Literature Analysis #2 - Great Expectations by: Charles Dickens

1. This story takes place in London in the middle of the nineteenth-century and the main character, Pip, is a young boy who was orphaned but is now raised by his sister along with her husband. One day, he visited the graveyard that was home to his deceased family members and was attacked from behind by a man who threatened to kill him. The man's name was Magwitch and was a criminal who escaped from jail. Later on Pip discovers wealth from an anonymous benefactor who he later on discovers was this man that threatened to take his life. Pip's uncle takes him to Ms. Havisham's creepy old house and there he meets Estella, a stunning young lady assigned to break boy's hearts at the request of the bitter Ms. Havisham. Pip quickly falls in love with her and never stops this pursuit, even after the day she marries an abusive man. Pip later on discovers that Estella is actually Magwitch's daughter, which doesn't alter his feelings for her as they eventually live happily ever after.
2. The theme of this novel is that love can truly blind a person. Pip spent his entire life focused on attaining a girl who appeared to be a goddess to him. He was never able to start a relationship with her until later on in both of their lives and primarily focused on trying to get her rather than understand the type of person she was and her character. He spent the majority of his life fixed on this young lady and that sometimes interfered with his life and caused him to make poor decisions.
3. The tone of this novel is a simultaneous mixture of both affliction and sanguine.
- “Nothing was needed but this; the wretched man, after loading wretched me with his gold and silver chains for years, had risked his life to come to me, and I held it there in my keeping! If I had been attracted to him by the strongest admiration and affection, instead of shrinking from him with the strongest repugnance; it could have been no worse. On the contrary, it would have been better, for his preservation would then have naturally and tenderly addressed my heart.”

- “Well then, understand once for all that I never shall or can be anything but miserable unless I can lead a very different sort of life form the life I lead now.”

- "I walked away at a good pace, thinking it was easier to go than I had supposed it would be. But the village was very peaceful and quiet, and the light mists were solemnly rising, as if to show me the world, and I had been so innocent and little there, and all beyond was so unknown and great, that in a moment with a strong heave and I sob I broke into tears." 

4. - Dickens identifies Pip both as the main character and narrator on the first page: "...I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip."

- Dickens uses innuendo to explain that Pip is an orphan without a direct statement on the first page of the novel as well."I give Pirrip as my father's family name, on the authority of his tombstone and my sister..."

 - First person point of view on page 5: "I looked all around for the horrible young man, and could see no signs of him."

-  The chains and flowers acted as metaphors for what would hold the characters back from pursuing their passion if they allowed them to on page 82 "... 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."
- During this time period, coachmen were a commonality and since they no longer exist, they give us a great frame of reference on page 139 "Nevertheless, a hackney-coachmen, who seemed to have as many capes to his greasy great-coat as he was years old.."

- The setting of this novel was a crucial aspect because London was where Pip needed to travel in order to collect his fortune on page 142 and fun fact; Dickens grew up in London as well. "As I was looking out at the iron gate of Bartholomew Close into Little Britain, I saw Miss Jaggers..."
- Even though Estella said this about herself on page 415, I feel like the change is a symbol for the entire change that occurred throughout the novel because it felt as if nothing remained the same or came out to be what you expected. "I am greatly changed. I wonder you know me."
CHARACTERIZATION
2. Dickens' syntax changes when he focuses on the characters because he narrates the story with such graceful and eloquent English whereas the characters use common English that is often times unintelligent or even incorrect.
3. Pip is both a dynamic and round character because he changed so much throughout the novel. At the inception he was a small orphaned boy who was attacked by an escaped convict and basically had no chance of making something of himself. However, as he grew up he realized that he could become successful and in fact did because he was so determined. He also went from hating the man that threatened to take his life, Magwitch, to actually helping him escape.
4. After reading this story I felt like I had simply read about a character. I felt as if everything that happened to him was actually quite rare and thus hard to relate to. I know children are orphaned every single day and that more and more people are brutally attacked, but those kinds of things rarely happen to people I know in the small little bubble that I inhabit. Also, who randomly gets a chance to collect a gargantuan fortune and travel to London to collect it from an anonymous benefactor? People just don't give out free money from the good of their hearts anymore like they used to. Although it is not impossible, but now it is highly unlikely for criminals to escape from jail and the fact that Pip helps him later on in life as well makes it even more unbelievable to me as he committed a heinous crime towards Pip himself. And last but not least, Pip gets his dream girl at the end of the novel because of his constant persistence. This continues to be a recurring theme even with today's movies, but it has to be one of the most unrealistic happenings. Pip was a cool dude, but the fact that it was hard to relate him made it difficult for me to come away from the novel feeling like I had actually met him.