19. Great Expectations (pg. 482): “A cold silvery mist had veiled the afternoon, and the moon was not yet up to scatter it. But, the stars were shining beyond the mist, and the moon was coming, and the evening was not dark...”:
In this passage, Dickens speaks of the moon scattering the mist. Dickens uses these words in a metaphorical sense. Mist stops one from seeing. However, the moon will clear the mist that night; the stars will be shinning. Pip and Estella will find each other. In these writings, the symbolism of the mist, the moon, the stars, and the evening that "was not dark" all lead the reader to feel that though things have been uncertain for Pip throughout the story, things are to clear up for him. Dickens begins to conclude his book on a happy note. Pip’s confusion will be cleared, and his desires will be met tonight. According to David Purdue, Dickens Great Expectations had an unhappy ending at first. Estella married another man, and she and Pip went their separate ways. Dickens was advised to change his ending to make the story more popular with readers.
Purdue, David. “Great Expectations.” David Purdue’s Charles Dickens Page. 1997-2009. 29 December 2009.
http://charlesdickenspage.com/expectations.html
“Symbolism in Literature.” Scribd. 10 September 2008. 29 December 2009.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6472314/Symbolism-in-Literature.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
18. Expectations (pg.416)
18. Expectations (pg.416): “But, there was recompense in the joy with which Herbert would come home of a night and tell me of these changes, little imagining that he told me no news, and would sketch airy pictures of himself conducting Clara Barley to the land of the Arabian Nights, and of me going out to join them (with a caravan of camels, I believe), and of our all going up the Nile and seeing wonders.”:
In this passage, Dickens writes of Herbert's wishes to take Clara to the land of Arabian Nights. This is a reference to the Middle East (mainly Egypt and Arabia). The Middle East, in this time, was a mysterious place. Herbert speaks of living with camels and traveling up the Nile River to see all of the wonders. The Arabian Nights are also adventure stories. Dickens makes this reference to show that while Herbert still dreams of adventure and does not see reality clearly, Pip is now being forced to face the reality of his life.
“The Thousand and One Nights.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 29 December 2009. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/593514/The-Thousand-and-One-Nights.
In this passage, Dickens writes of Herbert's wishes to take Clara to the land of Arabian Nights. This is a reference to the Middle East (mainly Egypt and Arabia). The Middle East, in this time, was a mysterious place. Herbert speaks of living with camels and traveling up the Nile River to see all of the wonders. The Arabian Nights are also adventure stories. Dickens makes this reference to show that while Herbert still dreams of adventure and does not see reality clearly, Pip is now being forced to face the reality of his life.
“The Thousand and One Nights.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 29 December 2009. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/593514/The-Thousand-and-One-Nights.
17. Great Expectations (pg. 324)
17. Great Expectations (pg. 324): “... the fire was dead, and the wind and rain intensified the thick black darkness.”:
Dickens word choice in this section uses imagery and is also symbolic. The bleak imagery of the dead fire and the storm and darkness reflect Pip’s feelings. Pip is sad, and he feels lost now that he knows who his benefactor is. He had been certain that Miss Havisham was the one who had been helping him. Dickens finishes the second part of the book with this gloomy imagery. Pip’s sister is dead. He feels lost. All is black, dark, and stormy in his life. When the storm passes, we will find out how Pip will deal with things. Great Expectations was written in installments. This ending also served as a way to get the reader to keep looking for the next installment to find out what eventually happens.
Allingham, Phillip V. “An Introduction to Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations.” 31 July 2004. 29 December 2009. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/pva10.html.
“Symbolism in Literature.” Scribd. 10 September 2008. 29 December 2009.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6472314/Symbolism-in-Literature. gentleman.
Dickens word choice in this section uses imagery and is also symbolic. The bleak imagery of the dead fire and the storm and darkness reflect Pip’s feelings. Pip is sad, and he feels lost now that he knows who his benefactor is. He had been certain that Miss Havisham was the one who had been helping him. Dickens finishes the second part of the book with this gloomy imagery. Pip’s sister is dead. He feels lost. All is black, dark, and stormy in his life. When the storm passes, we will find out how Pip will deal with things. Great Expectations was written in installments. This ending also served as a way to get the reader to keep looking for the next installment to find out what eventually happens.
