Great Expectations Journal Essay Research Paper Great

Great Expectations Journal Essay, Research Paper

Great Expectations Journal1. What is your first reaction to Pip and his crisis with the convict. Would you have acted and felt thesame way. Write down any thoughts, opinions or questions that you may have. When Pip meets the convict in the churchyard I felt that Pip would be subjected to great danger. Afterthe boy is grabbed and shaken while upside down the convict interrogates the boy. I think Pip might havetold the convict too much. In today’s world telling a stranger specifics about location and occupationcould lead to robbery or the murder of a whole family. After that Pip feels empathy for the convict andalso thinks it would be great to have something of his own. This is why he later calls him “My Convict”. When he arrives home he steals the wittles (food) and a metal file for the convict. He sets off to thechurchyard and after a run-in with the other convict Pip gives the food to the fugitive he met the nightbefore. The convict sincerely appreciates his gesture and that the boy kept his promise. The fugitiveturns out to be a kind-hearted fellow and is much in debt to Pip. When the convict finally gets capturedhe admits to stealing food from Pip’s home to !ensure Pip will not be held responsible for the lost food. At this point the saying “What goes aroundcomes around” is seen. I think this also shows foreshadowing because it suggests that that convict willcome back to see Pip once again. If I were placed in the same situation I wouldn’t have acted like Pip. If the convict had let me go back to my house I would tell my father. In the world today you can’tdepend on the kindness of strangers. Perhaps the convict would kill me because I could identify him,much the same way as After The First Death when Kate realizes that she will be killed because she sawMiro and Artkin unmasked.4. Pip is a dynamic character, changing considerably as the novel progresses. Several problems orconflicts are experienced that make his life so difficult. Choose one that stands out to you and explainwhy you think it is important. As Pip becomes more mature and is on his way to be a gentleman it is very important to look back onsituations that changed him and made his life difficult. Only in recalling the past can one predict thefuture. Pip is some one who seems unlucky. When his parents die he is left with his older sisterGeorgiana who doesn’t seem that keen on raising Pip. She is very mean to Pip and freely uses the ticklerto teach him discipline (a tickler is a stick with melted wax at the end used to beat Pip). Shecriticizes him and she does the same with her husband. She is obviously a very touchy person. Howevermuch of this Pip endured for such a long time, the first meeting with the convict had to be one of themost important conflicts that make his life difficult. When Pip meets the convict in the churchyard he is threatened immediately. The man says that ifhe does not keep his promise and bring him the items he requested something terrible would happen. “Youbring ‘em both to me…or I’ll have your heart and liver out”(3) shows how the convict terrified Pip intothinking he would be maliciously killed if he were to disobey the convict. Not only were the convictsword threatening he also grabbed the boy and shook him to see what the contents of his pockets were. This shocking event would even chill my bones. Pip brings the items to the convict the next day to savehis heart and liver. At this point I believe Pip finds himself sympathizing with the convict. He isactually a nice man who thanks Pip for keeping his promise. I think Pip can relate to being scared andsometimes feeling alone. This changes his life directly and indirectly. After this episode he calls theconvict “My Convict” which shows how he has found a friend o!ther than Joe, this is a direct example. After the convict shows gratitude by claiming he stole thefood, he adopted Pip in his mind and vows to himself all the money he makes will be used to make Pip agentleman. This helps Pip to change into a gentleman and to pursue Estella. 5. Choose one of the following quotations from the story. Explain what you think the quotation meansabout the character ands in the story and people in general. For this journal entry I am choosing to explain the quote, “Break their hearts, my pride and hope, breaktheir hearts and have no mercy!”. This quote is said by Mrs. Havisham to Estella and shows the ethics inwhich she raised her. When Mrs. Havisham was young she fell in love with a man who, on their weddingday, left her. To add to this torment she was left with a note, she wasn’t even presented with a chanceto meet him face to face. It was supposed that this man had gotten a share of the business for aridiculous price and then later left with the money and split it with his half-brother. After that Mrs. Havisham devoted her life to seclusion and to bringing Estella to wreak her revenge. The way in whichshe was seduced into thinking she was in love and then tossed aside as a part of some scheme made Mrs. Havisham very bitter towards all males, good or bad. She teaches Estella to play with young man’s heartsby making them jealous and cheating on them. This corresp!onds to the first part of the quote; “Break their hearts”. The second part of the quote deals with the

pride and hope that was taken from her when she was devastated by the evil deed done to her by herfianc . Her pride and hope is to be reclai