Photo comparison

For my photo, I chose a picture of a small plant in some soil.

The connection is fairly obvious. Pip was like a small seed in the beginning of the novel, but he wanted to grow into something larger. He wanted to become a huge tree like one of the Redwoods. The problem was that he couldn't grow without a base, without soil to sustain him. When he got his inheritance, thats what he got, a base that would let him have the potential to grow over time and become strong. The money he recieved let him become part of the upper class like he had always wanted, and due to that he became "strong" and grew.

Of course, you must also consider what becomes of a plant if the soil runs out of nutrients and the rain stops falling to replenish it as it wilts.

-Aaron

Late: Second stage of Great Expectations

While the second stage of the book is indeed, very boring, it also contains a lot of useful information and contrasts that I think (will) give a better understanding and respect of what happens in the third stage, and reflect on what happened in the first stage. New characters like Herbert and Mr. Wemmick illustrate the new life Pip lives and the contrast between his new life and the old. It shows how he's moved on, and how he forgets about his old life. After Mrs. Joe dies, Pip states very clearly, "I'm never going back." Other characters like Mr. Jaggers or just the minor character of a prisoner in Newgate also draw comparisons.

The one motif I think is particularly important is that of guilt. His new friends as mentioned above show how he tries to forget about his old life by being happy with his new friends. He states that when he is in Mr. Wemmick's "castle", he feels seperate from the outside. He enjoys escaping his problems for a little while. Meanwhile, he knows all of his problems arose because he tried so hard to become part of the upper class, and now regrets it. An interesting comparison in my opinion is how Pip goes to Newgate and means the Colonel, a prisoner. When he goes out to meet Estella, he thinks about how "seperate" a jail is and how he hopes Estella will never see him in one. However, despite his contrast of the two, his life right now could be compared to a jail, as he is played by Estella and has huge debts. Indeed, he goes on and realizes that his new life has ensnared him more then he could have ever possibly expected.

-Aaron

Late: Responding to quotation

This quote probably would have struck me no where near as important on reading it the first time then it does now, where I have much more of the perspective of "narrator" Pip to go on.

When Pip says that he has started a chain, he means his involvement with Estella and Ms. Havisham. In one day, he goes from a young boy looking forward to the "larks" of being a blacksmith with Joe in a decent Joe, to having to rebuild his old shattered dreams into something new so he can aspire to a higher level. Over the course of the next few chapters, Pip life actually approves. For example, he becomes an appprentice. However, instead of taking joy in his life's new direction, he simply thinks about how he wants to live with Estella. He leaves those who he currently knows behind so he can aspire to higher levels. Overall, it demonstrates a rather selfish change in Pip.

I'd say my chain started when I started to get into "higher" educations. When I was really young, I had no aspirations. I hoped I would play with LEGO's for the rest of my life, and that would be that. However, as I learn more and more about different things, I can look forward with deeper ambitions. True, everyone has to have an education, but I could have taken it as a lazy jock who only ever does the bare minimum. I hope I've turned out slightly better then that.

-Aaron

Late: Great Expectations: Question:

From chapters 1-7, that chapters the blog was supposed to be about, there were many questions. However, one that still sticks out for me is present in chapter 4 when the family is sitting around criticizing Pip.

"'Besides,' said Mr. Pumblechook, turning sharp on me, 'think what you've got to be grateful for. If you'd been born a squeaker--' 'He was, if ever a child was,' said my sister, most emphatically. Joe gave me some more gravy. 'Well, but I mean a four-footed squaker,' said Mr. Pumblechook."

I'm sure to the ears of the original audience this made perfect sense, but to my 21st century eares this lingo is still rather odd. I'm sure there's something to be said about Pip and his appearance from their description, but I don't know what it is.

Of course, I'm sure there's nothing one google search can't tell me.

-Aaron

Connections and Comparisons

For the novel I am going to choose to compare with Great Expectations, I of course, chose, War and Peace. I'm sure its getting fairly repetitive by now. I mean seriously, its pretty much to be expected at this point that if I actually post a blog, the first thought through your mind will be, "Great, he's going to brag about how he's read some long book for no reason. What's this guys problem? How arrogant can you get about something so pointless?" As true as that may be, there is also the fact that such a long book provides a wealth of characters and themes to compare. In this case, I was most struck by the comparison between the characters of the two novels in the desire for great wealth and social class, greed, and its effect on the lives of the characters.

He was always desperate for more money.
What happened to him?
He was on a ship that blew up.

Both novels feature character's who desire for huge amounts of wealth, and upon obtaining it, use it to destroy their lives. In War and Peace, Boris sacrifices his fiance whom he actually possesses love for in the name of marrying into a rich family. Meanwhile, Boris sacrifices his childhood friends in favour of obtaining the fondness of his superiors and thus getting a higher military position. Similarly, Pip sacrifices his family and friends in favour of recieving wealth, power, and the potential to be with Estella. However, despite obtaining that which they "desire" both end up unhappy with their lot in life. Pip states how he feels he might have been happier if he had never seen the face of Miss Havisham. He may be right. Together the authors seem to show one particular driving aspect of human nature that is not always correct.

 Greed.

There are many famous phrases that speak of greed and its effects. For example, "You never know what you have until you've lost it." Both characters think they have so much to gain, yet once getting it they realize how much they had to lose to obtain it. It was not until too late that they realized how many heads they had used as crutches as they brutally stuck their spiked boots into them on their quests to climb the wall. Many of those heads which happened to have belonged to their friends, unprepared for the pain which accompanied their leaving. Not only does greed hurt those who pursue their desires to recklessly, it also hurts those who are related to them. A very destructive force indeed.

Interestingly, one of the few characters who did end up happy at the end of War and Peace was Pierre, another person who had obtained a large fortune in the story. Funny fact though, they didn't attempt to get it, but rather got it from the decease of their (fairly beloved) father. After some philosophical readjustment early in the book, they didn't use much of their wealth for their own personal gains, but rather for charitable concerns. I won't go down into the folly of what happened there, but his money didn't go purely for his own personal gain. Would Pip have been happier if we hadn't become so consumed with his own wealth, spending only for the sake of spending? I personally suspect yes, but who knows.

Both novels focus much on the appraised and actual value of both social standing and money. This is likely due to a time period when they were written where social lines were clearly drawn. Many would propose that this means the book is irrelevent to culture today where there is no easily drawn class comparisons between today and back then. However, remember that in those days, class and money were directly proportionate, and being "rich" is still a big deal today.  

Overall I feel both novels focus majorly on greed and how it affects everyone's lives. You spend your life always wanting, yet do you actually think you'll be happy when you get it, or will you only find destructiveness take that empty spot in your heart? I think its clear what the novel tries to teach us.

Thats all for now. Tune in next time for... War and Peace, an Unambiguously Ingenuous Interpretation of Androgynous Vegetables Substantiating the Proclamation of the Customary Practice of Deliberately Cauterizing Those Who Pose Themselves in a Position to Forestall Your Incursion Into the Business World Possessing the Determination and Purpose to Bring it Under Your Control- Brought to you by AaronINC

-Aaron