Great Expectations Meaning

"Great Expectations" Title

Topic J

By Kenner Bartos

The title of the book "Great Expectations" had a significant meaning. Pip always expects amazing things and has all his life. When Pip was a peasant boy living with Joe and Mrs. Joe, he expected more in his life. When his uncle Pumblechook got him into the Satis house, Pip expected he would learn to become a gentleman. In reality, the Satis house did not meet these expectations. When Pip later moved to London, it did not meet his expectations either. He called it "The first disappointment of his great expectations". He expected London to be a marvelous city, but in reality it was crowded and dirty. When Pip turned 21, he expected to learn who his secret benefactor was, but Jaggers would not tell him. This was another let down since he had such high expectations. Pip had "Great expectations" for his live, but things did not go as planned. The title of the book gives a main idea of Pip's experiences in Joe's house, in the Satis house, and in London.

Hand in Hand

Hand in Hand

~Blog Post 5~

Topic A

April 15, 2015

by Luke Edwards

            "I took her hand in mine...I saw no shadow of another parting from her," (865).  Pip and Estella's relationship throughout the novel is an emotional roller coaster for Pip.  He falls in love, and she repeatedly denies him after leading him on.  She is rude and treats him poorly as children, but as they grow older, their relationship starts to change.  When Pip becomes a gentleman, he finally thinks he has a chance with her, and he believes they are destined for one another.  She allows him to follow her around, and is slightly less rude, but she never takes him seriously. He has to watch her court other suitors, with the same cruel tactics she once used on him.  Eventually, she marries Drummle, who is basically Pip's rival.  He learns many years, after supposedly getting over her, that her relationship was sad and abusive and they had divorced.  When they coincidentally meet in the gardens of the Satis House, they can't help but yell each others names.  They talked, and Estella told Pip that she had changed, and asked for his forgiveness.  "I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape," (865). Her suffering and struggles change Estella.  She is not the cruel young girl who's sole purpose is to break the hearts of men.  She and Pip can finally be in love, because she is not holding back.  They take each other's hands, and this time Pip, will not let go.  He loves Estella, and has loved her for so long that this is his chance.  He knows that he will love her forever, and never let her go. 

Truly Great Expectations

Truly Great Expectations

~Blog Post #5~

Topic J

May 15 2015

By: Brian Arata

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a very accurate title for this novel. In the book, there are high expectations in different ways for different characters. First, there are great expectations for Pip to become a young gentleman and become a part of society. In his young life, Pip lived a life of poverty in his hometown. He was in the lower social class of England, and he was very ashamed of it. He looks “at (his) coarse hands and (his) common boots” and he is extremely upset at where he stands in society (66). Pip is expected to break out of his place in society when he receives his mysterious fortune. His family, especially his uncle Pumblechook, expects him to get a good education, learn proper manners, and get a job in the city of London. Even though this is tough for Pip at first, Pip exceeds these expectations. He is educated by Jaggers, and eventually becomes Jaggers apprentice. There is another example of great expectations in the novel. Estella has great expectations for Pip to be a proper suitor. Throughout the novel, Pip is consistently trying to court Estella. However, Estella constantly puts Pip down because she deems him not good enough for her. Pip “loves her because (he) finds her irresistible,” but she does not feel the same way (247). Even though conflicts arise, Pip’s love for Estella is endless and continuous. He does not meet her expectations until later in his life, but Dickens gives readers the happy ending that Pip wanted. The title of Great Expectations is a great prelude and preview of what will happen throughout the novel. It reveals themes, relationships between characters, and how characters grow and change throughout the book.

