In this section, I again try to analyze Pip and Estella’s relationship. Pip seems to feel quite awkward at all of Estella’s events, which sort of makes me laugh because it reminds me of my dad dreading going to some of my mom’s social events. [“There were picnics, plays, operas, concerts, parties, all sorts of pleasures, through which I pursued her – and they were all miseries to me.”] Another thing that reveals Pip’s feelings towards Estella is how jealous he becomes of the men we see chasing after Estella. [“… I have seen you give him looks and smiles this very night, such as you never give to –me.”]
I was quite surprised to find that Pip’s convict was the one in charge of making him a gentleman. I am still quite confused on what Magwitch’s reason for being his guardian is. Maybe it was just to see his money in action – to see Pip as a gentleman and to know that he was the one that got him there. It is peculiar that Pip earlier in the day was living a very comfortable lifestyle, now after learning the truth seems to be living in hiding, making sure that no one realizes that he is housing a convict. Pip seems to have crossed to the dark side by following Wagwitch’s wishes. [For instance: Magwitch and Pip threatening to kill Herbert if he didn’t keep quiet on page 265.]
I really wonder who the man on the stairs is. I’m almost willing to bet that the man is with Magwitch even though he denies it. I also wonder if Magwitch will be recognized while out on the street.
I think it is great that even after Pip makes Herbert swear not to tell anyone about Magwitch that they can be friends; and that they can try to fix this together.
I don’t like Estella as much anymore. Why in the world would she marry that Drummle guy? Pip obviously loves her and would be faithful no matter what. Is this just to make Pip sad? I don’t know … but it still makes me mad!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Great Expectations 177-235
Even more questions and “I wonders” from Great Expectations.
I found it rather strange, but not all too surprising, that we run into the convict from the bar again. Dickens foreshadows so much that events such as these become less and less surprising each time. I wonder if things have changed at Miss Havisham’s since we had last been there.
Ugh! Why in the world is Orlick at Miss Havisham’s? I realize that he is the door man, but I’m still quite confused; I don’t have any idea why that LOSER is here!
Of course Estella is even more beautiful! I’m glad that Pip has feelings for Estella, but I feel quite bad for Biddy. [I think that she has quite a crush on Pip and I’m not sure if Pip sees it.] I wonder why Miss Havisham refuses to eat or drink in the presence of anyone else.
In the Pucket home, how strange is it that all of the children, except for Baby, are engaged to be wed? Some of the children are probably about 6 years old! [pg 197] It’s weird enough to have an arrange marriage, but at that age?
Pip and Estella’s relationship is still quite strange. Pip has quite a fealty towards Estella and would do anything for her. Estella on the other hand treats their relationship like a chore; like it must be done.
I am failing to see the significance in going to Mr. Wopsle’s play. During and after the show I geot even more disgusted with how snotty these gentlemen are.
I don’t mind reading this book now!
I found it rather strange, but not all too surprising, that we run into the convict from the bar again. Dickens foreshadows so much that events such as these become less and less surprising each time. I wonder if things have changed at Miss Havisham’s since we had last been there.
Ugh! Why in the world is Orlick at Miss Havisham’s? I realize that he is the door man, but I’m still quite confused; I don’t have any idea why that LOSER is here!
Of course Estella is even more beautiful! I’m glad that Pip has feelings for Estella, but I feel quite bad for Biddy. [I think that she has quite a crush on Pip and I’m not sure if Pip sees it.] I wonder why Miss Havisham refuses to eat or drink in the presence of anyone else.
In the Pucket home, how strange is it that all of the children, except for Baby, are engaged to be wed? Some of the children are probably about 6 years old! [pg 197] It’s weird enough to have an arrange marriage, but at that age?
Pip and Estella’s relationship is still quite strange. Pip has quite a fealty towards Estella and would do anything for her. Estella on the other hand treats their relationship like a chore; like it must be done.
I am failing to see the significance in going to Mr. Wopsle’s play. During and after the show I geot even more disgusted with how snotty these gentlemen are.
