Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essay examples

Great Expectations Essay Topic: Why is Great Expectations called Great Expectations? There is an old clichà © that cautions readers not to â€Å"judge a book by its cover†, but rather, by its contents. While this piece of advice may indeed be true, one could ask if the same is true of judging a book by its title. The title of a book is in many ways indicative, not only of its contents, but perhaps more important, of its author’s message. A title serves to inspire the reader’s interest, while at the same time, to convey its central theme. Charles Dickens’ decision to entitle, what has become his most famous and celebrated work, Great Expectations, was a wise one, for it continues to communicate the book’s powerful and relevant†¦show more content†¦And if it is to gain her over, I should think - but you know best - she was not worth gaining over. Exactly what I myself have thought, many times. Exactly what was perfectly manifest to me at the moment. But how could I, a poor dazed village lad avoid that wonderful inconsistency into which the best and wisest of men fall every day?† (Page 129) Ironically, despite Pip’s new found material wealth, he is unhappy. It is only when Estella insults him that he becomes self-conscious and rejects whom he has become. He finally realizes that wealth cannot bring happiness. Sadly, Pip’s greatest expectations could have been fulfilled living as a â€Å"poor lad† with Joe and his sister, the journey to attain wealth was filled with disappointment. Conversely, Joe and Biddy are simple, honest people who comfortably accept their place is society. They are humble, happy and care for their fellow human beings. Joe tolerates Pip’s sister because his morals would not allow him to mistreat his wife. Likewise, Biddy is a loving, wise, girl who gives Pip astute advice. These characters’ expectations are realistic and reasonable. As a result, they fulfill their expectations with peace and contentment. When Pip finally comes home, after eleven years, he is able to return to his former self. His expectations have finally found their proper course. The last chapter begins with Pip reflecting, â€Å"For elevenShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1113 Words   |  5 Pagesadventures that the male characters go on. This seems to be relevant in a lot of movies and books like the story Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In Great Expectations there are multiple female characters like Estella, Biddy, and Miss H avisham who all play a large part in the main character, Pip’s life. One of the first that we meet the character Estella in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is when Pip goes to Miss Havisham’s to play with her. The two kids play the game beggar my neighbor when EstellaRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1347 Words   |  6 Pagespoor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel is that ofRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1426 Words   |  6 Pages Twelve-year-old Charles dickens gets ready for bed after a long day at the blacking house. These Victorian-aged memories will provide him with many ideas for his highly acclaimed novel Great Expectations. Set in 1830 England, Great Expectations is a coming-of-age story about a common innocent boy named Pip and his road to becoming a gentleman through the influence of others. Pip is influenced both positively and negatively by Estella, Herbert, and Magwitch. Estella left a huge impression on PipRead MoreGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens984 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringingRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations943 Words   |  4 Pages This is true in many cases but none as much as in Great Expectations. In many ways the narrator/protagonist Pip is Charles Dickens in body and mind. While there are many differences between the story and Charles Dickens life there remains one constant. This constant is the way Pip as the narra tor feels, because these feelings are Dickens s own feelings about the life he lead. Since Great Expectations was written towards end of Charles Dickens life, he was wiser and able to make out the mistakesRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1375 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr Ripley by Anthony Minghella present similar criticisms of society to a large extent. Both of these texts consider the criticisms of rich social contexts (wealth and status), societal morality (whether a society is good or not. Status [can lead to the wrong people being in a high position i.e. making bad decisions affecting the community/society] Appearance [society appears to be moral/good (if you’re from a higher status) {dickens criticisesRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1223 Words   |  5 PagesBeloved author Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Growing up in a life of poverty, his childhood hardshi ps provided the inspiration to write a myriad of classic novels including his 1861 seminole masterpiece, Great Expectations (â€Å"BBC History - Charles Dickens†). Great Expectations follows the life of an orphan named Pip, who’s perspective of the world is altered when he is attacked by an escaped convict in his parents’ graveyard in the town of Kent. Throughout hisRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens924 Words   |  4 Pagesa character driven novel, or a mix of the two. In order for a novel to be character driven, it must revolve more around the characters’ individual thoughts, feelings, and inner struggles, rather than around the quest of the story. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a character driven novel. While the story does have a plot, it is not contingent upon that plot, but rather is reliant upon its characters and their natures. This is evident from the beginning of the novel. From the opening ofRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1669 Words   |  7 PagesCharles Dickens He was one of England s greatest authors of the 1800 s, better known as the Victorian era. The various themes and ideas of that time are perfectly showcased in his many novels and short stories, such as Nicholas Nickelby, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol. Much of the inspiration for these works came from the trials and conflicts that he dealt with in his own life. His volumes of fictional writing show the greatRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1017 Words   |  5 Pagesexperiencer is somewhere else absorbing knowledge of a different setting.This abstract adventure is seized by author Charles Dickens in Great Expectations. Great Expectations is historical fiction giving readers comprehension of the Victorian Era.Upon the reading, readers begin to catch on the intended purpose and its significance. A person who lived during the Victorian Era was Charles Dickens himself.He grew up during a time where differences in social class were to an extreme degree.Dickens went through

