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Table of Contents | Printable Version | Barron's Booknotes ESSAY TOPICS/QUESTIONS 1) Is "Great Expectations" like a soap opera? 2) What are the 3 stages in Pip's Expectations? 3) Many of the characters other than Pip have their own expectations as well. Discuss both Herbert Pocket and Pip's expectatons. Compare and contrast.
Comments from readers: Herbert's expectations are different to Pips in that he does not raise his expectations, like Pip does. He wants simple things, like for Clara to marry him; a good life; no complications or distractions. 4) Discuss the alternative endings to the novel? In the abridged ending, Pip marries Estella. Here he learns to forgive and forget. Even though Estella has treated him horribly his whole life-used him and then thrown him away-he can still love her and be happy with her. 5) Other characters influence on Pip: Positive or Negative? Magwitch had an overall negative affect on Pip. Besides scaring him to death as a boy, Magwitch's giving him his "great expectations" gave him a chance to turn into a greedy little brat that never did anything for himself! On the other hand, there is that saying that you never know what you have until its gone, in which case it was better that Pip found out what being rich is really like BEFORE he spent his life loathing where he came from. Estella is a NEGATIVE influence on Pip because it is her comments about how coarse and common he is that lead him to act the way he does, and him wanting so badly to be a gentleman. He also falls in love with her to the point where he cannot see clearly the good intentions of those that he should love and listen too, such as Joe and Biddy! Magwitch is a good influence in the end. He helps Pip to a better life. After his arrival at the temple pip begins to like him and becomes a little kinder because of it.With the money he gives a partnership to Herbert. Overall, at the end of the story, he is Pip's friend. 6) What are the differences and similarities between Pip and a true
gentlemen? 7) What does Pip learn from Mr. Jaggers about his "great expectations"?
What three conditions are attached?
Pip learns that he will come into a handsome property, and that he is to be taken from Joe, Mrs. Joe, and the
village and raised as a gentleman. The three conditions are: 8) How is wealth or money corrupting? Pip's morals were truly corrupted by money. He would never have dissed Joe and Biddy if he didn't get all of that money from Magwitch. Pip's reasoning was affected by money. We can see this because Pip would never had gone for Estella without his new "gentlemanly figure", which was inspired by money. Table of Contents | Printable Version | Barron's Booknotes | ![]() |