Wrapping Up Great Expectations

The overall message I thought was never turn your back on the ones who love you. First of all, Pip's family (Mrs. Joe, Joe, and Biddy) were always there for him, even when it seemed the most like they weren't. Without them, Pip really would not have gained the 'knowledge' from them. Plus, he saw how their lives were, and wanted to make a better life for himself. Once he turned his back on them, Pip never really truly felt guilty about it until he realized that he had treated Joe terribly, but Joe still loved him with all of his sweet heart. Pip had to go through many things, to realize that once you lose your family, there's never really any chance that you will get them back. Luckily for him though, Joe and Biddy both welcomed him with open arms as well as naming their first born child after him! If Pip would not have had such a supporting and caring family, he never would've been able to get back to his feet after becoming sick as well as broke.
 How I connected the moral of the book to myself, I realized this: last year, I decided to skip out on a family birthday to go and hang out at my friend's house. After I came back home the next day, no one would talk to me. I went about for the next couple of days without anyone in my house addressing me, or even looking at me. I realized that I had completely messed up, that I had blown off something much bigger than a friend's birthday. Little did I know that that would have been my great-aunt's last birthday before she died last fall due to double breast, lung, and brain cancer. I really truly am grateful though, because after I apologized to my entire family as well as my great-aunt, they accepted my apology and realized that I seen my wrong-doing as something to never repeat. I, like Pip, have a loving and supportive family that I love very much.

Thoughts on Great Expectations

I was not a fan of the book at all. The ending definitely made the decision for me; it was boring, inconclusive, and overall just an unsatisfying close to a very long story.  One major disappointment was the fact that Pip and Estella did not end up together. I am pretty sure that a lot of people would agree with me on that on . Even though I did not thoroughly enjoy the book, I believe it helped me evolve as a better student. One thing I did notice was at times, I could read for hours. Then, at other parts I could hardly stay awake and had to keep forcing myself to sit down and read.  The storyline was a classic one, one I could personally relate to. As a child, each kid has a dream. You start out as wanting to be an astronaut, or a ballerina, or a fireman. As you grow older though, you take into account your strengths and weaknesses and what job you can apply them to. Also, you eventually convince yourself that you are completely satisfied with the life you are living and wish nothing more but to continue living that way.  It is a sad but true fact, one that Dickens captures perfectly in Pip.  Pip's life story was one with many turns!  I have to admit, I didn't guess the answers to any of the mysteries before they were revealed.  I was surprised by each and every outcome.
Honestly, reading Great Expectations was a chore for me for the majority of the novel.  I usually ended up reading late at night after I had finished my homework, so I didn't absorb much compared to if I sat down and had more time like on the weekend, with nothing occupying my mind.  Each time I sat down, I would force my eyes along the page so that I could finish and go to sleep.  Only when I reached an exciting part did I get lost in the story.  I wish that we could have read less each night, because for me it would have been much more enjoyable and less tedious.  It was all very achievable unless I didn't understand somethin.  I tried looking on Sparknotes, but the site  doesn't add details and is sometimes wrong.  I would end up forgetting what I didn't understand, which would lead to further confusion later on.  Another thing that slowed me down was annotating.  I strongly dislike having to stop reading every 45 seconds, get out my pencil, and shove a little sticky note into the book.  It required so much hassle that I would usually lose my place and have to start at the beginning of the page again.  I began simply writing in the book with pencil--I am not looking forward to erasing it all!  I understand that it is important to mark important events in our books for later reference, but it reduces what I absorb during my reading sessions!    I wish there were another way to keep track of certain places in the story without distracting myself and making it impossible to get lost in the Pip's world.

Photo Connection

I chose this photo to represent Pip's life in both Stages 1 and 2, because of the amount of detail that is actually in the photo, tying in with the amount of detail in Pip's life.
The roots of the tree are representing the growth of Pip throughout the entire novel. At the beginning, when he is handling his anxiety about the convict, his acceptance of abuse from Mrs. Joe, as well as his budding feelings towards Estella. The white shading of the tree compares to when 'little Pip' was innocent, oblivious to the prejudices and standards of the world outside of his marshes. As the plot increases towards the climax, that is when Pip is becoming very prejudiced, as well as selfish, immature, and ungrateful. That is what darkening of the trunk represents. As Pip reaches the point in the novel when he realizes that he and Estella were never meant to be, Miss Havisham is not his benefactor, and Mrs. Joe dies, that is when the branches of the tree begin to reach out and expand, like Pip is beginning to do. It also shows the darkest moments of Pip's as well.

