worth so much more than what any status could give him.

Photo Credit:
Photograph. Chicago Now. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/improvised-blog/snob.jpg.

Great Expectations 5

• "Nevertheless, I knew while I said those words ... It was two years more before I saw herself. I had heard of her as leading a most unhappy life ... Given her a heart to understand what my heart used to be." (p. 487-490)

Edward B. Lytton, a novelist, was able to persuade Dickens to change the original, unhappy ending of Great Expectations. As a reader, the revised version of the ending doesn't appear to fit the overall tone of the novel -- it almost comes across as fairy-tale-like, where in most of the story, nothing ever turns out perfectly. Dickens may have had the desire to please readers with a happy ending, to illustrate love can be realized, or that Estella and Pip were destined for each other. While some believe the original is too harsh, harsh is more suitable than unrealistic.

Work Cited:
"Edward Bulwer-Lytton." The Lost Club Journal. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://homepages.pavilion.net/tartarus/lytton.html.

Great Expectations 4

• "Enough House!" said I; "that's a curious name, miss." / "Yes," she replied; "but it meant more that it said. It meant, when it was given, that whoever had this house could want nothing else. They must have been easily satisfied in those days." (p. 55)

Upon learning more about the Satis house, there seemed to be a deeper connection with the name "Enough House" rather than the one described by Miss Havisham. The word 'enough' connotes the feeling of 'having enough' or 'being too much to handle.' Yet, Miss Havisham appears to lead a life that was never 'good enough' for her. She is unsatisfied with her lifestyle -- hence the dreary, dark theme of the house, the wedding objects, and the stopping of the clock. Dicken's illustrates Miss Havisham's misery through the connotation of the word and it's deeper meaning.

Photo Credit:
Photograph. Flickr.com. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3565/3610550576_9e9ce2f953.jpg.

Great Expectations 3

• "Joe laid his hand upon my shoulder with the touch of a woman. I have often thought him since, like the steam-hammer that can crush a man or pat an egg-shell, in his combination of strength with gentleness." (p. 142)

Throughout Pip's childhood he was never accustomed to a maternal figure. In this passage, Pip describes Joe's touch as one of a woman. Pip's sister's cruelty and abuse failed to serve Pip with a proper parental figure, which is why Dicken's indicates Joe's patient, compassionate character to be one Pip respects. Pip lacked a stable father figure during his lifetime, but Joe defined his childhood, Mr. Jaggers was constantly referred to as "my guardian," Magwitch served to be a figure that constantly cared for Pip, and towards the end of the novel, Joe returned to nurse Pip back to good health.

Great Expectations 2

• "To see her, with her white hair and her worn face, kneeling at my feet, gave me shock through all my frame... 'What have I done! What have I done!' She wrung her hands, and crushed her white hair, and returned to this cry over and over again. 'What have I done!'" (p. 400-401)

In the beginning of the novel, Dickens portrays Miss Havisham as a controlling, strange woman whereas Pip is more innocent and vulnerable. Now, towards the ending of Miss Havisham's life, their characteristics appear to completely switch. Miss Havisham desperately cries at Pips feet, "What have I done!" The once powerful woman appears overwhelmed, broken down, and apologetic -- a state Pip is shocked to see her in. The line "what have I done" seems strikingly similar to Conrad's line in Heart of Darkness, "The horror! The horror!" As a reader, it can be interpreted that both Kurtz and Miss Havisham repetitively shout these lines, reflecting on their unhappy life.

Great Expectations 1

• "At any particular time, Miss Havisham?" / "There, there! I know nothing about times. Let him come soon, and come alone with you." (p. 97)

Miss Havisham's refusal to give a specific time indicates that she never cared to know what time it was. Every clock in the house was stopped at "twenty minutes until nine" -- this was the time that Miss Havisham was informed her husband-to-be rejected their marriage. Charles Dickens illustrates Miss Havisham's denial by stopping the clocks, an attempt to cease time and leave everything unchanging, like the way it was before/on her wedding day. Miss Havisham believes this strange action will possibly lead her husband to accept her love and return to marry her.

Photo Credit:
Clock 8:40. Photograph. Clipart. Web. 3 Jan. 2010. http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/33300/33394/clock-08-40_33394_md.gif.