Thoughts on Reading

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I think the story of Great Expectations was pretty good in some parts and boring in others. There were some pretty interesting parts near the end. At first I felt sad for Pip when he was little. But then when he got his expectations and was rude to Biddy I hated him. What kind of confused me was Mrs. Joe's role in the book. She's a big part of Pip's life, being her guardian, and then she dies. Also, I don't remember solving any of the mysteries. I normally like to stay oblivious and enjoy being surprised. So I don't like to use Sparknotes often.

When I was reading Great Expectations out of class normally it was right before bed. I don't know if this habit had any effect on my comprehension of the novel, but I just wanted to get to bed so I skimmed over the really boring parts a few times. I always followed the reading schedule because once when I hadn't it took me forever to make up an extra night of reading. It was super hard to pay attention.

photo post

This is a picture of someone who has been overtaken by regret and shame. Pip really regrets ever meeting Miss Havisham and Estella. Because of them, Pip's life is ruined, like the poor guy's skin over here. Instead of being happy and content with what he has he is discontent and ashamed, constantly afraid that Estella will find out how poor he is. This shame is part of the "chain" that leads to him to have his heart broken by Estella later in London. If Pip hadn't known Estella he probably would have been happy in London.

Fishtails!...Blacksmithing!

A story I think is similar to Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens is the original story of The Little Mermaid, by Hans Christian Anderson. In both books the main character longs for something they've always wanted. For Pip, its to become a gentleman, and for the mermaid (Sirenetta! Not Ariel!) its becoming a human. Both Pip and Sirenetta/Ariel want those things because of love. When the time finally comes that Pip and Sirenetta get what they want it isn't as great as they thought it would be. London reveals itself as dirty, ugly, and a dissapointment. The Prince is in love with somebody else and Sirenetta's feet hurt a lot when she walks (a curse). A common theme between these two stories is to be content with what you already have. Pip and Sirenetta were both exposed to something that changed their lives. Pip met Miss Havisham and Estella. Sirenetta finds and saves the prince. Instead of acting impulsively, they could have stayed put and refused to go any further.

When Pip first met Miss Havisham the first link of a chain started to form. Sirenetta's started when she fell in love with the prince and saved him from dieing.

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P.S. Read the REAL Little Mermaid story here! (apparently Anderson modified the ending later to make it less gruesome so this story ends happily kind of)

http://www.yankeeweb.com/library/storytime/grimmbros/grimmbros_32.html

This is off topic, but...

(I didn't write this summary!)

In the original sleeping beauty, the lovely princess is put to sleep when she pricks her finger on a spindle. She sleeps for one hundred years when a prince finally arrives, kisses her, and awakens her. They fall in love, marry, and (surprise surprise) live happily ever after. But alas, the original tale is not so sweet (in fact, you have to read this to believe it.) In the original, the young woman is put to sleep because of a prophesy, rather than a curse. And it isn’t the kiss of a prince which wakes her up: the king (her father) seeing her asleep, and rather fancying having a bit, rapes her. After nine months she gives birth to two children (while she is still asleep). One of the children sucks her finger which removes the piece of flax which was keeping her asleep. She wakes up to find herself raped and the mother of two kids.

second stage

In the second stage of Great Expectations Pip arrives at London, which has been part of his dream of becoming a gentleman. But it isn't as great as he expected. "Ugly, crooked, narrow, and dirty..." The disapointment he feels is part of the result of his "long chain that has bound him" starting in chapter nine.

This part of the book helps represent and discontentment. After going to Miss Havisham and Estella's place for a while Estella's beauty and his love for her has created the trait of discontentment in Pip. When he goes to London it was not the answer ot all his problems anymore.

link by link...

"Pause you who read this, and 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 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."

Pip is probably referring to how his first day at Miss Havisham's house is also the first day he met Estella and Miss Havisham. It is also the first day he ever made such a big lie. These lies eventually lead to a chain of events that really changed his life. In the chapters following this quote Pip's character changes mostly negatively. For example, he changes his mind about wanting to be a blacksmith. Also, he worries a lot; for his convict's friend, Estella discovering him, and the pale young gentleman taking revenge on him.
I think a memorable day that started my "chain" was when my mom didn't let me try orchestra in fourth grade, wanting me to join band the year after that instead. I remember not being so happy about that. Everyone else got to join orchestra! And the violin looked sooooooooo pretty! But it was a good thing that I joined band in the end, because I wouldn't have learned so much from Mr. Allison and made the friends I did there. My life would probably be very different without my friends from band (and my arms a lot weaker without having to carry a heavy box to and from school!)