Allingham, Phillip V. “An Introduction to Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations.” 31 July 2004. 29 December 2009. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/pva10.html.
“Symbolism in Literature.” Scribd. 10 September 2008. 29 December 2009.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6472314/Symbolism-in-Literature. gentleman.
16. Great Expectations (pg. 285)
16. Great Expectations (pg. 285): “Once more, the mists were rising as I walked away.”:
Dickens uses mist to foreshadow that fact that “Biddy was quite right;” Pip will probably not come back to visit soon. Mist stops one from having clear sight of things and shows something that is separate. Dickens portrays Pip to now understand the fact that he has been treating Joe and Biddy badly. Dickens shows the reader that Pip is remorseful, but he still will not make good on his promise to visit. Pip is isolated but it is because of his own choices. Furthermore, this quote is near the end of the second stage of Pip’s Expectations. Dickens is drawing a conclusion, and beginning to shift Pip into the third stage of Expectations. By using mist, Dickens also is using imagery to create a dismal tone. Pip does not realize what is ahead of him and what he will learn about the origin of his expectations in the next section. (Dickens used mist was used symbolically at the end of each of the three sections in Great Expectations.)
“Symbolism in Literature.” Scribd. 10 September 2008. 29 December 2009.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6472314/Symbolism-in-Literature.
Dickens uses mist to foreshadow that fact that “Biddy was quite right;” Pip will probably not come back to visit soon. Mist stops one from having clear sight of things and shows something that is separate. Dickens portrays Pip to now understand the fact that he has been treating Joe and Biddy badly. Dickens shows the reader that Pip is remorseful, but he still will not make good on his promise to visit. Pip is isolated but it is because of his own choices. Furthermore, this quote is near the end of the second stage of Pip’s Expectations. Dickens is drawing a conclusion, and beginning to shift Pip into the third stage of Expectations. By using mist, Dickens also is using imagery to create a dismal tone. Pip does not realize what is ahead of him and what he will learn about the origin of his expectations in the next section. (Dickens used mist was used symbolically at the end of each of the three sections in Great Expectations.)
“Symbolism in Literature.” Scribd. 10 September 2008. 29 December 2009.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6472314/Symbolism-in-Literature.
15. Great Expectations (pg.212)
15. Great Expectations (pg.212): “... but I know that I had been to see Macbeth at the theatre, a night or two before, and that her face looked to me as if it were all disturbed by fiery air, like the faces I had seen rise out of the Witches’ caldron.”:
Dickens uses a reference to Shakespeare's Macbeth to describe Molly, the housekeeper. The witches in Macbeth foreshadow the tragic events that will take place throughout the play. By describing Molly in this creepy way, Dickens creates a tone of suspense, agitation, and wariness for the dinner group. Because of his work, Mr. Jaggers is often surrounded by people who are criminals. One is not sure what the housekeeper might do or has done.
Dickens uses a reference to Shakespeare's Macbeth to describe Molly, the housekeeper. The witches in Macbeth foreshadow the tragic events that will take place throughout the play. By describing Molly in this creepy way, Dickens creates a tone of suspense, agitation, and wariness for the dinner group. Because of his work, Mr. Jaggers is often surrounded by people who are criminals. One is not sure what the housekeeper might do or has done.
14. Great Expectations (pg.206)
14. Great Expectations (pg.206): “‘At nine o'clock every night, Greenwich time,’ said Wemmick, ‘the gun fires. There he is, you see! And when you hear him go, I think you'll say he's a Stinger.’”:
Greenwich, England is the "zero point" or prime meridian and determines the worldwide system of time zone and latitude. A Stinger is a person who “stings” by insults. However, it also means “a highball of whiskey and soda” in informal British language. Wemmick is referencing the firing of the gun as being something unique that he created that is memorable to watch. Dickens makes the reference to Greenwich time to tell the reader that the gun fires precisely at nine everyday as measured by the time in Greenwich, England. Dickens develops Wemmick’s character by beginning to show us the great contrast between where Wemmick lives and what he has created and cares for and where he works.
“Greenwich 2000.” Greenwichmeantime.com. 15 December 2008. 27 December 2009. http://wwp.greenwich2000.com/
“Stinger.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 02 Jan. 2010..
