Blog 5

Luke Leslie

Mrs. Coughlin

14/5/15

In Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, the connection between the title and the story is based of Pip’s life after his sudden rise to a lavish and successful life. Pip expects a lot of himself to become as successful as possible in the fame and luxury driven London while he also expects others that he is close to be successful and smart.

The expectations he has for others are really harsh considering the fact that he grew up in a poor area and was raised by his sister. His lifetime friend, Joe, who helped raise him and was always there for Pip with his love and compassion with open arms is forgotten by Pip and embarrasses him when he is seen around Joe due to his social status of little money and illiteracy. As for the expectations others have for Pip change the more and more that Pip changes because of his constant upsurge in wealth. Joe wants the same Pip that he had when he was a child but unfortunately he won’t get that again. Miss Havisham, Biddy and Estella look at Pip as a potential partner only for both of them to break Pip’s heart for someone else. Finally, Pip’s expectations for himself, which are set high and help him to stay motivated. Pip has to major goals that he hopes to achieve in life which are to learn who the wealthy and successful benefactor was and marrying Estela. This is why Pip is disgusted and disappointed out of his mind when he found out that the benefactor was a criminal with a past he didn’t want to be convoluted with.

This novel was basically a lot of characters expecting a lot from wither others or themselves, which is why the title fits it so well. If I had written this book, I would’ve named it London Dreams.

Henry's Blog Post 5

Perceptions and Expectations

~Blog Post #5~

Topic J

May 15, 2015

by Henry Sledz

Throughout the novel, the characters all develop certain expectations that are then subverted by the real world, hence the title, Great Expectations. Some characters develop expectations for others, mostly for Pip, and are then let down or surprised by what really happens.

The expectations characters develop shape the way they behave and interact more than any other factors. The upper-class in general expects lower-class people like Joe to be unintelligent and crude, while Joe proves to be one of the kindest people in the story. Pip’s influences expect great things from him, Jaggers and Mr. Pocket expect him to become a successful high society young man while Magwitch and Joe expect him to be a good young man. Pip has his own expectations about his future. He expected that Miss Havisham was his benefactor, planning for him to marry Estella, but that was, “all a mere dream.” His real benefactor was the common criminal Magwitch. Pip’s hopes are crushed by this revelation, he had too high expectations and he was inevitably disappointed by Magwitch. Expectations play a clear role in the interactions in the novel and they shape the relationships between these characters.

In Great Expectations, the characters’ expectations are constantly subverted and crushed. The reader also develops expectations for the novel and Dickens manages to subvert those as well. The title also is somewhat self-referential as Dickens turns the story on its head, keeping the reader interested and on their feet as their own expectations are constantly changing.

Henry's Blog 4

London’s Classism

~Blog Post 4~

Topic D

May 8, 2015

by Henry Sledz

In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, classism is the central motif of the book. Pip goes from a peasant of humble birth, to a young aristocrat high up on the social ladder. This gives us a very complete glimpse into the different classes in this time because as the reader, we see what Pip does.

We first meet Pip as a poor orphan boy living with his sister and her husband. It is here where we learn about what the average life of a poor person is like in this setting. Joe is illiterate, Mrs. Joe abuses Joe and Pip, they live in a small house next to a gloomy marsh, and life is just all around terrible. Pip ends up getting to move up in life and experiences the upper class and their way of life. This new lifestyle is lavish but is filled with skeevy and slimy characters. These unsavory people show how the upper class isn’t really much better than the lower class. Despite this, Pip is drawn into this lifestyle and even goes as far as to treat Joe as his inferior. He becomes the ideal, wealthy, young man, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing.  As much as they say otherwise, they are all equal.

All of Pip’s unique experiences in London with both the lower and upper classes give us a better insight into the classism of England at the time than any other perspective could.

Luke's Blog 4

Luke Leslie

Mrs. Coughlin

English 10

May 8, 2015

Topic C

In Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, many characters begin developing as the story goes on changing the relationships between many. One relationship especially that oversees change is Pip and Joe.

Pip and Joe were pals back when Pip was younger and hung out all the time they had to. They would relate to each other sharing many similarities and living similar lives. Pip wouldn’t look down on him for being poor and Joe wouldn’t look down on him for being young. Now after Pip has been living life and making money in London, he has different views. Pip looks down on Joe now for having little money and a low social status as if his competitive lifestyle has taken over the way he thinks. When Joe visits Pip, he isn’t visited by Pip who is too busy and more importantly embarrassed to be seen with Joe after his recent success. Pip does not even know that Joe is illiterate on top of his other weaknesses which would just lead to more lost respect for Pip. This change in the relationship between the characters is a sad transition because once childhood friends are separated by the lifestyle that Pip is put in.

