"Her watch had stopped at twenty minutes to nine, and that a clock in the room had stopped at twenty minutes to nine.
'Look at me,' said Miss Havisham. 'You are not afraid of a woman who has never seen the sun since you were born?'" (Dickens 77).
This is a perfect quote to show one moral or message that Great Expectations, and therefore Charles Dickens is trying to send. One of the things he says, over and over again, through this book, is how much one single moment can change ones life, so it is better to think before acting and not make rash decisions, as Pip does. This quote shows how one particular moment (twenty minutes to nine, to be exact) changed things intensely in Miss Havisham's life. Her bridegroom left her at the altar, changing the remainder of her entire life, as is shown by the fact that she hasn't "seen the sun" since Pip was born.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Beggar my neighbour
"'Nothing but beggar my neighbour, Miss.'
'Beggar him,' said Miss Havisham to Estella." (Dickens 79).
This reference is not only a joke added in by Dickens, but a pointed remark juxtaposing Pip and the Havishams. "Beggar my neighbour" is a card game in which cards are given up to the other player as "payment." The first player to run out of cards loses. This game is appropriate for Estella and Pip to be playing because of their contrasting financial situations; in comparison to Estella, Pip is a beggar. Adding this game into the story only emphasizes this point.
http://www.pagat.com/war/beggar_my_neighbour.html
'Beggar him,' said Miss Havisham to Estella." (Dickens 79).
This reference is not only a joke added in by Dickens, but a pointed remark juxtaposing Pip and the Havishams. "Beggar my neighbour" is a card game in which cards are given up to the other player as "payment." The first player to run out of cards loses. This game is appropriate for Estella and Pip to be playing because of their contrasting financial situations; in comparison to Estella, Pip is a beggar. Adding this game into the story only emphasizes this point.
http://www.pagat.com/war/beggar_my_neighbour.html
Far above such common things...
"I thought how Joe and my sister were then sitting in the kitchen, and how I had come p to bed from the kitchen, and how Miss Havisham and Estella never sat in a kitchen, but were far above the level of such common things." (Dickens 95).
This quote is a prime example of a character flaw of Pip's that leads to his downfall. As soon as he sees or experiences a situation that is "better" than his own, or perhaps more advanced, or of higher societal standing, he immediately becomes self-conscious of himself and his own lowly position, and immediately wants it changed. Here, after his first day at Miss Havisham's, he is comparing her and Estella's way of life, with their fancy mansion and evident fortune, to his own humble existence. He wants to change the way he lives, to rise to their level.
This quote is a prime example of a character flaw of Pip's that leads to his downfall. As soon as he sees or experiences a situation that is "better" than his own, or perhaps more advanced, or of higher societal standing, he immediately becomes self-conscious of himself and his own lowly position, and immediately wants it changed. Here, after his first day at Miss Havisham's, he is comparing her and Estella's way of life, with their fancy mansion and evident fortune, to his own humble existence. He wants to change the way he lives, to rise to their level.
A piece of money, worth nothing.
"But I felt that the kiss was given to the coarse common boy as a piece of money might have been, and that it was worth nothing." (Dickens 121).
This is an odd quote to be coming from Pip, who seems to be so in love with money. He says indirectly here that money is "worth nothing," just as Estella's kiss was. This is probably Dicken's point of view, as is shown in the moral of the book. Money has no real value, no intellectual or personal value, and is "worth nothing" to him. Dickens says it is bad to yearn for money and seek it out.
This is an odd quote to be coming from Pip, who seems to be so in love with money. He says indirectly here that money is "worth nothing," just as Estella's kiss was. This is probably Dicken's point of view, as is shown in the moral of the book. Money has no real value, no intellectual or personal value, and is "worth nothing" to him. Dickens says it is bad to yearn for money and seek it out.
Enough House
"'Enough House!' said I: 'that's a curious name, miss.'
'Yes,' she replied; 'but it meant more than it said. It meant, when it was given, that whoever had this house, could want nothing else. They must have been easily satisfied in those days, I should think.'" (Dickens 75).
