Great Expectations Lit. Report (summary)

LITERATURE REPORT ON GREAT EXPECTATIONS MAIN CHARACTERS Philip Pirrip, nicknamed Pip, is an orphan. Pip is destined to be trained as a blacksmith, a lowly but skilled and honest trade, but strives to rise above his class after meeting Estella Havisham. Joe Gargery is Pip's brother-in-law, and his first father figure. A Blacksmith who is the only person Pip can be honest with. Mrs. Joe Gargery, Pip's hot-tempered adult sister, who brings him up by hand after the death of their parents, but complains constantly of the burden Pip, is to her. She ends her life handicapped after an attack Miss Havisham, wealthy spinster who takes Pip on as a companion, and whom Pip suspects is his benefactor. Miss Havisham does not discourage this as it fits into her own spiteful plans. She later apologizes to him. He accepts her apology and she gets badly burned when her dress gets on fire from a spark from the fireplace. Pip saves her, but she later dies from her injuries. Estella Havisham is Miss Havisham's adopted daughter, whom Pip pursues romantically throughout the novel. Since her ability to love has been ruined by Miss Havisham, she is unable to return Pip's passion. She warns Pip of this repeatedly, but he is unwilling or unable to believe her. The Convict, an escapee from a prison ship, whom Pip treats kindly, and who turns out to be his benefactor, at which time his real name is revealed to be Abel Magwitch, but who is also known as Provis and Mr. Campbell in parts of

the story to protect his identity. Pip also covers him as his uncle in order that no one recognizes him as a convict sent to Australia years before. Compeyson (surname) is another convict, and enemy to Magwitch. A professional swindler, he had been Miss Havisham's intended husband, who was in league with Arthur to defraud Miss Havisham of her fortune. He pursues Abel Magwitch when he learns that he is in London and eventually dies. "Dolge" Orlick is a journeyman blacksmith at Joe Gargery's forge. His resentments cause him to take actions which threaten his desires in life, but for which he blames others. He ends up in a fistfight with Joe over Mrs. Joe's taunting and is easily beaten. This set in motion an escalating chain of events that lead him to secretly injure Mrs. Joe grievously and eventually make an attempt on Pip's life. Bentley Drummle is a coarse unintelligent young man whose only saving graces are that he is to succeed to a title and his family is wealthy. Pip meets him at Mr. Pocket's house, as Drummle is also to be trained in gentlemanly skills. Drummle is hostile to Pip and everyone. He is a rival to Pip for Estella's attentions and marries her even though we learn in the story that he mistreats her.

THEMES Life’s expectations Throughout the novel, we notice that it is not only Pip the one who tries to climb up the social ladder, win Estella’s heart or become a gentleman but we also find Miss Havisham expectations and plans for her life even though they’re not central to the novel, and the Benefactor’s and Estella’s expectations. Life

does not always turn out to be what one wants but that’s what every human being tries to work for. Suffering We learn about suffering from different characters. We see that in the same line of reasoning of the main theme, life can be hard at times. This is what explains Miss Havisham, Pip, Pip’s Benefactor and even Estella’s hardships. What we can observe in here is that no matter how hard life can get, people’s reaction in the face of adversity is what will be remembered at the end. Gratitude The escapee is the first one from whom we learn gratitude even though it is only at his heart. Pip shows gratitude to Miss Havisham and his benefactor in different stages of the plot. From him we learn the lesson that being thankful doesn’t always mean to be openly repaying but that it is a matter of attitude. In the same way the Havishams show a measure of thankfulness in later parts of the work.

PLOT Very properly, Great Expectations holds true to its name as it is mainly based on Pip’s expectations and those of the people surrounding him. I consider the turning point that drives the story on to be when Pip is hired by Miss Havisham and meets Estella. From that point onward, we can see that Pip can no longer be content with his life but starts to covet her love and the social status that presumably it will require. Then, after meeting the lawyer who tells him his expectations are not far off from reality, the drama then is set and fired.

After a series of events that lead to Pip learning new manners and struggling with what he considered right in his past life, we come to the climax point when he realizes who his benefactor is. Not only does he know the true name but the story ever since that day down the marshes. Now he’s faced with the fix, should he keep money now that he has turned his face to many things from his former life? During the account we also follow different sub-plots. For instance, we learn of the attack of Pip’s sister and we follow it until the day it is found to be Orlick. We read about the details of Miss Havisham’s misfortune, a terrible stratagem to get the maid’s money. Straight close to the end of the novel, we also realize who indeed Magwitch is and about him being a convict and being Estella’s father. I think

that this entire sideline accounts amount to the understanding of the novel and how different people address the yearning to achieve their expectations in life if they are vile or immoral rather than permissible.

POINT OF VIEW The book is presented in a type of semi-autobiographical tone as we learn about Pip’s life since his early years up to adulthood. It has a very natural tone that of one person talking to another who is his confident and who feel s certainly understood and appreciated. It turns from being a little nostalgic to very analytic and reasonable. I consider that the novel is a very catchy one because it keeps you in the want for more. First, because you don’t expect many of the details you are given and then because you can think of what you’d do in the same situation.

CHARACTER Every character in Great Expectations is well developed if we take into account that they are seen from Pip’s perspective rather than that of an omniscient individual. In spite of this, though, we can easily understand them through Pip’s words because he doesn’t let his feelings mingle in the account so as to interfere or blur the events. If we were to qualify the different people that intervene in Great Expectations, we had to mention their strong will and determination. We see that in Miss Havisham’s endeavors to rear Estella her way and in Pip’s desire to get well-off so to gain Estella’s heart and respect, to name a few. We also notice thankfulness and noble hearts in the drama, too. From Magwitch to Joe we see different examples of people who can sincerely see the good in others even though not always being able to show it. We come to good terms with Estella because although she has wronged Pip in many ways, she subtly shows her repentance. Even Miss Havishamrealizes the evil she caused and begs for forgiveness. Well, but we cannot let the negative baggage in the personae slip away; for example,

it would be naïve not to notice that in a moment each

individual is drawn by selfishness at least a bit. It caused silent discontent in ones but hatred and grudge in others. Here we are reminded of what it actually occurs in everyday life.

SETTING The whole story covers some years that are undoubtedly set to the early 19th century Great Britain. There are different places in which the story takes place; some are real and others fictional. First, we are set in Rochester, Kent and the surrounding

countryside which is Pip's childhood home. Here most of the first events happen and include some buildings like the forge, Satis House, The Blue

Boar, Finches of the Groves. Then we can consider London and environs, the places where he learns how to be a chevalier, to assume self-consciousness and learns many of the things that would mark his life. These places are also the primary location of the events of Pip's adult life. Talking about the setting as an element of the action, we can come to understand

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enhancement of the fact that Pip’s new position requires a change in his manners. Once that is taken out, the setting doesn’t play a transcending role in the novel.

STYLE In Great Expectations we find a vivid and witty work. It captures many of the things that other books of the time because it is the product of first-hand experience as most of the late novels of Dickens. He is very generous to let his feelings show. We find for example that he loved London and presented even the ugliest of details under a light that makes the reader sense that subjacent feeling. Here in this novel, we find a semi-biographical style with a smart tone, a reading that flows with time and with no regressions: we grow with the character and face the events as they develop. It is a little humorous to find that many of the thoughts we read are those of a grown-up. All these details make the reading of this book a pleasant experience once one gets the gist and track of the work.

THEMES/PURPOSE/CRITIQUE The novel Great Expectations sources its appealing not only from the witty language it contains but for all the genuine human feelings that its main themes address. It is and will be relevant as long as there exist people with dreams, illusions, hopes… and expectatives.