I don’t mind reading this book now!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Great Expectations pg.114-176 11-15-10
In this section of Great Expectations, Pip gets ready for his trip to London. He seems like he can say whatever he wants to Biddy and Joe now that he is in line to become a gentleman. I, personally, don’t like this side of Pip at all! Pip seems a bit apprehensive about leaving the people he loves so he goes and visits Miss Havisham to tell her goodbye. On the day of his departure, Pip basically leaves; no big party or ceremony. [That’s pretty sad if you ask me!]
When Pip arrives in London, it seems so much more dirty and gross than I had really imagined. The streets are crowded and loud. I’m not sure that Pip realizes this. It would be a huge disappointment for me!
At first Pip meets up with Mr. Jaggers who seems to be a HUGE celebrity here. Everybody in the streets [who is a lot of people] come up to him to seek his approval in the law business, or whatever it is that he is doing.
Guess what? Pip’s tutor’s son, Herbert, is the pale boy that he beat up at Miss Havisham’s house!! I thought that was so cool! Anyways, Pip asks him to start helping him to be a gentleman. At their dinner we learn the truth about Miss Havisham and her strange way of life. Is she really expecting him to come back to her?
When Pip goes to get tutored for the first time, I was quite surprised that the Pocket home is so crazy! All the children running and screaming! [Although that is usually what is at our house, I would expect more from the home of a gentleman.
In this section I kind of got a little afraid of Mr. Jaggers. He is such a booming speaker in the courtroom!
I’m starting to see Dickens’ way of writing. He foreshadows a bunch and within his somewhat scattered plot, we see the result of this foreshadowing! I’m still liking this book!
When Pip arrives in London, it seems so much more dirty and gross than I had really imagined. The streets are crowded and loud. I’m not sure that Pip realizes this. It would be a huge disappointment for me!
At first Pip meets up with Mr. Jaggers who seems to be a HUGE celebrity here. Everybody in the streets [who is a lot of people] come up to him to seek his approval in the law business, or whatever it is that he is doing.
Guess what? Pip’s tutor’s son, Herbert, is the pale boy that he beat up at Miss Havisham’s house!! I thought that was so cool! Anyways, Pip asks him to start helping him to be a gentleman. At their dinner we learn the truth about Miss Havisham and her strange way of life. Is she really expecting him to come back to her?
When Pip goes to get tutored for the first time, I was quite surprised that the Pocket home is so crazy! All the children running and screaming! [Although that is usually what is at our house, I would expect more from the home of a gentleman.
In this section I kind of got a little afraid of Mr. Jaggers. He is such a booming speaker in the courtroom!
I’m starting to see Dickens’ way of writing. He foreshadows a bunch and within his somewhat scattered plot, we see the result of this foreshadowing! I’m still liking this book!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Great Expectations pg 56-113 11-8-10
In these pages of Great Expectations, I had many questions.
First, is this Matthew that was mentioned at Miss Havisham’s house the one who broke her heart? I think so; to me there are a lot of clues pointing to this hypothesis. I’m still wondering what the deal is with this lady. She is SO strange! My best guess is that on her wedding day, this Matthew guy left her at the altar and that she is still hoping that he will come back to her. If this is so, what happened to this man? Is he still around? Will we ever meet him? There are so many questions.
Secondly, how weird was that when Pip saw and fought with that albino-like boy in one of Miss Havisham’s buildings? What would a boy like that be staying at her estate? Is he one of her kids that plays with/for her? I am kind of thinking that he is possibly a relative of Ms. Havisham’s. I really think that this character will show up again later in the story.
When Estella tells Pip that, “You may kiss me now if you would like,” I was somewhat appalled. To me that was a VERY caustic move on her part, but good for Pip I suppose. =]
I found it quite funny that Ms. Havisham invited Joe to her estate and not Mrs. Joe, especially when Mrs. Joe wanted to! Mrs. Joe reminds me of the boss’ son in Of Mice and Men. Mrs. Joe is controlling, short-tempered, and selfish just like he is.
