Photo Post

Pip is all alone and is having to constantly face different trials. He once had Estella and this was a bright spot, something that gave him life. Now that Provis is in hiding Pip's anxiety is keeping him from sleeping and he is slowly deteriorating. This picture is of a tree standing alone covered in a dark blanket of mist much like Pip's anxiety and depression.

Making Connections- My Fair Lady

Charles Dickens uses the character Pip to portray different elements of society. For example Pip starts as a little blacksmith boy, as he ages he is given the gift of freedom, money and most of all expectations. In the musical My Fair Lady the main character Eliza is a young flower girl who has never had any kind of education. Henry Higgins is a phoeneticist who wagers that Eliza Doolittle can pass for a duchess at the Embassy Ball.

Both Pip and Eliza began their lives in places they didn't want to belong. As soon as a new beginning was offered to these character, they jumped at the chance of changing their lives forever. Now that Pip is a gentleman he no longer would fit into role of a blacksmith, and ultimately cannot go home. Eliza never really had a family and lived on her own, after months of lessons she goes back to the flower market. Her friends don't even recognize her.

Both Pip and Eliza don't know where they belong in life. Their main educators in life do help them with future plans and education. Pip's Mathew Pocket is much like Eliza's Henry Higgins. These men help shaped these characters into the people they will become. In the process of changing and becoming either a gentleman or lady. Pip and Eliza both lost some of their past but ultimately gained a new future.

Second Stage

The start of Pip's journey of becoming a gentleman begins as he arrives in London. He is disappointed at the filth, and the wickedness of the city. Pip at this time is scared and is not sure what to expect. One character who influences his education is "the pale young gentleman" or young Herbert Pocket. Herbert's character helps Pip adjust to a life of higher class. For example as they are eating their first meal together, Herbert uses his easy-going charm to politely show Pip how to eat beginning Pip's gentlemanly journey.

Another aspect of Pip becoming a gentleman is his use of money. In stage one Pip was poor and could not afford extravagant items. Now as he is gaining more freedom his spending is beginning to spin out of control. His guardian, Mr. Jagger's does nothing stop this behavior which leads the reader to believe that Jagger's is only in this situation because he is being paid quite handsomely. This gives a negative outlook on Pip's character and makes it hard to see him mature into a shallow young man.

Pip Quote

Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.

Pip is referring to the story of your life. A persons life is built day by day, action by action. Each link on the chain whether it is gold, iron, thorns or flowers it slowly shapes the kind of person you want to become. Pip has started to question the life he is living and is comparing it to that of Miss Havisham's. After Pip brings Joe to Miss Havisham's house he is embarrassed because of Joe's illiteracy. On their way home Pip thinks of home and says, "... and I would feel more ashamed of home than ever, in my own ungracious breast."(108) Pip's outlook on his future has changed greatly and has negatively impacted his personality making him a confused and ashamed boy.


Throughout my life I don't think I would be able to pick out one day and say my life's "chain" has started because of this. What I can say is that the people and choices I have made are shaping the person I am becoming. For example when I was little, my best friend and I decided to play soccer for a select club. These last 5 years have taught life lessons such as teamwork, trust, competing, hard work and most of all friendship. Some of my best friends have come from my team and without them I could never be the person I am today.

Great Expectations - Question about a Passage

At times the novel can be confusing but the disscussions held in class have helped me understand the difficult sections better. Whenever I have not understood something I found that reading the passage again and sometimes going over the previous section has helped me develop a deeper level of iunderstanding in the novel.