Novel Lec 4
Great Expectations
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Charles Dickens was an English author and social critic
Regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era
Created well-known fictional characters
Popular during his lifetime and acknowledged for his literary brilliance
Known for novels like Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Hard Times, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations
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Gothicism is a cultural movement that originated in Sweden
Glorifies the Geats, a large Germanic tribe
Renewed by the Viking revival and Romantic nationalism in the early 19th century
Viking revival reflects new interest in Viking medieval history and culture
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Gothic literature emerged from the Romantic literary movement in the 18th century
Characterized by ominous and scenic settings, shocking storytelling techniques, and a general air of mysticism, horror, and dread
Romanticism is a literary movement characterized by a celebration of nature, focus on individual experience, idealization of women, and embrace of isolation and melancholy
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The novel centers around Pip, an orphaned boy living with his sister and her husband
Pip falls in love with a heartless girl named Estella
Pip's actions are driven by his love for Estella
Pip receives a fortune from a secret benefactor to pursue education and wealth in the hopes of becoming worthy in Estella's eyes
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The novel is set in three stages
First stage: Pip's life as a child, living in Kent and his relation with Miss Havisham and Estella
Pip falls in love with Estella, encouraged by Miss Havisham
Pip receives money from a mysterious benefactor to go to London and become a "gentleman"
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Second stage: Pip goes to London, makes friends, and receives a good education
Pip becomes successful and wealthy but fails to gain Estella's love
Pip believes Miss Havisham is his benefactor and grooming him for Estella
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Second stage: Pip's convict, Magwitch, returns and reveals himself as Pip's secret benefactor
Magwitch claims he wanted to turn Pip into a gentleman because of Pip's kindness
Pip assists Magwitch in fleeing London to avoid capture by the police
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Second stage: Pip learns that Estella is Magwitch's daughter and Miss Havisham raised her to break men's hearts
Pip agrees to help Magwitch escape and begins to care for him
Pip shows disgust at Miss Havisham's actions but forgives her before her death
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Third stage: Pip is heartbroken when he learns Estella has married a cruel gentleman
Pip visits Miss Havisham before her death and forgives her
Pip helps Magwitch escape but he is caught by the police and dies from his injuries
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Third stage: Pip becomes ill and is taken care of by Joe
Pip returns to his regular lifestyle and later reunites with Joe
Pip meets Estella again and learns of her unhappy marriage
Estella asks for Pip's forgiveness and they walk out of the garden hand in hand
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Gothicism in Great Expectations in the churchyard
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The novel starts with a significant event in Pip's life as a young child
Pip encounters an escaped convict who orders him to bring food and a file
The convict gets caught, and Pip returns to his normal life with his sister and her husband in Kent
Page 17: Gothic Elements in the Opening Scene
The setting is described as a bleak marsh country near the river and the sea.
The protagonist, Pip, gains his first vivid impression of the identity of things in this setting.
The churchyard, overgrown with nettles, is identified as the burial place of Pip's deceased family members.
The marshes, with dikes, mounds, and gates, are described as a dark flat wilderness.
The river is depicted as a low leaden line.
The distant savage lair is identified as the sea.
Pip, a small child, is portrayed as a bundle of shivers growing afraid of the surroundings.
Page 18: Encounter with a Fearful Man
A man with a terrible voice emerges from among the graves and threatens Pip.
The man is described as wearing coarse grey clothing, with an iron on his leg.
He has no hat, broken shoes, and a rag tied around his head.
The man appears soaked in water, covered in mud, and injured by stones, flints, nettles, and briars.
He limps, shivers, glares, and growls, with chattering teeth.
The man grabs Pip by the chin, instilling fear in him.
Page 19: Pip's Plea and Introduction
Pip pleads with the man not to harm him.
Pip begs the man not to cut his throat.
The man demands to know Pip's name and where he lives.
Pip reveals his name and points to the village where he lives, about a mile away from the church.
Page 20: Inspection and Intimidation
The man turns Pip upside down and empties his pockets, finding only a piece of bread.
Pip is seated on a high tombstone while the man eats the bread hungrily.
The man comments on Pip's appearance, mentioning his fat cheeks.
Pip acknowledges that his cheeks are indeed fat, despite being undersized and weak for his age.
Page 21: Inquiring about Pip's Family
The man asks about Pip's mother and father.