Pip and Joe’s relationship are just one of the quite few relationships in the book that change, especially over the course of the five chapters. This change is the most significant because Pip is the main character and the change leaves to old pals separated and distant.

Luke Leslie Blog Post #3

Luke Leslie

Mrs. Molyneuax

English

5/1/15

Topic B

In Charles Dicken’s Great Expectations, the main character of the story has once again changed. Pip, whom I wrote about under the same topic earlier throughout the story has developed into a more mature person with a different personality and way of life.

Pip came from a lowly background with little money and no parents. Now Pip is living a successful life in a mansion with the money he anonymously received. Seeing Pip put back into a setting close to what he grew up in shows how much he has changed growing up. Pip is reunited with Joe, his old childhood friend which results in a different encounter than the one they would always previously experience. Pip looks at Joe differently now that they are apart of two different social classes unlike before. Pip would just disregard Joe if he knew he was illiterate showing how immersed Pip is in the life he’s been living in London. It is a sad transition in Pip because he was once a kid who looked at all people equally and respected life no matter the amount of money he had or the social status of his friends and family.

The development of Pip into his new self is a quick one that begins right when we lands the money in London while already have been living in a mansion. He becomes well educated and self sufficient living a completely different lifestyle than his first.

Henry's Blog 3

Pip’s Changes

~Blog Post #2~

Topic B

May 1, 2015

by Henry Sledz

In chapter 27, Pip and Joe see each other for the first time in a long time and things are clearly different. Pip’s time in London has changed him while Joe is still the same old blacksmith and is unsure of how to talk to Pip.

This new dynamic shows how much Pip has changed. It can be easy to miss how much Pip has changed when he isn’t surrounded by anything in his old life, but when Joe returns, we as the reader compare this new Pip to the old one and the changes are clear. This new Pip is more elitist and self-conscious. The old Pip didn’t think any less of Joe when he told Pip he was illiterate, but the new Pip would write him off as an idiot and pathetic if Joe were to admit his secret at this point in Pip’s life. The changes in Pip’s life are clearly a reflection of the morally bankrupt, elitist upper echelon of Victorian London that Pip has been immersed in since his arrival in London. Pip’s transformation into a miniature socialite is so easy because as a young, uneducated, ambitious boy, he couldn’t be more easy to mold and manipulate. The upper-class are still taking advantage of the lower-class in this situation.

The evolution, or devolution depending on one’s perspective, of Pip into another upper-class snob is somewhat subtle but it becomes completely clear when Joe returns. Joe represents Pip’s old life and the rest of the lower-class, and Pip treating him as his inferior while Joe treats him like he is his master puts Pip’s new personality on a showcase.

Luke Leslie Reading article reflection

Luke Leslie

Mrs. Molyneaux

English

4-29-15

                                                    Reading Article Reflection

        This article discussed reading methods and styles to interpret texts. It points out what readers should be doing while they read to comprehend work easily. One method that is useful is to annotate your novel or shorter piece of literature you are reading. I began using this method at the beginning of the year. My grade school let us read in whatever way we wanted, we just had to be able to take a quiz for comprehension. Annotating helps a lot when you read vital information in a book and do not want to lose it, like highlighting in a textbook. One thing that the article touches upon that I need to improve on is my focus while reading something. If I am not interested I will put little energy or thought into the book and miss information that creates a snowball of confusion. I believe that I use most of the reading methods while some still need work. This article was a great tool to help me evaluate myself as a reader and notify me what I must improve on.