Pip's Profession of Love

Pip's Profession of Love

~Blog Post #4~

Topic A

8 May 2015

By: Brian Arata

Dickens has clearly let his readers know that Pip loves Estella. Everyone, including Estella, knows this; however, Pip has never told her before. Finally, in chapter 44 of Great Expectations, Pip tells Estella "I know. I have no hope that I shall ever call you mine Estella... Still, I love you. I gab loved you ever since I first saw you in this (Satis) house" (383). This profession of love by Pip shows the full development of the relationship between him and Estella. In this quote, Pip talks about the beginning of their relationship. At first, it is a struggle for him. He doesn't know how to read, he isn't educated at all, and he lives in the slums of his hometown Kent. He has no manners, and he is certainly not fit to be with Estella, yet, he still falls in love with her. From the very beginning of their relationship at the Satis house, Pip changes dramatically. He obviously comes upon an unexpected fortune, which completely turns his life around. He is sent to London to be educated and learn how to be a part of society. While he is in London, he has one encounter with Estella, marking a midpoint in their relationship. At this point, Pip has clearly changed from the last time Estella saw him. He now has manners, money, a job, and an education. Pip feels that he is finally ready to be a proper suitor for Estella; however, Estella does not feel the same way. Even though Pip has made significant progress, Estella is still clearly not ready to date him, and she tells him this. Even though Pip is discouraged, he does not give up. This leads to this quote, the final step in the relationship. Pip comes full-circle and professes his love for Estella. He is confident with his new manners an education, and he thinks that he can get her now. Estella does not feel the same way. She never wanted to date Pip, and now she lets him know that. Although this is a tough part of Pip’s relationship with Estella, the relationship is a symbol of Pip’s change throughout the entire novel.

Estella's Orders Against Her Mother's Wishes

Estella’s Orders against Her Mother's Wishes

~Blog Post #3~

Topic C

1 May 2015

By: Brian Arata

            Throughout this section of the novel, Pip has the constant notion that Estella not only wants to marry him, but that Ms. Havisham wants them to be wed. In this section, the relationship between Estella and Pip turns from lies to the truth. Before, Pip recognizes that Estella thinks of him as a poor boy that she could never respect. Pip knows that she doesn’t really like him, but he keeps hoping that Ms. Havisham means for them to marry. In this section, Pip begins to sense a change in Estella’s attitude. Pip notices that “her manner was more winning than she had cared to let it be to me before” (281). Even though she is still outwardly rude towards Pip, there are multiple signs that she is developing feelings for the growing Pip. One of the most obvious signs is Estella’s rebellious and ignorant attitude towards Ms. Havisham. Even though Ms. Havisham controls Estella’s money, she will not submit to every one of her wishes. Pip knows that Ms. Havisham does not want Estella to marry him; however, he also leans that Estella does not always obey her mother’s commands. Estella is learning to become a young and independent woman, which, for Pip, could mean that she finally sees the charming young man he has become. If Estella does not listen to Ms. Havisham’s advise, she will start to make her own decisions for herself, and one of those decisions might be to marry Pip. Even though she does not change her attitude towards him, the relationship between Estella and Pip could be taking a very positive turn for Pip since Estella is beginning to become more independent. She is ignoring the suitors of her mother’s choice, and she might choose the young, polite, and charming Pip against her mother’s wishes.

Discussion #4 Notes

Leader- Kenner
Note Taker- Brian

1. Who is the prisoner Pip rides with in the coach and how does it bring back his guilt?

Brian- He is a friend of the prisoner who helped Pip.

Luke- He talked to him in the bar previously.

Kenner- It reminded of the prisoner at the beginning of the book and made him feel bad

2. How does pip feel as he is going to see Estella and how does he feel when he actually sees her?

Luke: he was excited and confident when he was going to see her

Kenner: but then she treated him just as she always had and he went back to his awkward stumbly self.

3. What Pips spirits on his way back to London?

Brian: he felt bad about Estella and the tailor mocked him.