Is aid good or bad Free Essays

Aid is a form of help usually given by the wealthy areas of the world to the poorer areas. Aid tries to help countries to develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. There are many advantages and disadvantages to giving aid. We will write a custom essay sample on Is aid good or bad? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The aid that we give can save lives in times of disaster! Giving aid can help to reconstruct livings and housing after a disaster. Aid can also provide medical training, medicines and equipment. This will improve health and standards of living because in other countries, medical care is very expensive and not very good. It is hard for them to get well trained staff, and the right equipment so if another country can provide this for them, they can give better quality medical attention to more people and for less money. This will save many lives because in a poor country, some people cannot afford to get help and they die, or they get attention but it is not helpful because they don’t have well trained staff, or the right medicine and equipment. Aid for agriculture will increase food production and the quality and quantity of food available. This will also improve health and standards of living for the people who don’t have food because there will be more available. Aid for industrial development will not only improve transport organisation, but it will also create jobs for those who are jobless and who need money for their families. However, there are some disadvantages of giving aid. Giving aid can cause on Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC’s) to rely on richer countries to supply them with all that they need. Sometimes aid is a loan, not a gift, and poor countries may find it hard to pay back what they owe. They could get so used to just getting all they need for nothing and failing to progress themselves! Another disadvantage is that the people who need aid the most, may not actually receive it. For example if medical aid was given to a country, they might use it to get well trained staff, and lots of equipment and medicine, just making the prices higher, causing less people being able to afford it, which leads to less people with medical attention, and more people dying or politicians could use the aid for their own means or for political gain. Or, rather than the aid helping to create more jobs, they could just use it to benefit the people who already have jobs by paying them more. Giving aid could also lead to prices of food and water going up. This could happen if the country spends a lot of money on improving the quality of the food and water then the price ends up increasing. In conclusion, although aid is not always used in the right way, I think that it is a very good thing to give. If aid is shared equally then it is very useful and will really help the country develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. How to cite Is aid good or bad?, Papers Is aid good or bad Free Essays Aid is a form of help usually given by the wealthy areas of the world to the poorer areas. Aid tries to help countries to develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. There are many advantages and disadvantages to giving aid. We will write a custom essay sample on Is aid good or bad? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The aid that we give can save lives in times of disaster! Giving aid can help to reconstruct livings and housing after a disaster. Aid can also provide medical training, medicines and equipment. This will improve health and standards of living because in other countries, medical care is very expensive and not very good. It is hard for them to get well trained staff, and the right equipment so if another country can provide this for them, they can give better quality medical attention to more people and for less money. This will save many lives because in a poor country, some people cannot afford to get help and they die, or they get attention but it is not helpful because they don’t have well trained staff, or the right medicine and equipment. Aid for agriculture will increase food production and the quality and quantity of food available. This will also improve health and standards of living for the people who don’t have food because there will be more available. Aid for industrial development will not only improve transport organisation, but it will also create jobs for those who are jobless and who need money for their families. However, there are some disadvantages of giving aid. Giving aid can cause on Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC’s) to rely on richer countries to supply them with all that they need. Sometimes aid is a loan, not a gift, and poor countries may find it hard to pay back what they owe. They could get so used to just getting all they need for nothing and failing to progress themselves! Another disadvantage is that the people who need aid the most, may not actually receive it. For example if medical aid was given to a country, they might use it to get well trained staff, and lots of equipment and medicine, just making the prices higher, causing less people being able to afford it, which leads to less people with medical attention, and more people dying or politicians could use the aid for their own means or for political gain. Or, rather than the aid helping to create more jobs, they could just use it to benefit the people who already have jobs by paying them more. Giving aid could also lead to prices of food and water going up. This could happen if the country spends a lot of money on improving the quality of the food and water then the price ends up increasing. In conclusion, although aid is not always used in the right way, I think that it is a very good thing to give. If aid is shared equally then it is very useful and will really help the country develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. How to cite Is aid good or bad?, Papers