One of our vocab words “ostentatious” was on pg 77, paragraph 2, line 5; and “alienate” on page 94, paragraph 3, line 10!
I’m still trying to decide if Pip is a good-guy or a bad-guy. He has a very active conscience and therefore feels bad for all of the bad things he does, but then he goes off and does something stupid like beat up that sleep-deprived albino kid. I’m quite indecisive about Pip’s placement.
Wow! I would have not thought that Mrs. Joe would have gotten hurt so badly! I’m not surprised, however, to see the convict back into the plot. When Mrs. Joe is bed ridden, what is her obsession with this new character Orlick? Was it Orlick who hurt her? It doesn’t seem like it, for Mrs. Joe insists that Orlick is treated like a guest. This seems quite fishy to me.
It seems like a strange coincidence that after Pip tells Biddy about his dream to become a gentleman, a man approaches him about someone who would pay his way to go to an elite school in London to make his dream come true. Although I like Biddy, I don’t think she has the money or resources to help Pip achieve this, so I believe that it these “Great Expectations” are coming from an outside source. Could it be Miss Havisham? Or could it be an acquaintance of Estella’s? What is esspecially weird, though, is that this strange London lawyer reccomends [even though he wouldn't use that word] the Matthew character that is metioned at Miss Havisham's! I suppose I need to read more to find out!
This book is starting to get much better!
First, is this Matthew that was mentioned at Miss Havisham’s house the one who broke her heart? I think so; to me there are a lot of clues pointing to this hypothesis. I’m still wondering what the deal is with this lady. She is SO strange! My best guess is that on her wedding day, this Matthew guy left her at the altar and that she is still hoping that he will come back to her. If this is so, what happened to this man? Is he still around? Will we ever meet him? There are so many questions.
Secondly, how weird was that when Pip saw and fought with that albino-like boy in one of Miss Havisham’s buildings? What would a boy like that be staying at her estate? Is he one of her kids that plays with/for her? I am kind of thinking that he is possibly a relative of Ms. Havisham’s. I really think that this character will show up again later in the story.
When Estella tells Pip that, “You may kiss me now if you would like,” I was somewhat appalled. To me that was a VERY caustic move on her part, but good for Pip I suppose. =]
I found it quite funny that Ms. Havisham invited Joe to her estate and not Mrs. Joe, especially when Mrs. Joe wanted to! Mrs. Joe reminds me of the boss’ son in Of Mice and Men. Mrs. Joe is controlling, short-tempered, and selfish just like he is.
One of our vocab words “ostentatious” was on pg 77, paragraph 2, line 5; and “alienate” on page 94, paragraph 3, line 10!
I’m still trying to decide if Pip is a good-guy or a bad-guy. He has a very active conscience and therefore feels bad for all of the bad things he does, but then he goes off and does something stupid like beat up that sleep-deprived albino kid. I’m quite indecisive about Pip’s placement.
Wow! I would have not thought that Mrs. Joe would have gotten hurt so badly! I’m not surprised, however, to see the convict back into the plot. When Mrs. Joe is bed ridden, what is her obsession with this new character Orlick? Was it Orlick who hurt her? It doesn’t seem like it, for Mrs. Joe insists that Orlick is treated like a guest. This seems quite fishy to me.
It seems like a strange coincidence that after Pip tells Biddy about his dream to become a gentleman, a man approaches him about someone who would pay his way to go to an elite school in London to make his dream come true. Although I like Biddy, I don’t think she has the money or resources to help Pip achieve this, so I believe that it these “Great Expectations” are coming from an outside source. Could it be Miss Havisham? Or could it be an acquaintance of Estella’s? What is esspecially weird, though, is that this strange London lawyer reccomends [even though he wouldn't use that word] the Matthew character that is metioned at Miss Havisham's! I suppose I need to read more to find out!
This book is starting to get much better!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Great Expectation pg.1-55
As you well know, our class started reading Charles Dickens’ novel “Great Expectations” this week. Although I became somewhat apprehensive about reading it, I have found that Dickens portrays many emotions through many characters, making this book very interesting.