Luke: plus, he felt oppressed when Jaggers showed up

Kenner: then Jaggers fired orlick, but I don't think pip cared about it

4. In what ways is the narrator PIP more mature than character pip?

Kenner: whenever he talks the stuff he did, he is always feeling guilty for what he did by saying "God forgive me"

Brian: narrator pip has very high morals and he deeply cares about every and everyone's feelings and how he is affecting people's lives. Character pip says the first thing that comes to his mind and is often inconsiderate and selfish

5. How does mr. Wopsle represent pip?

Luke: he plays like a klutz but he eventually matures

Kenner: so that is basically like pips maturing

6. In what way is PIP's 21st birthday not expected to be?

Luke: in one way he hoped that Jaggers would tell him who his secret benefactor but he didn't

7. After pip turns 21 how does Jaggers show him respect?

Brian: he calls him Mr. pip

8. How does pip help Herbert and how does the show is maturity?

Kenner: pip acts as Herbert's anonymous benefactor.

Brian: he took his paycheck and helped Herbert get a job.

Luke: that's the first time he has helped someone

9. Wemmick is different and Jaeger's house then in his own house. What does Wemmick do that defines his two different sides?

10. Who is PIP secret benefactor? What is surprising about this?

(We ran out of time so I just wrote the last two questions)

My Reading Abilities

My Reading Abilities

April 14, 2015

By Kenner Bartos

I consider myself to be a good reader, but not an active reader. I can read and understand what I am reading. I can remember what I read. But I struggle with taking notes and finding meaning in the text. Unless a connection is directly made, I normally cannot find one. Because of this, I normally do not make a big effort to make connections because I do not think I will find any. I struggle with annotating while I read for the same reason. I can remember important and significant moments in a book, but I cannot remember where or when they happened in the book. If anything, annotating and taking notes seems to break my concentration and I will feel lost when I go back to reading. I eventually get back on track, but it seems to waste time. Even though I know annotating will help, I do not put in the effort to do it all the time. In the future I will annotate because it will help with my reading skills and will help me make connections in the book I am reading.

Pip Changing Throughout the Book

Pip Changing Throughout the Book
-Blog Post #2-

Topic B

April 24, 2015

By Kenner Bartos

Throughout Great Expectations, Pip changes significantly. At times he seems to revert back to the old Pip with a guilty conscience, but overall he has grown from a child who could not say no to anybody, to a snobby person who feels he is too good for the people around him. At the beginning of the book, Pip was confronted by an escaped prisoner who told him to get a file for his leg irons. Pip did not think twice. If Pip had left and never come back to help the prisoner, he would have been fine and never been found by the prisoner. But Pip consciously chose to help the prisoner. During Pip's time at the Satis house, he begins to change. This is mostly because of Estella, who thinks she is better than Pip. Pip seems to be influenced by what Estella says to him. When Pip is given money to go to London, he changes dramatically. The money gives him a snobby and selfish attitude. He thinks he is too good for the people around him, and leaves without hardly saying goodbye. Although he does show some regret for acting this way, he is back to being snobby very soon when he is having a suit made for himself.

Discussion #3 Notes

Leader- Luke 
Note taker- Brian

1. Why is Pip overwhelmed when he comes to London?

Kenner- compared to where he grew up, London is a big, busy, and smelly city

Brian- He is probably also overwhelmed by the courthouse he is given a tour of, because this is where Jagger works because he is a lawyer

2. What were some things Pip liked about Herbert?

Kenner- His age because he was closer in age to Pip than other kids

Luke- Herbert was friendly, outgoing, and more of a teacher than Matthew

Brian- Pip's traits complement Herbert's and that is why they work well together

3. Where did Pip meet Herbert in the past?

Kenner- Pip fought him at the Satis house

Luke- Even though Pip kept beating him up, Herbert kept getting back up

Brian- How do you think the past experience will affect their relationship?

Luke- It was more for fun

Kenner- they don't seem to hold grudges

Brian- Can they use this to connect more?

Luke- I think they're over it and are just great friends now who can laugh about it

4. Explain Ms. Havisham' story?

Kenner- Ms. Havisham was supposed to get married

Luke- Her step brother wasted some of the family's fortune. Ms. Havisham was going to get married but the guy convinced her to buy her step brothers half of the brewery for a lot of money. The man never showed up, and ditched her at the altar 20 minutes before 9, which is why her clocks are that way.