Blog Post #2 by Jeremy Sharp

An Unbreakable Bond

~Blog Post #2~

Topic C

April 23, 2015

By Jeremy Sharp

Throughout the chapters so far it is clearly seen, that one of Pips first and closest bonds, is with Mr. Joe. They both live similar lives at home under the torment of Mrs. Joe, and have always had each other’s backs. In Chapter 2, Pip describes his relationship with Mr. Joe by saying “In our already-mentioned freemasonry as fellow suffers, and in his good-natured companionship with me, it was our evening habit to compare the way we bit through our slices” (11). As they are having a conversation, Mr. Joe mentions to Pip that he was an ugly baby, but that it didn’t matter, because he was more than willing to take him in as his own. This is a key moment, where Pip gains a deeper appreciation for Mr. Joe. As Pip attends night school, he learns to read and write, and soon discovers that Mr. Joe can’t read at all because he was never able to attend school as a child. When he discovers this, Pip offers to teach him a little bit every night, in secrecy of course from Mrs. Joe. Pip also sees Mr. Joe as someone, and sometimes the only one, whom he can discuss his matters truthfully. After being sent off to Miss Havisham’s house to play with her daughter, Pip is both physically and emotionally abused. He is criticized and viciously mocked for being an uneducated commoner, and is forced to eat his meals outside like an animal. Upon returning, Pip cannot bring himself to tell his sister the truth about what happened that last week, and tells a series of lies, which feed the imaginations of Mrs. Joe and Pumblechook. The only person, whom Pip goes directly to with the truth, is Mr. Joe. As Pip explains what really happened to him over there, Mr. Joe surprises Pip by telling him that lying isn’t right and that they weren’t the key to becoming more than a commoner. Even though he sympathizes with him, Mr. Joe never ceases to instill his wisdom with Pip, because he wants to do everything in his ability to teach him about life and to help him grow as a person. This bond between the two of them is only made stronger day by day, as they experience life’s daily challenges together, and work together to withstand all adversity.

Discussion #3

Discussion 3

Leader: Kevin

Note Taker: Luke

1: why do you think Mr. Jagers washes himself so meticulously? How is this ironic?



Kevin: I feel he washes so often because he is trying to wash away the grime of his work. he is a lawyer and  ALWAYS wins even if his client is a criminal and did the crime. he is trying to rid himself of the bad deeds he does every day. this is ironic because his house is in need of repairs.

Henry: I believe that it is also ironic because he is morally ambiguous in his work as a lawyer but he wants to cleanse himself so meticulously despite being a grimy individual.

Luke: I agree with you two, as a lawyer he is required to do a lot of dirty work that is “moral grime”.

2. What does the state of Jagger’s house tell about the man?

Kevin: The poor state of his house shows that Jagger’s life is in his work, he has no time to focus on his home while he is working.

Henry: I agree. He is too wrapped up into his work to care about anything like his home or other hobbies.

Luke: The poor condition the house is in because his job takes up too much time and energy for him to be able to keep other things together.

3:Why does Pip dread seeing Joe, one of his closest childhood friends?

Kevin: Pip feels he is a gentleman and a person of the upper class. Joe is a common blacksmith. Joe is in Pip’s eyes, not worthy. Also, Estella has convinced Pip that his past life will not suit him and he should avoid Joe.

Henry: Pip is becoming snobbish and prejudiced and he fears judgement from his new upper-class peers if he is going to be seen with a simple blacksmith.

Luke: Pip has lost respect for Joe because Pip now feels superior to him and is embarrassed to be seen with him.

4. How is Pip’s actions towards his servant, the Avenger, ironic?

Kevin: Pip is in serious debt and complains to his servant about it, constantly. He could just fire the boy to save himself some money and pay off his debts.

Henry: The Avenger represents all of the frivolous spending Pip indulges in and when he complains to the Avenger about these money troubles, it creates a funny juxtaposition.

Luke: The Avenger shows how lavish Pip tries to live and how much money he’s wasted and is ironic because Pip was once below the level of that boy and now looks down on him.

Discussion #2

Discussion #2

Note Taker was Henry Sledz

Discussion Leader was Luke Leslie

1.How do you describe pips relationship with Joe?

Kevin: Pip and Joe’s relationship, at first, is like bestfriends, but Joe is still seen by Pip as a father figure. As the story progresses, however, Pip feels more ashamed of Joe, sorry to be connected to a common worker.

Luke: Pip and Joe have a close relationship and enjoy each others company although sometimes Pip feels a little embarrassed for Joe.

Henry: Joe is more of a friend to Joe than a father. Joe doesn’t talk down to Joe ut treats him as an equal and a friend. They both share the burden of dealing with Mrs. Joe’s abuse and I think that that is one of the things that they bond over most.

Jeremy: Well, I think that Joe and Pip really bond because they live under Mrs. Joe’s abuse just like you said Henry.

2.When does Pip feel first he has great expectations?

Kevin: I feel it's when he leaves Joe for Mrs. Havisham, he finds people who are different and he feels he has expectations of him to impress them and become like them.

Luke: Pip first feels great expectations when he is sent to London by Mr. Jaggers and much maturity is expected out of him.

Henry: I think that it is when he first goes to Miss Havisham’s. While there, he gets his first taste of high society and he wants to one day be a part of it.

