Customer Reviews

Great Expectations (Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The Bedford edition of this classic novel contains more than the typical Charles Dickens tale. In addition to the text are five excellent essays on this novel. Often Great Expectations is taught in a mundane and archaic manner. This edition allows both the student and teacher to approach the text from several twentieth century schools of thought. Peter Brooks in particular offers an excellent psychonanalytic interpretation. This text is a welcome addition to any classroom.

I heard for a long time that Great Expectations was a very dull book, so I didn't read it until now. When I began reading it, I thought, all those people were wrong about this book! It was so interesting and I could hardly put it down! I thought the entire story was absolutely fantastic. The book made you really get into the characters. The part that I also enjoyed about it was that it wasn't just a cheesy romance novel. It had other things in it besides those about Estella and Pip. I was also very impressed becuase it wasn't a book that I could read in a couple days with no trouble. I actually had to think about it while I read it! Needless to say, this book was one of, if not THE best book I've ever read. I would recommend it to anyone, as a matter of fact I've inspired not only some of my friends to read it, but also my favorite English teacher who has never had the joy of reading it.

Charles Dickens was one of four authors I consistently heard others rave about, and his novel, "Great Expectations," was one of his works everyone always cited as his greatest masterpiece. So as this makes the first of a Charles Dickens review, I'm not able to comment on whether "Great Expectations" is his greatest masterpiece. I can only comment on the work itself.

The story is intriging and strikes a cord with the reader. A boy's dream of leaving the common life (our blue collar/lower middle class, for today's equivalent) for a greater life, one with great expectations, was entertaining. I always left the book and entered the book with the same expectations of my own, what will happen next!? Although it isn't a page turner, it is a very entertaining read and does make you think once the book is all said a done. The ending is extremely questionable and does have me questioning what was Charles Dickens thinking of when he created the ending to Pip's tale. I want to be careful as to not spoil the ending, but the alternate, which is provided as an addendum in the back of the book (atleast in my edition), is also questionable as well. To me it seems as if Dickens took some time off to brood about Pip's journy and to reflect on a proper ending; but neither endings, in my opinion, do the novel any justice. The alternate ending was written after a friend of Dickens advised him of creating a different ending. Sorry I can't be any more specific. I give the book a 4/5.

The novel is a good read so pace yourself. Don't expect to finish it in one week.


-Charles Dickens "Great Expectations" by The Modern Library with an introduction by Bernard Shaw.

Purchased on Amazon.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is his gift to the world. This book is quite confusing at first but it all comes togethor in the end. Expectations is about a young boy named Pip who has been raised by his sister. By pure luck he is introduced to a rich elderly woman and a run away convict. You would never guess that these two people have anything to do with each other. The book is filled with many charectors and written in old english. If you like romance and mystery you'll love this book.

Great Expectations was really good, the way it tells how it's a childhood love that eventually grows into lust, and endless saking need for each other. It was worth reading and I know I'll never be the same. All of you who thought it was a bad book, have absolutely no sense of intellectual stimulation, or provocative ideas.

I read this novel and i found it very interesting .Even from the title we feel the irony of the writer:there are "Great Expectations",but none of the heroes of the book can acomplish them . In fact irony in this novel may be considered a kind of intertext . The book presents a life turned upsidedown:Pip`s life changed completely from the moment he is held hills over head by the fugitive Magwitch . The main hero of the novel Pip,is a kind of prism :through his eyes we can see the action ,we see waht he sees , we understand what he understands ,from the point of view of a 5 years old boy .That is why the narrator is subjective ,as the central conscience of the novel is influenced by heroe`s emotions and opinions . The novel is also an irony of destiny : thus ,Mrs Havisham ,an excentric old woman ,half crazy , half excentric ,has a " broken heart " as she was left by her fiancee .Decided to revenge she finds herself guilty of agression against life as she uses the two childern ,Estella and Pip to acomplish her wild dark dreams .She teaches Estella to hate and hurt men ,first turning her into a frosty girl and later into an insensitive woman . The novel also presents the evolution of Pip.He is a poor boy ,but through hard work he becomes a rich man.In his evolution he was helped by his secret love for Estella ,but he is disappointed by her.In the end of the novel he prooves that he changed:when he meets Estella he doesn`t return to her .

even though it was very long. I would recommend it to those who will actually sit down and read a book.

The book Great Expectations was a book that was over-written. Even though the author Charles Dickens was writing according to his time, it was confusing and complicated. I didn't like the book at all.

I think this is a great American classic. It teaches us that we are all capable of goodness and can experience the beauties of love if we cut the strings that bound us, and shaped us into being people that we never wanted to really be. It touches us by showing the ugliness of hatred and unnecessary feelings of vengeance and reconfirms my feeling that you have to be true to yourself. Love those who truly love you, and don't let other people involve you in their twisted private battles of hatred and hurt.

These notes were horrible. They gave all the wrong info and I made a 52 on my test. Thanks alot.