16. Great Expectations

"There was a gay fiction among us...a rather common one" (275).

As pages of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens continue to turn, a theme is slowly being developed of high hopes and dreams and how the grass is not always as good and green on the other side of the hill. Charles Dickens has Pip admitting that the people he has surrounded himself with pretend to be happy and wear a big smile on their faces, but they are not sincerely pleased with their lives. It is apparent through his words, Charles Dickens has realized that money and material items are not the most important thing in life. Family and friends are the number one priority, for when they are gone, what is really left? Pip comes into money, and then ends up isolating himself. When he walks into trouble, he does not rely on anyone but his good friend, and then he retreats home. The value of money and the value of family are depicted accurately in this book. Charles Dickens explains through his writing that money cannot buy love and that it is impossible to put a price on family.

Photo Credit:

Beagle Review. 3 January 2010. March 2008.
http://www.beaglereview.com/newsletters/2008-03/partners.php

15. Great Expectations

"'You're out in your reading of Hamlet...and at night his reading was lovely'" (258).

Throughout the novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens refers to many incidents in Hamlet, such as the "Ghost of Hamlet" and now the actual play, Hamlet (24). The play written by Shakespeare tells of a king who was murdered by his brother who wanted to have the throne. When the king's son, Hamlet, discovers the truth about how his father died, he plots his revenge. In the end, those at fault died, and those who fought for revenge also died. No one won in the game of revenge and the desire to gain power. Charles Dickens included the references to Hamlet in his novel to reveal to the reader that the path which Pip has taken is going to lead to Pip's downfall. If Pip had known where the money had come from at the beginning of this adventures, he may have thought twice before accepting it. However, he was too absorbed in his own wants and desire to love a lady whom he had no chance with in his natural standing, and along his journey he found himself alone. Pip appears to act on impulse, much like Hamlet, which is his tragic downfall. Charles Dickens embeds the moral of thinking before acting. If Pip had done so, it would have saved him a lot of heartache in the end.

"Hamlet." Sparknotes. 3 January 2010. 2009.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/summary.html

Photo Credit:

"Hamlet." Eight Anime Adaptions I'd Love to See. 3 January 2010.

http://gargarstegosaurus.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/nine-anime-adaptions-id-love-to-see/

14. Great Expectations

"'I am serious,' said Estella...'I have never had any such thing'" (238).

Charles Dickens created Estella as a character who has Pip in a trance because of her elegance and beauty. Even though she appears to be beautiful and looks as though she would have a heart of gold because her outside appearance looks perfect, inside she is cold and phlegmatic. She admits to Pip that she does not have any emotional feelings and does not really care about others. Pip is blind because of his infatuation and realizes that she is telling the truth later on in the novel. By Charles Dickens creating a character such as Estella he is trying to enforce the message to the reader that a first impression based on appearance can be very far from the truth. Even if something looks beautiful and perfect, that does not mean that it really is.

Photo Credit:

"When Your Heart Turns Cold." On This and That-Lyrically Bound. 3 January 2010.

http://onthisandthat.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/when-your-heart-turns-cold-tupac-shakur/

13. Great Expectations

"In my fancy...saw the wicked Noah's Ark lying out on the black water" (229-230).

Charles Dickens may have included Noah's Ark into his novel, Great Expectations, to get the point across that the boat was rather large in size, much like Noah's Ark. It could have also been used as a reference to demonstrate Pip's feeling that he has committed a sin, and he is not the one on the boat, but the one ready to be washed away by the flood. Charles Dickens has included this reference to portray the amount of guilt Pip has lying on his shoulders throughout his story. At this point in the novel it appears that Pip's actions are now coming to a full circle and he is realizing the truths about his life. He understands that in order to save himself, he is going to need to jump on some sort of life boat so that he can ensure that he will be here another day to right the wrongs in his life.

"Noah's Ark and the Flood." About.com. 3 January 2010. 2010.
http://christianity.about.com/od/biblestorysummaries/p/noahsarkflood.htm

12.Great Expectations

"That was a memorable day for me...of the first link on one memorable day" (70).

Charles Dickens embeds throughout his novel, Great Expectations, the realization that for a series of events to occur, there had to be a starting point. He describes a domino effect and the reader is able to really understand how this action works because of Pip's situation. He helps a criminal and from committing this one action, later in life the criminal pays him back for his thoughtfulness. Pip had no idea that he would become a gentlemen because he stole from his sister and Joe. All of his previous feelings of his sneakiness rush through him when he realizes how he got to where he is. It was his past actions that lead him to his future opportunities. Dickens leaves readers thinking of their own choices within their lives.

11. Great Expectations

"'Pip, dear old chap, life is made of ever so many partings... Divisions among such must come, and must be met as they come" (223).

Through these words that Charles Dickens embeds within his novel, Great Expectations, it leads the reader thinking of his or her own life and how the wise words that Joe says to Pip is actually quite true and holds a lot of meaning. The message is clear to Pip that even if the lifestyle changes of an individual, it does not mean that the person has to change with it. Joe felt as though he had to change in order to be in the company of Pip, when in fact he realized that he should not have to change, and if he did, then it should be a goodbye for now. Joe did not feel comfortable being something he is not, and that is a powerful theme that plays throughout Charles Dickens' novel.

10. Great Expectations

"I thought the windows... To Let To Let To Let glared at me from empty rooms...under the gravel" (171).

Charles Dickens is still describing the building in London as Pip enters his new world. As Pip looks around, everything he sees seems unemotional and empty. It appears that the word empty is not used as just a literal sense, but also as a sense of feeling. Charles Dickens introduces the new building to the reader as a foreign object to Pip. It is the complete opposite of what he is used to seeing and living in. Instead of having a loving family inside the building supporting him and listening to him, he is led into an "empty room" and everything is so dreary and cold.

Photo Credit:

Tree Hugger. 2 January 2010.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/sound-of-silence.php