Getting A Taste of Everything free essay sample

I reach for more enchiladas and Mexican rice in the humid air of Costa Rica as all my classmates stare at me in awe. They all wonder how I am able to eat so many different foods. The day after, I feast on noodles, dumplings, and pork buns in Chinatown, and the day after that, my mouth waters over Vietnamese noodles in Queen Village. At a Thai restaurant, the smell of the spicy Pad Thai and green curry fill my nostrils before I even taste it. My friend, Angel, watches me in shock as I chomp down platefuls of homemade Indian food at her dinner table. Ask any one of my close friends or even acquaintances; they will tell you that I am somewhat of a gourmand and have probably tried almost every type of food the world has to offer. My tongue tingles at the excitement of tasting new types of food, as I slowly relish each bite. We will write a custom essay sample on Getting A Taste of Everything or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nothing fills me with more enthusiasm than trying new ethnic foods. Two years ago, my mother cooked a Malaysian curry dish for dinner; into which were mixed some furry, green vegetables that she had nicknamed â€Å"Lady Fingers†. Initially, the furriness of the vegetable and the awful name disgusted me. Nevertheless, out of curiosity, I decided to try it. I took a bite of the â€Å"Lady Fingers†, which was actually just okra, and to my surprise, it was delicious! Throughout the years, my curiosity for trying new types of food has crossed over to other facets of my life. My eagerness for trying new foods has been manifested in my eagerness to try new things and not be obstinate to any new experiences. During my sophomore year, I was able to discover my passion for science because of my unbiased attitude. My AP Biology teacher had purchased a tank full of live frogs and I had wondered why they were there until he told us we were going to dissect them. I shuddered in my seat as I listened to the crackle and crunch of the frog’s necks. Snap. Snap. Snap. The frog’s necks cracked one after another. My initial reaction to this frog dissection was absolute repulsion. However, I still decided to keep an open mind about the dissection. A warm frog was placed on our dissection pan along with all the dissection tools. My partner and I carefully made an incision on the frog’s skin with the scalpel. We cut open the rest of the body until we had a full view of all the organs. Instead of being completely disgusted, I was in awe at the supreme magnificence of the lifeless frog, yet still with a tiny beating red heart. All the different organs laid over one another to fit perfectly together in the five-inch body of the frog. The brilliance and splendor of life had presented itself before me, and from then on, I knew I had found my true calling in science. Without having an open mind and a curious approach, I would never have been able to lear n what my passions in life were. I know that being inquisitive about what life has to offer could without a doubt lead to finding something I don’t like, but it also can show the way to realizing what I enjoy doing most in life. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back!

Living the Life of a Hospice Worker For a Week free essay sample

This paper presents an immersion essay about Alive Hospice, an organization catering to the needs of the dying. The following paper provides understanding of the organization, Alive Hospice, an organization that provides care while the patient enters end stages of disease and then goes through the process of dying. The writer examines what its volunteers provide for the terminally ill patients that it serves. In recent decades, medical science has advance to the point that people are living longer than ever before, and with that life comes a quality of life that is enjoyed well into the golden years. For those who are among the living the world is a beautiful place. However, for those whose lives are ending, the world can be a place filled with fear and uncertainty as one goes from doctor to doctor in search of hope and miracles. Then, when they announce the final curtain, that the patient is all out of options and the only path now is death, there are decisions to be made. We will write a custom essay sample on Living the Life of a Hospice Worker For a Week or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Many people are afraid of dying in the clinical setting of a hospital, but they are not sure there are options. There are.