Greenwich, England is the "zero point" or prime meridian and determines the worldwide system of time zone and latitude. A Stinger is a person who “stings” by insults. However, it also means “a highball of whiskey and soda” in informal British language. Wemmick is referencing the firing of the gun as being something unique that he created that is memorable to watch. Dickens makes the reference to Greenwich time to tell the reader that the gun fires precisely at nine everyday as measured by the time in Greenwich, England. Dickens develops Wemmick’s character by beginning to show us the great contrast between where Wemmick lives and what he has created and cares for and where he works.
“Greenwich 2000.” Greenwichmeantime.com. 15 December 2008. 27 December 2009. http://wwp.greenwich2000.com/
“Stinger.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 02 Jan. 2010.
13. Great Expectations (pg.176)
13. Great Expectations (pg.176): “Pooh!” said he, “I didn't care much for it. She's a Tartar.”:
A Tartar was a member of one of the many tribes of followers of Genghis Khan. Dickens makes this reference to illustrate Estella's hardness and savage behavior and to show Herbert Pocket’s dislike of Estella. Herbert’s expression also serves to emphasize Pip’s constant adoration of Estella despite all advice to the contrary from people that he respects.
“Tartar.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 02 Jan. 2010..
ferocious or violent tempered person
A Tartar was a member of one of the many tribes of followers of Genghis Khan. Dickens makes this reference to illustrate Estella's hardness and savage behavior and to show Herbert Pocket’s dislike of Estella. Herbert’s expression also serves to emphasize Pip’s constant adoration of Estella despite all advice to the contrary from people that he respects.
“Tartar.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 02 Jan. 2010.
ferocious or violent tempered person
12. Great Expectations (pg. 165)
12. Great Expectations (pg. 165): “So, I rubbed it off with all possible speed by turning into a street where I saw the great black dome of St. Paul’s bulging at me from behind a grim stone building which a bystander said was Newgate Prison.”:
This quote depicts Pip's first impressions of London. He is going for a walk down the street and notices the dirtiness and stench of the city. Dickens puts two very contrasting images into one scene: Saint Paul's cathedral. a place for worship and Newgate Prison, a place for people who have been charged with crimes. Using imagery, Dickens reinforces his theme of good and bad by symbolizing crime and guilt with the prison and mirroring this with the cathedral which represents innocence.
“Dickens’ London.” David Purdue’s Charles Dickens Page. 1997-2010. 23 December 2009. http://charlesdickenspage.com/dickens_london_map.html#N.
This quote depicts Pip's first impressions of London. He is going for a walk down the street and notices the dirtiness and stench of the city. Dickens puts two very contrasting images into one scene: Saint Paul's cathedral. a place for worship and Newgate Prison, a place for people who have been charged with crimes. Using imagery, Dickens reinforces his theme of good and bad by symbolizing crime and guilt with the prison and mirroring this with the cathedral which represents innocence.
“Dickens’ London.” David Purdue’s Charles Dickens Page. 1997-2010. 23 December 2009. http://charlesdickenspage.com/dickens_london_map.html#N.
11. Great Expectations (pg.112)
11. Great Expectations (pg.112): “Now, Joe kept a journeyman at weekly wages whose name was Orlick…This morose journeyman had no liking for me”:
Pip was now an apprentice to Joe. He was to learn the trade of blacksmithing. Usually people had to pay a fee to become apprenticed to learn a trade, and they would work for several years learning the trade. After the term of the contract was up, the apprentice was eligible to work for money. When they began work for money, they were a journeyman. Dickens’ writing sets the correct setting for Great Expectations. The reader has a clear idea where Pip came from and what his upbringing was like. Dickens’ attention to imagery and details in the writing develop the story.
“Discovering Dickens. A Community Reading Project.” Stanford University 2005. 27 December 2009.
http://dickens.stanford.edu/dickens/archive/great/great_issue1gloss.html
“journeyman.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 27 December 2009.. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/journeyman.
Pip was now an apprentice to Joe. He was to learn the trade of blacksmithing. Usually people had to pay a fee to become apprenticed to learn a trade, and they would work for several years learning the trade. After the term of the contract was up, the apprentice was eligible to work for money. When they began work for money, they were a journeyman. Dickens’ writing sets the correct setting for Great Expectations. The reader has a clear idea where Pip came from and what his upbringing was like. Dickens’ attention to imagery and details in the writing develop the story.
