Book: Great Expectations
Pages read this week: 175
Pages read this semester: 403
Weekly Style: Fan Fiction
Joe meets Pip in London and tells him that Estella is back. When Pip goes to meet her, he finds Orlick in Satis House. He gets Orlick kicked out by expressing his fears to Jaggers. Estella treats Pip with indifference and he is upset. Coming back to London, Pip and Herbert go to the theater, where Wopsle plays a ridiculous Hamlet. Pip receives a note from Estella notifying him about her arrival in London. She treats him with arrogance, but could not remember who she resembles with. He believes that they are destined to be married, and even Miss Havisham desires this. Pip feels sad about his treatment of Joe and Biddy. Debts are rising on both Pip and Herbert. Pip’s sister, Mrs. Joe dies and Pip is astonished at the intensity of his sadness. He decides to visit the Joe and Biddy more often. Pip’s 21st birthday arrives and he begins to receive 500 pounds a year. However, Jaggers reveals nothing about Pip’s benefactor. Pip decides to help out Herbert anonymously in his business. Estella’s cold behavior towards Pip continues as time passes on. Pip turns 23 and one night, the old convict, whom Pip had served in marshes years ago, comes to him and tells him that he was his benefactor. The convict is running from law and Pip allows him to stay with him until Herbert is back. Pip’s dreams of marrying Estella are razed. The name of convict is Abel Magwitch, but Pip calls him Uncle Provis. Herbert comes back and they plan to send Magwitch abroad. Magwitch tells his story which comes out to be related to Miss Havisham. Pip decides to leave Estella, and she tells him that he is going to marry Drummle, one of Pip’s ex-fellow students at Pockets’. When he comes back, he gets a note from Wemmick, asking him not to go home. He spends night at an inn. The next morning, Wemmick tells him that Magwtich’s old foe, Compeyson, who had stood up Miss Havisham on her wedding day, is pursuing Magwitch. Magwitch is hidden at Herbert’s fiancée, Clara’s house. Herbert and Pip discuss a plan to sneak Magwitch away on the river, and Pip begins to consider staying with his benefactor even after their escape.
Fan Fic
Pip was a 17 year old young boy and a high school student. He never had a girl friend. He was, actually, shy of girls, and tried to stay away from them. He did not mix up easily with fellow students. His main focus was his studies and nothing else. Unusually, he developed a strong bond of relationship with Estella, a fellow classmate. They shared many interests even though she was a year older than him. They got along together pretty well, and were always teasing each other. Pip began to feel something for Estella. Before he could decide what, Estella told him that she already had somebody else in her life. Pip found out that it was some guy almost 10 years older than Estella. She wanted to marry him and apparently, her family had no objection. Discreetly, Pip decided to question her more about that guy, Herbert. Pip was worried because of the age factor. He thought Herbert might dump her. Somehow, coincidentally, Estella invited both Herbert and Pip to a dinner. By talking to Herbert, Pip became sure that he was a nice guy. For the first time in his life, he had been so much concerned about somebody else. Partially, because he liked Estella; but he was not really sure about it. Some days later, when asked Pip asked Estella when she planned to marry Herbert; she shocked him by telling him that they had broken up a couple of days ago. Pip felt a mixed feeling of joy and sorrow. It was his good conscience that took over him, and he persuaded Estella to try for a patch up. After some initial hesitation, both sides agreed to Pip’s proposal. This time Pip really felt overwhelmed by joy as he thought that he had done some good deed. However, he was left wondering if he could be the same old Pip again.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Blog 2A
Book: Great Expectations
Pages Read this week: 125
Pages read this semester: 228
Weekly style: Questions
Summary
Pip is apprenticed to Joe and Miss Havisham pays them some money. Pip does not like this turn around in his life. Time passes as Pip begins working in Joe's forge; the boy slowly becomes an adolescent. He hates working as Joe's apprentice, but out of consideration for Joe's goodness, he keeps his feelings to himself. As he works, he thinks he sees Estella's face mocking him in the forge, and he longs for Satis House. Mrs. Joe is attacked by somebody after she had a verbal face off with Orlick, the other worker at the forge. Her brain is severely damaged and she becomes ‘invalid.’ Pip suspects its Orlick behind this, but Mrs. Joe shows no contempt for him. Biddy moves into Joe’s house to help them with household tasks. Pip is saddened when he comes to know that Estella has been sent abroad. He is attracted towards Biddy, but tells her about his love for Estella. Biddy warns him about her. Pip comes to know that he is soon going to inherit large sum of money through some unknown benefactor. He thinks it is Miss Havisham. He has to go to London where he will be tutored by Matthew Pocket, Havisham’s cousin. Pip leaves Joe’s house regretting his snobbish behavior towards people who had loved him. Pip does not like London at first. He meets Mr. Jaggers, the lawyer of his benefactor. He befriends Herbert Pocket who helps him in becoming a gentleman; and Wemmick, the clerk at Jaggers’ office. Pip does not like his fellow students. However, he tries to become good at table manners and observes everything he thinks is important for him.