Jeremy: I think that Pip first feels great expectations in our story when he works in the forge. He loves Joe more than anyone else and he didn’t want to let him down.

3.What did Miss Havisham raise Estella to do?

Luke: Miss Havisham’s goal for Estella was to grow up and have a cold heart and and to never be the dominant in a relationship. She also wanted her to break the hearts of other men.

Kevin: Yeah I agree with Luke. Miss Havisham raises Estella to avenge her broken heart. Miss Havisham molds Estella into who Miss Havisham wants her to be, not who Estella is.

Henry: I think that Miss Havisham rose Estella to be a cold and mean woman just like her. Miss Havisham is bitter after her failed marriage and views Estella as a way to get back at the world.

Jeremy: I agree with you guys. Miss Havisham raised Estella to be a cold woman just like her to spite the world.

4.How do the marshes represent Pip’s life?

Luke: He grew up living a rough life being raised by his tough sister and no parents which is a dark and gloomy life while a marsh, including the one outside his home, are a dark, misty area.

Kevin: I feel the marshes represent danger to Pip. when he goes into the marshes early in the book, he find escaped convicts, who are a threat to his life. Later on, he travels through the marshes to get to London and become a gentleman this is a danger to his character and morality.

Henry:I agree, Kevin. I think that they not only represent danger, but the dangers of the real world to be more specific. The examples you gave are both examples of how this world really works.

Jeremy: I agree more with Luke actually. While the marshes do hold danger, it is the kind of danger that Pip has faced his whole life.

Blog Post #2 by Henry Sledz

Miss Havisham’s Banquet

~Blog Post #2~

Topic E

April 24, 2015

by Henry Sledz

In Chapter 11, we get a very unsettling setting and a strange and depressing look into the world of Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham is a very decrepit and withered old woman, and when we see her “wedding banquet” on her birthday, it is reminiscent of her. The wedding room is frozen in time and stuck in the past just like Miss Havisham, and just like Miss Havisham, that doesn’t mean that time doesn’t take its toll on the wedding room. The room is teeming with pests and is a room that brings unsettling reminders of death, depression, and unfulfillment.

Not only is the room itself odd and saddening but the characters we meet there are just as pathetic. Sarah Pocket, Cousin Raymond, Georgina, and Camilla are the four guests who we meet in the wedding room. They float around Miss Havisham like vultures, waiting for her to die so they can inherit her money; having vultures brings more symbols that represent death into this scene. They are all her relatives and they should care for Miss Havisham the same way Joe and Pip care for each other, but instead, they are all cold and distant towards each other and could care less about each other’s well beings. This is where Pip wants to be one day, living some high society life, but we see a glimpse of what this life is really like, and it doesn’t bode well for Pip’s future.

Luke Leslie Post 2

Luke Leslie
4/24/24
Topic H

Pip is still a young boy growing up and maturing in his pre-teens. He has not had it quite easy with the fact that he’s being raised by his abusive sister and her husband. A character that shared similar experiences that we've read about this year is Liesel Meminger, the main character of the novel Book Thief. She was a young girl who had also lost both her parents and had to live during the tough times of WW2. She was adopted by two foster parents and had no remaining siblings to live with. If I had to argue who had a worse childhood, I would say that Pip has because he was not adopted by loving foster parents and has not been able to make as many friends as Liesel Meminger managed. The connection between the two books is the lack of blood family in either of the main character’s lives. Instead, they are both left to grow up more independently and learn life lessons with and through others. Another relationship between the two novels are the mother figures of both families both behave similarly. Although Liesel is not physically punished by her mother like Pip is by his sister, both Mom’s seem to angry and frustrated with life more often than not. Both parents love their child and try to do what is right for them, but both families are going through tough times, especially with Hitler, and both parents unintentionally find in outlet in their household. While both novels share those similarities, they are both different and exciting reads.   

Blog Post 1 by Kevin

An Uncommon Relationship
blog post 1
topic c
April 24, 2015
By Kevin Hogan

After the dinner party, an officer arrives at the door to have his handcuffs repaired. He and his crew are hunting the escaped convicts and Joe and Pip get to join them. The posse quickly find the convicts, including the one Pip stole food for. "Pip's" convict blows his chance at escape to bring another convict. He also confesses to stealing food from Joe's house, which saves Pip a beating from Mrs. Joe.
    The convict is thankful for Pip risking a beating to bring him food and a file. He was starving and chained and Pip relieved him. He, in turn, repays Pip by risking a heavier sentence to relieve Pip of punishment