“Discovering Dickens. A Community Reading Project.” Stanford University 2005. 27 December 2009.
http://dickens.stanford.edu/dickens/archive/great/great_issue1gloss.html
“journeyman.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 27 December 2009.. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/journeyman.
10. Great Expectations (pg. 94)
10. Great Expectations (pg. 94): “Whether myrmidons of Justice, specially sent down from London, would be lying in ambush behind the gate? Whether Miss Havisham, preferring to take personal vengeance for an outrage done to her house, might rise in those grave-clothes of hers, draw a pistol, and shoot me dead?”:
Dickens makes a reference to Greek mythology that speaks of Myrmidons, who were ants changed into men. Achilles’ soldiers that came with him to Troy were Myrmidons; these warriors carried out orders without question. Dickens is using this reference to illustrate the fear that Pip has that he will be punished for punching the “pale young gentleman.”
“myrmidon.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 27 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myrmidon
“myrmidon.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 27 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myrmidon.
Dickens makes a reference to Greek mythology that speaks of Myrmidons, who were ants changed into men. Achilles’ soldiers that came with him to Troy were Myrmidons; these warriors carried out orders without question. Dickens is using this reference to illustrate the fear that Pip has that he will be punished for punching the “pale young gentleman.”
“myrmidon.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 27 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myrmidon
“myrmidon.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 27 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myrmidon.
9. Great Expectations (pg. 60)
9. Great Expectations (pg. 60): “He calls the Knaves, Jacks, this boy!”:
Knaves is another word for Jacks. Estella and Pip are playing a card game. In a deck cards, the “jack” is one of the face cards that has a picture of a young man who is either a soldier or a servant. A Jack was called a knave until the mid-1500s and referred to “a male servant to royalty.” A card game in the 17th century that was popular in pubs led to the use of the word Jack for Knave as the popularity of the game increased. Estella would have considered the use of the word “Jack” crude because it was a slang word that the lower classes used and had not yet been adopted by the educated or upper class. With this quote, Dickens is highlighting the class difference and social standing between Estella and Pip.
“The Jack and the Knave.” Bicycle. 2009. 26 December 2009. http://www.bicyclecards.com/pages/the_jack_and_the_knave/39.php
“knave.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 27 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/knave.
Davis, Os. “Playing Cards: Their meanings, symbology, and history.” Live Casino Direct. 19 October 2009. 26 December 2009. http://www.livecasinodirect.com/casino-view/playing-cards-history-meaning/
Knaves is another word for Jacks. Estella and Pip are playing a card game. In a deck cards, the “jack” is one of the face cards that has a picture of a young man who is either a soldier or a servant. A Jack was called a knave until the mid-1500s and referred to “a male servant to royalty.” A card game in the 17th century that was popular in pubs led to the use of the word Jack for Knave as the popularity of the game increased. Estella would have considered the use of the word “Jack” crude because it was a slang word that the lower classes used and had not yet been adopted by the educated or upper class. With this quote, Dickens is highlighting the class difference and social standing between Estella and Pip.
“The Jack and the Knave.” Bicycle. 2009. 26 December 2009. http://www.bicyclecards.com/pages/the_jack_and_the_knave/39.php
“knave.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 27 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/knave.
Davis, Os. “Playing Cards: Their meanings, symbology, and history.” Live Casino Direct. 19 October 2009. 26 December 2009. http://www.livecasinodirect.com/casino-view/playing-cards-history-meaning/
8. Great Expectations (pg.45)
8. Great Expectations (pg.45): “ ‘MI DEER JO I ope U R ER Wite WELL I OPE I SHAL SON B HABELL 4 2…’… ‘I say, Pip, old chap!’ cried Joe… ‘what a scholar you are! An’t you?’”:
This is a note that Pip writes and reads to Joe. Dickens is using diction to show Pip and Joe’s lack of education and their common laborer life. Joe is a laborer who does not earn very much money, though he is able to support his household. At this point in the book, the language associated with Pip is uneducated. Much of the first section of the Great Expectations is written with this lower class diction style. Once Pip goes to London and begins his tutoring sessions, the diction used to reflect Pip’s voice changes. Pip’s education changes him, and he is very conscious of Joe’s lack of education. The change is language diction is symbolic of Dickens’ theme of social class; Dickens uses language to show separation. He also uses imagery to show class separation as when describing Joe in his laborer clothes, and developing Pip’s character as growing from this style of clothing to more suitable, gentlemanly clothes when he comes into his fortune and goes to London (“I dressed myself out in my new clothes…”pg.159).