Pip points out his mother and mentions his father, who is deceased.
Page 22: Pip's Living Arrangements
The man asks who Pip lives with and considers whether Pip will be allowed to live.
Pip explains that he lives with his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, who is married to Joe Gargery, a blacksmith.
The man looks at his leg and then approaches Pip, tilting him back and staring into his eyes.
Page 23: Threats and Demands
The man questions Pip about his knowledge of a file and food.
With each question, the man tilts Pip further, making him feel more helpless and in danger.
The man instructs Pip to bring him a file and food the next morning at an old Battery.
He warns that failure or disobedience will result in his heart and liver being torn out and eaten.
Pip requests to be allowed to keep upright and promises to fulfill the man's demands.
Page 24: Intimidation and Instructions
The man gives Pip a final warning and tells him to remember his obligations.
He emphasizes the presence of a young man who can harm Pip if he fails to comply.
Pip agrees to get the file and food and promises to meet the man at the Battery in the morning.
The man insists that Pip swear on his life to fulfill his promise.
The man releases Pip and tells him to go home.
Page 25: Departure of the Man
The man expresses his desire to be a frog or an eel.
He hugs himself tightly and limps toward the low church wall.
Pip observes the man's departure and imagines him eluding the hands of the dead people in the graves.
The man crosses the church wall and looks back for Pip.
Pip starts heading home but glances back to see the man continuing his journey toward the river, navigating the marshes and stepping on stones.
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Description of the marshes, river, and sky
Marshes and river are horizontal lines
Sky has angry red and dense black lines
Two black things on the edge of the river
Beacon used by sailors
Gibbet with chains that held a pirate
Man limping towards the gibbet
Cattle lifting their heads to gaze after him
Frightened and ran home without stopping
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No main ideas or supporting details mentioned.
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Gothic feature in the novel
Miss Havisham and Satis House
Description of Miss Havisham
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Miss Havisham and Gothicism
Description of Miss Havisham
Jilted at the altar
Wears torn wedding dress for life
Pip and Estella
Wedding cake and breakfast uneaten
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No main ideas or supporting details mentioned.
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No main ideas or supporting details mentioned.
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Satis House and Gothicism
Description of Satis House
Grotesque owner
Mazy, dark, and decayed
Mysterious and sinister atmosphere
Symbolic of frustration and disappointment
Great Expectations vs. frustrated expectations
Neglected and dilapidated
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Mention of a bride cake
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Home assignment to read excerpts related to Satis House and Miss Havisham
Comment on the gothic element and vocabulary use
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Great Expectations as a bildungsroman
Definition of bildungsroman
Positive ending with character's psychological development and moral education
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Structure of a bildungsroman
Stages of transformation to reach maturity
Loss
Journey
Conflict and personal growth
Maturity
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Loss in Great Expectations
Parents
Sister's love
Estella
Journey to become a gentleman
Conflict and personal growth
Mistakes with Magwitch and Joe
Maturity as a refined gentleman
Forgiveness and sound judgement
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Realism in Great Expectations
Pip as a model of a realist character
Focus on telling the whole truth about Pip's character
Pip as a relatable and "real" person
Representation of the English middle class
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Definition of Realism
Departure from idealism of the Romantic period
Concern for fact or reality
Accurate interpretation and representation of reality
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Realism in literature
Attention to detail and recreation of reality
Complex characters over plot
Emphasis on material and physical details of life
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Social Realism as a subgenre
Portrayal of the lives of working class people
Dickens' accurate and detailed portrayal of the struggles of the lower class
Rising middle class audience relating to the characters
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Characteristics of the Realistic Victorian Novel
Emphasis on the present and specific action
Elevation of common actions and minor catastrophes
Simple direct language and focus on issues of conduct
Abundance of characters and social types
Weak and loosely-knit plots
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Dickens' portrayal of middle class ethics through characters
Contrasting qualities of Biddy and Estella
Magwitch's persecuted convict with a heart of gold
Joe as the epitome of goodness, honesty, empathy, and kindness
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Chronological linear structure in Great Expectations
Events develop chronologically following a realistic time frame
Retrospective narration by Pip
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First person point of view in Great Expectations
Pip as both protagonist and narrator
Adds credibility and integrity to the events
Story told from Pip's perspective
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Accurate descriptions of settings in Great Expectations
Dickens' linguistic and descriptive skills
Detailed description of places, people,