This quote adds to the social commentary that Great Expectations, and therefore Dickens, is making. The novel is about the evils of having too many material possessions or money, and especially wanting too much of these things. Dickens seems to think that society was deteriorating into people wanting too much and trying to gain too much too quickly, resulting in disappointing lives for them, like Pip's. This quote shows distinctly this deterioration that he thought was happening; "they must have been easily satisfied in those days," Estella says, showing how people need more and more to be satisfied as time passes.
'Yes,' she replied; 'but it meant more than it said. It meant, when it was given, that whoever had this house, could want nothing else. They must have been easily satisfied in those days, I should think.'" (Dickens 75).
This quote adds to the social commentary that Great Expectations, and therefore Dickens, is making. The novel is about the evils of having too many material possessions or money, and especially wanting too much of these things. Dickens seems to think that society was deteriorating into people wanting too much and trying to gain too much too quickly, resulting in disappointing lives for them, like Pip's. This quote shows distinctly this deterioration that he thought was happening; "they must have been easily satisfied in those days," Estella says, showing how people need more and more to be satisfied as time passes.
Pause you who read this
"Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorn or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day." (Dickens 95)
This quote represents two things; a specific style of writing popular in the Victorian era, and foreshadowing. In the Victorian era, linear and simple narration was popular, with strong narrating characters, using first person perspective. To enhance this style of writing, authors often inserted narration interruptions by the narrators, to remind that it was a story being told. This interruption from Pip does just that. It also is an example of foreshadowing, something Dickens uses an great deal of. This quote refers to his future situation as a chain, which implies something binding him negatively. He is referring to the first day he went to Miss Havisham's, meeting Estella. This quote suggests that big changes are in store, and this day began them.
This quote represents two things; a specific style of writing popular in the Victorian era, and foreshadowing. In the Victorian era, linear and simple narration was popular, with strong narrating characters, using first person perspective. To enhance this style of writing, authors often inserted narration interruptions by the narrators, to remind that it was a story being told. This interruption from Pip does just that. It also is an example of foreshadowing, something Dickens uses an great deal of. This quote refers to his future situation as a chain, which implies something binding him negatively. He is referring to the first day he went to Miss Havisham's, meeting Estella. This quote suggests that big changes are in store, and this day began them.
Richard the Third
"Having his hand in, Mr Wopsle finished off with a most terrifically snarling passage from Richard the Third, and seemed to think he had done quite enough to account for it when he added - 'as the poet says.'" (Dickens 101).
Richard the Third is a play by William Shakespeare about the rise to power and reign of King Richard III. Richard III rose to power in a malicious, evil way, even though his brother, Edward IV, was the current king. He has people who are in the way of him getting power killed, including Edward IV's sons, after Edward has died of natural causes. He was, in the play, an evil man, and his evil ways came back around to him in karmic ways. He was visited by ghosts, telling him about his impending doom, and is slaughtered in battle by Richmond, who was also in line for the throne, shortly after Richard III has taken power.
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/plays/richard_III/richard_III.htm
Just the very mention of the play Richard III is a very pointed foreshadowing as to Pip's situation. He is so anxious to get ahead in the world financially and socially, that he is too hasty with it and consequently falls to ruin shortly after, much as Richard III did.
Richard the Third is a play by William Shakespeare about the rise to power and reign of King Richard III. Richard III rose to power in a malicious, evil way, even though his brother, Edward IV, was the current king. He has people who are in the way of him getting power killed, including Edward IV's sons, after Edward has died of natural causes. He was, in the play, an evil man, and his evil ways came back around to him in karmic ways. He was visited by ghosts, telling him about his impending doom, and is slaughtered in battle by Richmond, who was also in line for the throne, shortly after Richard III has taken power.
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/plays/richard_III/richard_III.htm
Just the very mention of the play Richard III is a very pointed foreshadowing as to Pip's situation. He is so anxious to get ahead in the world financially and socially, that he is too hasty with it and consequently falls to ruin shortly after, much as Richard III did.
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