Allingham, Phillip V. “An Introduction to Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations.” 31 July 2004. 29 December 2009. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/pva10.html.
This is a note that Pip writes and reads to Joe. Dickens is using diction to show Pip and Joe’s lack of education and their common laborer life. Joe is a laborer who does not earn very much money, though he is able to support his household. At this point in the book, the language associated with Pip is uneducated. Much of the first section of the Great Expectations is written with this lower class diction style. Once Pip goes to London and begins his tutoring sessions, the diction used to reflect Pip’s voice changes. Pip’s education changes him, and he is very conscious of Joe’s lack of education. The change is language diction is symbolic of Dickens’ theme of social class; Dickens uses language to show separation. He also uses imagery to show class separation as when describing Joe in his laborer clothes, and developing Pip’s character as growing from this style of clothing to more suitable, gentlemanly clothes when he comes into his fortune and goes to London (“I dressed myself out in my new clothes…”pg.159).
Allingham, Phillip V. “An Introduction to Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations.” 31 July 2004. 29 December 2009. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/pva10.html.
7. Great Expectations (pg. 44)
7. Great Expectations (pg. 44): “There was a fiction that Mr. Wopsle “examined” the scholars once a quarter. What he did on those occasions was to turn up his cuffs, stick up his hair, and give us Mark Antony’s oration over the body of Caesar.”:
Dickens makes a reference to Shakespeare's famous speech in his play, Julius Caesar. The above line “followed by Collins's Ode on the Passions” makes a reference to an English poet who lived from 1721- 1759. Dickens describes Mr. Wopsle's character by making allusions to Shakespeare and other famous poets highlighting Mr. Wopsle’s tendencies toward drama. Dickens may have referenced Julius Caesar because it shares common themes with Great Expectations. The themes of friendship and honor relate to both works. If one was familiar with the play they could make connections and understand what Dickens is trying to portray more clearly. Dickens ultimate message of the book is that it is better for one to be a good person than to be a high class gentleman. Being rich is not how you will find happiness.
“Julius Caesar.” The Literature Network. Jalic Inc. 2000-2009. 26 December 2009. http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/julius_caesar/10/.
Carnell, Ron. “William Collins.” Passions for Poetry. 1998-2006. 26 December 2009. http://www.netpoets.com/classic/biographies/017000.htm
Dickens makes a reference to Shakespeare's famous speech in his play, Julius Caesar. The above line “followed by Collins's Ode on the Passions” makes a reference to an English poet who lived from 1721- 1759. Dickens describes Mr. Wopsle's character by making allusions to Shakespeare and other famous poets highlighting Mr. Wopsle’s tendencies toward drama. Dickens may have referenced Julius Caesar because it shares common themes with Great Expectations. The themes of friendship and honor relate to both works. If one was familiar with the play they could make connections and understand what Dickens is trying to portray more clearly. Dickens ultimate message of the book is that it is better for one to be a good person than to be a high class gentleman. Being rich is not how you will find happiness.
“Julius Caesar.” The Literature Network. Jalic Inc. 2000-2009. 26 December 2009. http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/julius_caesar/10/.
Carnell, Ron. “William Collins.” Passions for Poetry. 1998-2006. 26 December 2009. http://www.netpoets.com/classic/biographies/017000.htm
6. Great Expectations (pg. 43)
6. Great Expectations (pg. 43): “Neither were my notions of the theological positions to which my Catechism bound me, at all accurate; for, I have a lively remembrance that I supposed my declaration that I was to “walk in the same all the days of my life,” laid me under an obligation always to go through the village from our house in one particular direction, and never to vary it by turning down by the wheelwright’s or up by the mill.”:
A Catechism is a book that contains the basic beliefs of the Church; in Dickens’ writing this would be the Anglican Church or the Church of England. Pip would have received religious instruction through the Catechism when he was young. Dickens references this book to illustrate how Pip takes his education from religious metaphors very literally and is unable to extend the lessons to practical life experience. Dickens also shows the dramatic changes in Pip’s character development from the beginning of the story to the end. Dickens shows the reader that Pip was naive and uneducated as a child. When Pip heads into his Expectations, religion plays less of a role in his life. Pip receives tutoring and becomes a gentleman, but he no longer makes references to religion as part of his education.