Connections- Flowers for Algernon

When reading Great Expectations, I found a similarity between its plot and Flowers for Algernon.The story is told through a series of journal entries written by the story's protagonist, Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68 who works a menial job. He is selected to undergo an experimental surgical technique to increase his intelligence. The technique has already been successfully tested on Algernon, a laboratory mouse. The surgery on Charlie is also a success and his IQ triples. Charlie falls in love with his former teacher, Miss Kinnian, but as his intelligence increases, he surpasses her intellectually and they become unable to relate to each other. Also, his new intelligence scares his co-workers at his job; they start a petition to have him fired and, when Charlie finds out about it, he quits his job. As Charlie's intelligence peaks, Algernon suddenly declines — losing his increased intelligence and dying shortly afterward. Charlie discovers that his intelligence increase is also only temporary. Unable to do anything to prevent the change, Charlie ultimately reverts to his original mental state in a swift reversal of his original growth. He tries to return to his original life and job but cannot stand everyone feeling sorry for him so he decides to move away. His last wish before he leaves is that someone put flowers on Algernon's grave.
How I connected this movie to Great Expectations were the similarities between the main characters. Charlie becomes too intelligent to understand anyone, and Pip becomes wealthy enough to lose connection and humbleness towards his own family. A reoccurring theme in both works was both characters have to strive to overcome difficulties to please themselves, as well as people involved in their lives. Both characters have to try and find themselves again, in all of the wealth that surrounds them. For Charlie, his wealth is his intelligence, while Pip's is literally wealth.
While Pip recognizes his faults and starts to reminisce about his life at the forge, Charlie completely abandons his life and leaves everyone as well as everything behind. I predict that unlike Charlie, instead of running away from his problems he will face them and try to solve each issue on his own. 

Second Stage- Great Expectations

The second stage of Great Expectations had a very slow start. The one thing that really stood out to me at the beginning of the new stage was Pip's arrival to London, after Pip is informed of his new found fortune and home in London. Pip's attitude before coming to London was excited and anxious, but he is only disappointed upon arrival. London is actually a dirty, lonely, wretched place. The only good thing about London is Pip's new found friendship and acquaintance of the 'pale young-gentleman' who is actually Herbert Pocket, and is expected to play a major role later on in the novel . Overall, the book and Pip have taken a turn for the rest.
          Pip arriving in London relates to the theme of him becoming a gentleman. Growing up is everything Pip wanted, and to be respected by upper-class citizens as well as being considered an equal. Now that Pip has come into a fortune, he will hopefully soon realize that just because he's becoming a "gentleman" doesn't make him a better person. Pip betrayed and hurt a lot of close and loving people to try and obtain what he wanted.

Pip's Quote: Great Expectations

At Mrs. Havisham's Pip is publicly embarrassed of Joe's illiteracy and shyness.  He quotes about his feelings, "I am afraid I was ashamed of the dear fellow-I know I was ashamed of him..."  The quot eventually leads Pip into realizing that he does not want to be as ignorant as Joe.  He wants to accomplish great things during his life, besides the crueling accomplishment of being a blacksmith.  I noticed that within the first few chapters of the novel, Pip acts very immature. He is able to create thoughts and voice his opinions, but is still a child in that fact that he needs to be cared for.  At first, he, like many children, go along with line,'you are destined to lead the life you were left to lead'. Later though, he realizes that in order to accomplish his dreams, he is going to have to struggle and make an effort to fight for everything he wants. In recent chapters, he has matured greatly.  Pip has a moment where he realizes that one decision can alter his life forever.  

I remember going to down to my middle school in late August, only a week before high school started, and I remember thinking over my entire 8th grade year. I had had a terrible year, a huge fight with friends that leaded to us to not talking for almost a year. I also started thinking about how much it had made me grow up, and realize that I shouldn't be concerned with the social aspect of my life, but with the academic part. I will go places with academics, and then be able to appreciate the real social part of life. But without the struggle I had to deal with earlier in the year, I doubt that I would be the person I am today.

My Questions for Great Expectations

"I held on tight, while Mrs. Joe and Joe ran to him. I didn’t know how I had done it, but I had no doubt I had murdered him somehow. In my dreadful situation, it was a relief when he was brought back, and, surveying the company all round as if they had disagreed with him, sank down into his chair with the one significant gasp, ‘Tar!’"(Ch. 4 pg. 47).

What I did not understand in this paragraph, was who did he 'murder'? Who is this, what relation does he have to Pip, and why did he say, 'Tar'? I really appreciate the help!