Basically, Pip is learning things about his surroundings and himself in this part. We see him going through various developmental phases of life. And the changes in hi behavior and thinking become apparent as he enters adolescence.
Que. 1: What do you think will happen next and why?
Ans.: I am almost half way through the book, but with every page I read, I think more and more about what will be the ending of the story. I cannot find out where the story is headed towards. Indeed it is very sophisticated novel. Still, I have a general feeling that like most stories, this novel will also have a happy ending. I believe that Pip and Estella will marry. May be the story can go even farther from their marriage. It seems to me that some complexities will arise in their relationship, because Pip does not really know how to express his feelings in the most appropriate way. And since he is not very sure about Estella, may be somebody else will enter his life too. Pip’s past may come to haunt him again. Perhaps there will be something about Joe or somebody else that will again drag him bag to his slippery past of marshes. I think so because this usually happens in novels.
Que. 2: What/how does what you read make you feel? Why?
Pages Read this week: 125
Pages read this semester: 228
Weekly style: Questions
Summary
Pip is apprenticed to Joe and Miss Havisham pays them some money. Pip does not like this turn around in his life. Time passes as Pip begins working in Joe's forge; the boy slowly becomes an adolescent. He hates working as Joe's apprentice, but out of consideration for Joe's goodness, he keeps his feelings to himself. As he works, he thinks he sees Estella's face mocking him in the forge, and he longs for Satis House. Mrs. Joe is attacked by somebody after she had a verbal face off with Orlick, the other worker at the forge. Her brain is severely damaged and she becomes ‘invalid.’ Pip suspects its Orlick behind this, but Mrs. Joe shows no contempt for him. Biddy moves into Joe’s house to help them with household tasks. Pip is saddened when he comes to know that Estella has been sent abroad. He is attracted towards Biddy, but tells her about his love for Estella. Biddy warns him about her. Pip comes to know that he is soon going to inherit large sum of money through some unknown benefactor. He thinks it is Miss Havisham. He has to go to London where he will be tutored by Matthew Pocket, Havisham’s cousin. Pip leaves Joe’s house regretting his snobbish behavior towards people who had loved him. Pip does not like London at first. He meets Mr. Jaggers, the lawyer of his benefactor. He befriends Herbert Pocket who helps him in becoming a gentleman; and Wemmick, the clerk at Jaggers’ office. Pip does not like his fellow students. However, he tries to become good at table manners and observes everything he thinks is important for him.
Basically, Pip is learning things about his surroundings and himself in this part. We see him going through various developmental phases of life. And the changes in hi behavior and thinking become apparent as he enters adolescence.
Que. 1: What do you think will happen next and why?
Ans.: I am almost half way through the book, but with every page I read, I think more and more about what will be the ending of the story. I cannot find out where the story is headed towards. Indeed it is very sophisticated novel. Still, I have a general feeling that like most stories, this novel will also have a happy ending. I believe that Pip and Estella will marry. May be the story can go even farther from their marriage. It seems to me that some complexities will arise in their relationship, because Pip does not really know how to express his feelings in the most appropriate way. And since he is not very sure about Estella, may be somebody else will enter his life too. Pip’s past may come to haunt him again. Perhaps there will be something about Joe or somebody else that will again drag him bag to his slippery past of marshes. I think so because this usually happens in novels.
Que. 2: What/how does what you read make you feel? Why?
Ans.: To be honest, I have experienced all sorts of emotions by reading this ‘magnum opus’ of Charles Dickens. I smiled at young Pip’s innocence, and I felt hatred towards the type of life the opulent people lead. Sometimes I often wondered what the significance of this event is because it seemed to slow down the momentum of the story for me. I am pondering why money means so much for people. And definitely, why some people like to brag about some act of goodness they did for somebody. Since this is very complicated novel, I often feel lost trying to figure out the ages
Friday, February 6, 2009
Blog 1A
Book: Great Expectations
Pages read this week: 103
Pages read this semester: 103
Weekly Style: Quotation
The story starts with Pip (Philip Pirrip), a young little boy, paying homage to his parents and his five deceased siblings in the graveyard. He is being brought by Joe Gargery, a village blacksmith who is married to Pip’s sister. A runaway convict catches him and asks him to bring a file (“a long, narrow tool of steel or other metal having a series of ridges or points on its surfaces for reducing or smoothing surfaces of metal, wood, etc. Source: www.dictionary.com), and some food. He steals some food and brandy from his house. The next night is Christmas night and some relatives pay a visit to the blacksmith’s house. The thought of stealing keeps haunting Pip, and he is terrified when some soldiers arrive at their house late in the night. He is a bit relieved to know that they had something which needed repairs from Joe. After that is done, Joe, Pip and Mr. Wopsole accompany the band of soldiers who are out to catch two convicts. Both are caught, with one being the same culprit Pip had fed. However the culprit says that he himself stole food from the blacksmith’s house. This leads to the awakening in Pip’s mind. A year later, he is summoned to show up at Miss Havisham’s house up town. She is a rich lady and wants to see somebody play. Pip gets really acquainted to that house and has sweet and bitter experiences with Estella who works at Havisham’s house. By the end of chapter 12, Miss Havisham summons Joe, to whom Pip will be apprenticed to.