“The Catechism.” Anglicans Online. 15 April 2007. 23 December 2009. http://anglicansonline.org/basics/catechism.html.
"catechism." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 23 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/catechism.
“The Church of England (the Anglican Church).” The Victorian Web. 17 March 2000. 23 December 2009. http://www.victorianweb.org/religion/denom1.html
A Catechism is a book that contains the basic beliefs of the Church; in Dickens’ writing this would be the Anglican Church or the Church of England. Pip would have received religious instruction through the Catechism when he was young. Dickens references this book to illustrate how Pip takes his education from religious metaphors very literally and is unable to extend the lessons to practical life experience. Dickens also shows the dramatic changes in Pip’s character development from the beginning of the story to the end. Dickens shows the reader that Pip was naive and uneducated as a child. When Pip heads into his Expectations, religion plays less of a role in his life. Pip receives tutoring and becomes a gentleman, but he no longer makes references to religion as part of his education.
“The Catechism.” Anglicans Online. 15 April 2007. 23 December 2009. http://anglicansonline.org/basics/catechism.html.
"catechism." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 23 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/catechism.
“The Church of England (the Anglican Church).” The Victorian Web. 17 March 2000. 23 December 2009. http://www.victorianweb.org/religion/denom1.html
5. Great Expectations: (pg.25)
5. Great Expectations: (pg.25): “Mr. Wopsle said grace with theatrical declamation—as it now appears to me, something like a religious cross of the Ghost in Hamlet with Richard the Third—and ended with the very proper aspiration that we might be truly grateful. Upon which my sister fixed me with her eye, and said, in a low reproachful voice, ‘Do you hear that? Be grateful.’”:
King Richard the Third was crowned King of England in 1483. Although Richard has been depicted as a ruthless and murderous King, historians dispute whether or not Richard was responsible for all of the deaths that have been attributed to him. William Shakespeare wrote a play based on Richard the Third; Shakespeare’s play shows Richard as a villain. When Dickens references King Richard the Third and Hamlet, he is most likely referencing the ruthless version of Richard (Shakespeare’s version). Both of these plays depict the downfall of the protagonist due to their greed or desire for revenge. It is ironic that it is Pip’s desire (greed) for a rise in class that leads him to overlook the good parts of his life such as his friendship with Joe. With this passage, Dickens is developing Wopsle’s character by showing his tendencies toward theatrics. This characteristic later leads him to London to pursue acting; it’s funny that Dickens gives Mr. Wopsle a role in Hamlet. Dicken’s writing aids in character development: Pip is longing; Mrs. Joe is bitter and forceful; Joe is kind; Mr. Wopsle is dramatic. Through character development, tone of the story is shown.
“Richard III.” Brittania. 2005. 23 December 2009. http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon39.html
“The Tragedy of King Richard the Third.” Absolute Shakespeare. 2000-2005. 23 December 2009. http://absoluteshakespeare.com/plays/richard_III/richard_III.htm.
King Richard the Third was crowned King of England in 1483. Although Richard has been depicted as a ruthless and murderous King, historians dispute whether or not Richard was responsible for all of the deaths that have been attributed to him. William Shakespeare wrote a play based on Richard the Third; Shakespeare’s play shows Richard as a villain. When Dickens references King Richard the Third and Hamlet, he is most likely referencing the ruthless version of Richard (Shakespeare’s version). Both of these plays depict the downfall of the protagonist due to their greed or desire for revenge. It is ironic that it is Pip’s desire (greed) for a rise in class that leads him to overlook the good parts of his life such as his friendship with Joe. With this passage, Dickens is developing Wopsle’s character by showing his tendencies toward theatrics. This characteristic later leads him to London to pursue acting; it’s funny that Dickens gives Mr. Wopsle a role in Hamlet. Dicken’s writing aids in character development: Pip is longing; Mrs. Joe is bitter and forceful; Joe is kind; Mr. Wopsle is dramatic. Through character development, tone of the story is shown.
