远大前程论文

英语小说选读结课论文

——《Great Expectations》

学院：外国语学院

班级：20104班

姓名：陈飞飞

老师：蔡志全

学号：2010505043

Great Expectations

Chares Dickens was the most influential critical realism writer in the 19th century in Britain. Dickens was born the south of England on February 7th 1812. His father was a staff of the British Navy accounting and his mother came from a noble family. From his mother’s direction, Dickens read a lot of classic literature which were collected by Dickens’ father when Dickens was very young. These literatures greatly influenced his thoughts and helped him increase his literature accomplishment. Because of his father’s bad financial, Dickens’ father owe a huge debt. Though they sold their family property, it was not enough to pay off the debt. And Dickens’ father was put into the jail. Young Dickens was forced to drop of the school and he became a child labor in a shoe polish factory and he spent some really tough days. Fortunately, his father inherited a lot of heritage to be released from jail. These tough days was an unforgettable memory in Dickens’ mind, and also influenced his literature creation. Dickens started to be a staff in a law office when he was seventeen, then he learned shorthand and he became a reporter. During this period, Dickens started to write some notebook which described the life in London, and many his works were published by many periodicals.

Dickens created full-length novel when he was 24 years old, and his novels were serial published in magazines. Great Expectations was his later works.

The summary of Great Expectations:

Pip lived with his older sister when his parents died. His brother in law Joe was a kind and had a sweet temper that was different from Pip’s sister. On a winter afternoon, Pip met a rough stranger in the swamp. By the stranger’s threaten; Pip stole his sister’s food and a file for the stranger. At the road Pip saw a mysterious figure with the same dress of the people he met in the swamp.

Miss Havisham lived in the same town where Pip lived. Miss Havisham was rich but bad temper. Miss Havisham wore her marriage gauze in her cloud ancient house after she was cheated by her lover. And she had an isolated life and she never leave home. Pip went to visit Miss Havisham at regular intervals by other’s introduction. And Miss Havisham had an adopted daughter named Estella. Estella was a beautiful and sweet girl and at the same time she wantonly mocked Pip. Miss Havisham usually encouraged Estella and was satisfied with Estella’s action.

Because of Estella’s disdain, Pip started to be eager to learn to be into superior class. Happened to that Mr. Jaggers looked for Pip everywhere, he said that there was a man who didn’t want to reveal his identity wanting to subsidize Pip to go to London for making Pip become a superior. In Pip’s opinion, he thought that all of these were Miss Havisham’s funding to help him to deserve Estella. When Pip arrived

London, Mr. Jaggers had prepared a house for Pip. Pip could gain his spending from Mr. Jaggers. Pip was curious about the people who revealed him, but Mr. Jaggers wouldn’t tell Pip.

With Pip’s study life in London, Pip’s culture knowledge and social manners improved a lot. And he was influenced by those playboys around him; he chased a kind of luxurious life. Once, Joe came to London for Pip, but Pip was embarrassed because of Joe was looked as a boorish person who was very different from Pip. However, he was ashamed for his cold heart for his brother in law, Joe came to London for telling Pip Estella’s invitation. Then Pip came back to his hometown. Miss Havisham and Estella all looked Pip’s change. Miss Havisham started to instigate Estella to chase Pip. Then Pip believed Miss Havisham was his benefactor more certain.

Later, Estella went to London with Pip. But she was favor in others especially Drummle. When Pip was 23 years old, there was a ugly-looking and weird person visiting Pip. Pip recognized that the person was the one who was helped by Pip when Pip was little. The people’s name was Abel Wagwitch. In the first place, Magwitch failed to escape from jail and was banished to Australia. Magwitch raised to power and position in Australia, and he didn’t forget the help Pip gave. So he secretly subsidize Pip and wanted to achieve Pip’s dream. Magwitch told Pip that another stranger Pip met when Pip was young was the one who

persecuted Magwitch named Vompeyson. And Vompeyson was Estella’s father and he was the people who abandoned Miss Havisham.

Miss Havisham educated Estella to flirt with different men and hurt men on purpose. To a great extent, Miss Havisham was satisfied with Estella’s behavior. After that, Miss Havisham died from the fire. Then she married Drummle that made Pip misery that made Pip torture so much. Magwitch’s safety made Pip unstable. Pip decided to help Magwitch to escape to foreign country. But he failed, and Magwitch was arrested again with Vompeyson’s whistle-blowing. Magwitch broke through the resistance and killed Vompeyson before Magwitch was put into jail. However, Magwitch was dead in jail. Pip lost his money resource and became debt. Then he went to Cairo for his friend’s help.

Eleven years later, Pip came back to his hometown and met Estella again. Estella’s husband died for a long time. Estella regretted that she didn’t cherish Pip. Finally, Pip took Estella’s hands and stepped out the ruins.

Actually, the name of the book Great Expectations didn’t mean Pip’s destiny has a great expectation. This is an ironic saying to Pip’s desire to integrate to upper class. He became nothing at all again and he understood that how empty his upper class life was. Then he knew that what really correct aim of life was. The characters were vivid by Dickens’ description. The educated meaning of this book is that we should achieve

by our own power. It’s true Great Expectation for us.