I was so surprised that the author opened on the scene where Pip is approached and threatened by a home-less man. I thought to myself, “Isn’t this crazy!” My first question is why was Pip in the graveyard anyways? Yes, I know Pip is basically an orphan but wouldn’t a kid have a better hangout spot than that? Secondly, when the man demands Pip to steal from his sister and her husband, what is the file for? We later see the hobo filing down his foot or something, but I would really like to know why. My first guess would be that he got hurt, maybe in a war, and it was a cheap medical procedure at the time.
I found it rather interesting the way Pip compared the homeless man eating food to a large dog guzzling down. [pg. 14] Although I have never spent much time around homeless people, I’m thinking that it isn’t far from the truth. The author writes, “I now noticed a decided similarity between the dog’s way of eating, and the man’s”.
I despise the character Mrs. Joe, who has raised Pip “by hand”. [Which I have decided means I-beat-my-own-kid-and-you-should-praise-me-for-it.] It does seem that other people expect Pip to be thankful for this upbringing. This Mrs. Joe cruelly beats both her husband, Joe, and her brother, Pip. Personally, I believe ever so much that it is wrong, but maybe that’s just me.
For Pip’s sake I’m so thankful that Dickens made a character such as Joe that will listen to Pip, praise him for his accomplishments, and will give him advice, even if it isn’t always that accurate. Pip says at one part of the story “He always aided and comforted me when he could, and he always did so at dinnertime by giving me gravy.” Then the author uses one of our smiley face tricks—the power of repetition. [Joe gave me gravy.]
The absolute strangest character to me, and probably to a lot of other people, is Miss Havisham. I really wonder what her deal is. She wears a faded wedding dress, faded everything actually, and is in an isolated room with no windows. All of her clocks are stopped at a specific time and I really wonder why. I’m thinking that she is mentally stuck at her wedding day but I could be wrong.
Dickens’ style of writing isn’t one I’m used to but I’m starting to think that this is a book that I will ever so much enjoy.
I was so surprised that the author opened on the scene where Pip is approached and threatened by a home-less man. I thought to myself, “Isn’t this crazy!” My first question is why was Pip in the graveyard anyways? Yes, I know Pip is basically an orphan but wouldn’t a kid have a better hangout spot than that? Secondly, when the man demands Pip to steal from his sister and her husband, what is the file for? We later see the hobo filing down his foot or something, but I would really like to know why. My first guess would be that he got hurt, maybe in a war, and it was a cheap medical procedure at the time.
I found it rather interesting the way Pip compared the homeless man eating food to a large dog guzzling down. [pg. 14] Although I have never spent much time around homeless people, I’m thinking that it isn’t far from the truth. The author writes, “I now noticed a decided similarity between the dog’s way of eating, and the man’s”.
I despise the character Mrs. Joe, who has raised Pip “by hand”. [Which I have decided means I-beat-my-own-kid-and-you-should-praise-me-for-it.] It does seem that other people expect Pip to be thankful for this upbringing. This Mrs. Joe cruelly beats both her husband, Joe, and her brother, Pip. Personally, I believe ever so much that it is wrong, but maybe that’s just me.
For Pip’s sake I’m so thankful that Dickens made a character such as Joe that will listen to Pip, praise him for his accomplishments, and will give him advice, even if it isn’t always that accurate. Pip says at one part of the story “He always aided and comforted me when he could, and he always did so at dinnertime by giving me gravy.” Then the author uses one of our smiley face tricks—the power of repetition. [Joe gave me gravy.]
The absolute strangest character to me, and probably to a lot of other people, is Miss Havisham. I really wonder what her deal is. She wears a faded wedding dress, faded everything actually, and is in an isolated room with no windows. All of her clocks are stopped at a specific time and I really wonder why. I’m thinking that she is mentally stuck at her wedding day but I could be wrong.
Dickens’ style of writing isn’t one I’m used to but I’m starting to think that this is a book that I will ever so much enjoy.
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