“Richard III.” Brittania. 2005. 23 December 2009. http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon39.html
“The Tragedy of King Richard the Third.” Absolute Shakespeare. 2000-2005. 23 December 2009. http://absoluteshakespeare.com/plays/richard_III/richard_III.htm.
4. Great Expectations: (pg.22)
4. Great Expectations: (pg.22) “... secretly crossed his two forefingers, and exhibited them to me, as our token that Mrs. Joe was in a cross temper. This was so much her normal state, that Joe and I would often, for weeks together, be, as to our fingers, like monumental Crusaders as to their legs.”:
The Crusades were wars between those who believe in the Islam religion and those who believe in Christianity. Christians were trying to win over the Holy Lands or places that Jesus was born and traveled in during his lifetime which were controlled by Muslims. The wars took place over a 200 year period during the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. Statues and paintings of this time period often depict Crusaders with their legs crossed. The crossed legs represented the Cross; the cross is a symbol for followers of Jesus as Jesus was killed by being nailed to a cross. Dickens characterizes Joe and Pip to have a secret symbol to represent when Mrs. Joe is mad; Joe and Pip would cross their fingers. Dickens most likely chose this symbol to characterize that living with Mrs. Joe was like constantly being engaged in battle. Mrs. Joe felt called to battle with Pip to make sure that he was brought up to be properly appreciative and aware of the sacrifices she made for him. Also, Dickens is able to show us that Joe and Pip are tied to each other in the misery of facing Mrs. Joe. These words also characterize Mrs. Joe as someone that would be seen as unpleasant. She would be on the side fighting against the Crusaders.
“Art of the Crusades Era.” The Cultural Crusades: War and Cultural Exchange Between The Christian and Islamic Worlds. 8 December 1997. 23 December 2009. http://www.umich.edu/~marcons/Crusades/topics/art/art-article.html
"crusades." The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. 23 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/crusades.
Trueman, Chris. “The Crusades.” History Learning Site. 2000-2009. historylearningsite.co.uk. 23 December 2009. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/cru1.htm.
The Crusades were wars between those who believe in the Islam religion and those who believe in Christianity. Christians were trying to win over the Holy Lands or places that Jesus was born and traveled in during his lifetime which were controlled by Muslims. The wars took place over a 200 year period during the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. Statues and paintings of this time period often depict Crusaders with their legs crossed. The crossed legs represented the Cross; the cross is a symbol for followers of Jesus as Jesus was killed by being nailed to a cross. Dickens characterizes Joe and Pip to have a secret symbol to represent when Mrs. Joe is mad; Joe and Pip would cross their fingers. Dickens most likely chose this symbol to characterize that living with Mrs. Joe was like constantly being engaged in battle. Mrs. Joe felt called to battle with Pip to make sure that he was brought up to be properly appreciative and aware of the sacrifices she made for him. Also, Dickens is able to show us that Joe and Pip are tied to each other in the misery of facing Mrs. Joe. These words also characterize Mrs. Joe as someone that would be seen as unpleasant. She would be on the side fighting against the Crusaders.
“Art of the Crusades Era.” The Cultural Crusades: War and Cultural Exchange Between The Christian and Islamic Worlds. 8 December 1997. 23 December 2009. http://www.umich.edu/~marcons/Crusades/topics/art/art-article.html
"crusades." The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. 23 December 2009. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/crusades.
Trueman, Chris. “The Crusades.” History Learning Site. 2000-2009. historylearningsite.co.uk. 23 December 2009. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/cru1.htm.
3. Great Expectations: (pg. 14)
3. Great Expectations: (pg. 14): “ ‘Lord, bless the boy!’ exclaimed Mrs. Joe, as if she didn’t’ quite mean that, but rather the contrary. ‘From the Hulks.’”:
When the United States of America declared its independence from England, England lost their ability to send convicts to the United States to serve their sentences. They were also left with warships that were no longer necessary. In a creative response to having more ships than needed and more criminals than they could house, England recycled ships into prisons. They started using old naval vessels to house London's convicts. The idea was that convicts were less likely to escape if they had to swim their way to shore and to utilize space that was available to avoid overcrowding their jail systems even more. Dickens references Hulks and shows Pip’s curiosity, and his sister’s reaction shows some of her impatience with him.