“In the little world in which children have their existence, whosoever brings them up, there is nothing so finely perceived and finely felt as injustice.”
Pages read this week: 103
Pages read this semester: 103
Weekly Style: Quotation
The story starts with Pip (Philip Pirrip), a young little boy, paying homage to his parents and his five deceased siblings in the graveyard. He is being brought by Joe Gargery, a village blacksmith who is married to Pip’s sister. A runaway convict catches him and asks him to bring a file (“a long, narrow tool of steel or other metal having a series of ridges or points on its surfaces for reducing or smoothing surfaces of metal, wood, etc. Source: www.dictionary.com), and some food. He steals some food and brandy from his house. The next night is Christmas night and some relatives pay a visit to the blacksmith’s house. The thought of stealing keeps haunting Pip, and he is terrified when some soldiers arrive at their house late in the night. He is a bit relieved to know that they had something which needed repairs from Joe. After that is done, Joe, Pip and Mr. Wopsole accompany the band of soldiers who are out to catch two convicts. Both are caught, with one being the same culprit Pip had fed. However the culprit says that he himself stole food from the blacksmith’s house. This leads to the awakening in Pip’s mind. A year later, he is summoned to show up at Miss Havisham’s house up town. She is a rich lady and wants to see somebody play. Pip gets really acquainted to that house and has sweet and bitter experiences with Estella who works at Havisham’s house. By the end of chapter 12, Miss Havisham summons Joe, to whom Pip will be apprenticed to.
“In the little world in which children have their existence, whosoever brings them up, there is nothing so finely perceived and finely felt as injustice.”
Pip is commenting about how he felt after he was ill treated, well not ill treated, but given harsh comments on his appearance by Estella. He also felt that “all that glitters is not gold.” Miss Havisham’s house was big but lonely and had nothing for him. It was in a bad shape. So he really felt weird and sad at the shattering of his hopes of a lavish rich household and availability of everything including love.
Whenever children feel hurt, they feel that they had been subject to partiality. I was a kid once and there is still a kid hidden somewhere in my mind. When I was younger, I used to feel that at certain moments, I was biased at school or home, although now I understand at most occasions I was not, well never at home. However, the matter of concern is that increasingly more and more young kids are starting to feel this way. And one of the biggest, perhaps the biggest and most important reason is the parental lack of care towards them in this rapidly transforming world of technology. Having lived in two nations and in two separate cultures and societies, I have observed it a lot. Parents, especially the rich and the working class are very busy in their scheduled lives. If the children protest, they are hushed up by the parents saying that they are living hard lives just for them. Some kids are contented with this argument, but some are not. The latter group wants love and affection.
I remember that in December 2007, there was an Indian Bollywood movie about a seven year old child who is neglected by his parents. That movie was highly acclaimed by both eastern and western critics, but could not reach the final five in Oscars this year. I have not watched the movie but the music, reviews and reports give me a feeling that it directly deals with this problem of the “neglected” generation. Not all parents are like that, but such negligence can lead to bigger psychological and social problems. That is what my father says who is often pointed out by some of his relative here who feel dejected with the way how my parents (over) care about us.
Whenever children feel hurt, they feel that they had been subject to partiality. I was a kid once and there is still a kid hidden somewhere in my mind. When I was younger, I used to feel that at certain moments, I was biased at school or home, although now I understand at most occasions I was not, well never at home. However, the matter of concern is that increasingly more and more young kids are starting to feel this way. And one of the biggest, perhaps the biggest and most important reason is the parental lack of care towards them in this rapidly transforming world of technology. Having lived in two nations and in two separate cultures and societies, I have observed it a lot. Parents, especially the rich and the working class are very busy in their scheduled lives. If the children protest, they are hushed up by the parents saying that they are living hard lives just for them. Some kids are contented with this argument, but some are not. The latter group wants love and affection.
I remember that in December 2007, there was an Indian Bollywood movie about a seven year old child who is neglected by his parents. That movie was highly acclaimed by both eastern and western critics, but could not reach the final five in Oscars this year. I have not watched the movie but the music, reviews and reports give me a feeling that it directly deals with this problem of the “neglected” generation. Not all parents are like that, but such negligence can lead to bigger psychological and social problems. That is what my father says who is often pointed out by some of his relative here who feel dejected with the way how my parents (over) care about us.
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