A Comparison of Two Film Versions of the Beginning of Great Expectations
Great expectations is a film about a young boy named Pip and his
journey through life
In this essay I am going to be talking about and comparing the
openings of two film versions of the film and deciding which is most
effective my first question is can Todorov's narrative theory be
applied to the opening of both films and how
Todorov's narrative theory is:
A state ofequilibrium at the outset;
2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action;
3. A recognition that there has been a disruption;
4. An attempt to repair the disruption;
5. A reinstatement of the equilibrium
I think this applies to both of the openings of the films as in the
old one there is a state of equilibrium when pip goes to the graveyard
to visit his mother and fathers grave there is a disruption when the
convict turns up this is recognised when pip screams there is an
attempt to repair the disruption when pip tries to run and also when
he agrees to bring the convict a file and some food the next day and
then there is a reinstatement of the equilibrium when the convict lets
pip go and in the new film opening there is a state of equilibrium
when Finn (pip) is drawing the fish in the lake the disruption is when
the convict comes out of the water and grabs Finn(pip), an attempt to
restore the equilibrium when the convict tells Finn(pip) to lower his
voice and when Finn(pip) agrees to bring him the bolt cutters and the
food and then there is a reinstatement of the equilibrium when he
tells pip to go and pip gets the boat started.
I must also consider how cinematography affects the audience in the
old version and I think that the cinematography in the old film
affects the audience in more than one way in the beginning of the
opening of the old film the first camera shot is of a book which says
I think that the opening of the film was not as good as the opening of
Great Expectations and The Go Between Both Great Expectations and The Go Between concern young men from
eyes of a child so it will be memorable to him as he will never forget
the sentence where it says “ a man with no hat, and with broken shoes,
Foreshadowing, commonly used to hint or give clues to future events, creates an overall suspense and desire for the reader to constantly yearn to continue. Dickens utilizes foreshadowing to hint at the upcoming death and darkness that will overwhelm all living within it. Day and night, the poor peasants work in order to provide enough food for their families, rarely celebrating with large feasts or drinks. Just outside the wine shop in Saint Antoine, a cask of wine shatters and “the red wine stain[s] the ground of the narrow street in the suburb… where it was spilled” which the desperate community quickly gulps down (Dickens 32). The wine spilling foreshadows the start of the Revolution and the many deaths that would occur during the tragic
Chapter 39 is a Pivotal One, Why? How does Dickens communicate the importance of the drama of the chapter to the reader? In chapter 39, Pip's benefactor is revealed. It is around this person. that the mystery of Pip's expectations is built.
Many people strive for things that are out of their reach. In the novel Great Expectations, Charles Dickens shows the themes of personal ambition and discontent with present conditions. The main character, Pip, shows early on in the story that he is unhappy with his current situation. Throughout the story he strives for the things that are beyond his reach, and is apathetic to the things that he can obtain. Pip demonstrates this by striving for Estella when he could have Biddy, and yearning to be a gentleman when he could be a blacksmith.
“as I never saw my mother or father” from this quote alone we can see
Great Expectations shares many of the conventions of fairy tales. The one dimensional characters, the use of repetition, and the evil women seem to make the similarities strikingly strong. However, are they strong enough to conclude that it is indeed a fairy tale? It can not be ignored that it also falls short on some important areas, such as the traditional fairy tale ending. Is there enough evidence to classify it either way?
The Theme of Imprisonment in Great Expectations The renowned poet, Richard Lovelace, once wrote that "Stone walls do not make a prison, nor iron bars a cage. " Although many think of a prison as a physical building or a jailhouse, it can also be a state of mind. A great number of people are imprisoned mentally and emotionally.
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens is a fascinating tale of love and fortune. The main character, Pip, is a dynamic character who undergoes many changes through the course of the book. Throughout this analysis the character, Pip will be identified and his gradual change through the story will be surveyed.
I have chosen to look at how the relationship of Pip and Magwitch develops during the novel. I have chosen 3 key scenes in which Magwitch and pip meet and I will look at how each is portrayed in terms of character, development, setting and the messages or morals that dickens is trying to convey.
In Great Expectations, the three main settings: the Forge, Satis House and London affect the atmosphere of the novel, as well as Pip’s emotions. The three main locations make Pip who he is, and it represents the aspects of himself – his hopes, fear, pride, and shame. Each of these three locations has symbolic characters which represents the aspects of Pip and also the mood.
Charles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringing. Charles Dickens’ life, full of highs and lows, mirrors that of Pip’s life. Their lives began the same and ended the same. To understand the difficulty of Dickens’ childhood is to understand why his writing focuses on the English social structure. Dickens’ life revolved around social standing. He was born in the lower class but wasn’t miserable. After his father fell into tremendous debt he was forced into work at a young age. He had to work his way to a higher social standing. Because of Dicken’s constant fighting of class the English social structure is buried beneath the surface in nearly all of his writings. In Great Expectations Pip’s life mirrors Dickens’ in the start of low class and the rise to a comfortable life. Fortunately for Dickens, he does not fall again as Pip does. However, Pip and Dickens both end up in a stable social standing.
Great Expectations and Oliver Twist are representative of the works produced by Charles Dickens over his lifetime. These novels exhibit many similarities - perhaps because they both reflect painful experiences that occurred in Dickens' past.