“Great Expectations.” Discovering Dickens, A Community Reading Project. 2002. Stanford University.
http://dickens.stanford.edu/dickens/archive/great/great_issue1gloss.html
“Prison Hulks on the Thames River.” Portcities London. National Maritime Museum/ Royal Observatory Greenwich. http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.56/chapterId/414/Prison-hulks-on-the-River-Thames.html.
When the United States of America declared its independence from England, England lost their ability to send convicts to the United States to serve their sentences. They were also left with warships that were no longer necessary. In a creative response to having more ships than needed and more criminals than they could house, England recycled ships into prisons. They started using old naval vessels to house London's convicts. The idea was that convicts were less likely to escape if they had to swim their way to shore and to utilize space that was available to avoid overcrowding their jail systems even more. Dickens references Hulks and shows Pip’s curiosity, and his sister’s reaction shows some of her impatience with him.
“Great Expectations.” Discovering Dickens, A Community Reading Project. 2002. Stanford University.
http://dickens.stanford.edu/dickens/archive/great/great_issue1gloss.html
“Prison Hulks on the Thames River.” Portcities London. National Maritime Museum/ Royal Observatory Greenwich. http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.56/chapterId/414/Prison-hulks-on-the-River-Thames.html.
2. Great Expectations (pg. 8)
2. Great Expectations (pg. 8): “He was a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow—a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness.”:
According to Greek mythology, Hercules was the son of the God, Zeus, and the woman, Alcmene; and he was known as the strongest man in the world. Though physically strong, Hercules suffered greatly throughout his lifetime. Dickens uses this comparison to show the reader that Joe has great strength both physically and mentally.
“The Life and Times of Hercules.” Hercules, Greece’s Greatest Hero. Perseus Digital Library Project. 2 September 2008. Tufts University. 23 December 2009. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/bio.html
According to Greek mythology, Hercules was the son of the God, Zeus, and the woman, Alcmene; and he was known as the strongest man in the world. Though physically strong, Hercules suffered greatly throughout his lifetime. Dickens uses this comparison to show the reader that Joe has great strength both physically and mentally.
“The Life and Times of Hercules.” Hercules, Greece’s Greatest Hero. Perseus Digital Library Project. 2 September 2008. Tufts University. 23 December 2009. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/bio.html
1. Great Expectations (pg.7)
1. Great Expectations (pg.7): “My sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, was more than twenty years older than I, and had established a great reputation with herself and the neighbours because she had brought me up ‘by hand.’”:
Dickens references Pip's upbringing as "by hand".
The actual meaning of this is that Pip was bottle- fed as a baby and not nursed by his mother or someone else. As Pip was an orphan, he had to be brought up by hand. However, Dickens uses the phrase “by hand” in a more literal sense too; "by hand" meaning Mrs. Joe tended to be abusive. For an example, Dickens describes Mrs. Joe using her “tickler” to punish Pip when he behaved badly. Dickens creates a sense of the background and upbringing that Pip had, and the reader will be sympathetic for his character.
“Great Expectations.” Discovering Dickens, A Community Reading Project. 2002. Stanford University.
http://dickens.stanford.edu/dickens/archive/great/great_issue1gloss.html
Dickens references Pip's upbringing as "by hand".
The actual meaning of this is that Pip was bottle- fed as a baby and not nursed by his mother or someone else. As Pip was an orphan, he had to be brought up by hand. However, Dickens uses the phrase “by hand” in a more literal sense too; "by hand" meaning Mrs. Joe tended to be abusive. For an example, Dickens describes Mrs. Joe using her “tickler” to punish Pip when he behaved badly. Dickens creates a sense of the background and upbringing that Pip had, and the reader will be sympathetic for his character.
“Great Expectations.” Discovering Dickens, A Community Reading Project. 2002. Stanford University.
http://dickens.stanford.edu/dickens/archive/great/great_issue1gloss.html
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