Brian- and she thinks the man was in collaboration with her step brother

5. What is Jaggers like and how does he treat Pip?

Kenner- He seems to treat people poorly. He's a very angry and harsh person. He vigorously washes his hands at the end of the day too.

Luke- Jaggers even scared the judge in the courtroom because he is so forceful

Brian- He seems to have a soft spot for Pip however. He's not very harsh towards Pip, but he doesn't favorite him over the other boys either.

6. Compare Jaggers house to Wemmick's house and the Satis house.

Kenner- Jaggers is dark and dusty. He has weird sculptures and he sits on a weird "throne"

Luke- and he lives alone with Molly the housekeeper

Brian- The connection between the Satis house and Jagger's house symbolically are completely different. Even though the two houses were described similarly, they symbolically mean completely different things for Pip. The Satis house symbolizes Pip being stuck in a lower social class and not being able to apply himself in society. Jagger's house is a complete 360 from the Satis house for Pip. At Jaeger's house, Pip's opinion is taken in and valued.

Luke- Wemmick's house is describe as a dream castle. Completely opposite of Jaggers house.

7. How does Wemmick's personality change from when he is at home versus when he is at work?

Kenner- Wemmick is completely different at home than at work

Luke- He is more lively at home and almost happy versus being cynical at work.

Brian- Wemmick's house is like a dream cottage.

8. Describe the relationship between Pip and Drummel.

Luke- Pio didn't like him because he is stuck up. They got in an argument at one point.

Brian- And after that argument, Jaggers told Pip that he should stay away from Drummel.

9. How does Pip change by the end of this series of chapters?

Kenner- He's become an apprentice. He's becoming more of a gentlemen.

Luke- yes, Herbert is teaching him proper manners. He's starting to feel what it's like to be valued.

Brian- I agree. For the first time in his life, Pip's opinion is valued.

10. Make predictions on what will happen next.

Kenner- I think that all of the bad stuff from Pip's earlier life will come back and haunt him.

Brian- I have to agree with Kenner. I think specifically the prisoner will come back. He might just be walking on the street and Pip recognizes him, or they might become friends.

Luke- I think Pip will have to decide between Biddy and Estella soon. I think he will choose Estella and then he will regret it.

Biddy vs. Estella

Biddy vs. Estella

~Blog Post #2~

Topic C

April 24, 2015

by Luke Edwards

            The two woman in Pip's life, Biddy and Estella, are almost complete opposites.  Biddy is the type of person who is kind and accepting, and she likes Pip for who he is.  Biddy doesn't think poorly of him because he is not rich, and she does not believe he should hate his life because he is not a gentleman because she is "not over-particular" (76).  However, Estella mocks everything about him because he is not on the same social level as her.  Biddy may also be attractive, but Estella is "more beautiful than anyone ever was" (76).  Estella is not very accepting or understanding, yet Biddy is "the wisest of girls," and understands Pip (77).  She realizes that he does not want to become gentleman for himself, but for Estella because Estella will not take him unless he raises his social class.   While Estella is deceitful and secretive towards Pip, Biddy is always honest and tell Pip exactly what she is thinking.  She tells him how she feels about him falling for Estella, and warns him to stay away from her.  She is also truthful when Pip receives his money and he begins to start acting stuck up.   He tells her that he is ashamed of Joe's manners, but she gets into an argument defending Joe.  It is obvious that Pip has some attraction to Biddy, but his overwhelming desire to earn Estella's respect and love makes him ignorant to these feelings for a woman who really cares, respects, and already loves him.

Discussion #2 Notes

Discussion #2 Notes
Leader: Brian Arata
Note taker: Kenner Bartos

Why does Pip say in chapter 14 that home has never been a pleasant place? Why is he ashamed of it?

Brian: when he goes to Havisham's, he sees that life is good for everyone and wonders why he is living in the slums. He thinks Mr. and Mrs. Joe never really tried to improve his life.

Luke: he is also tired of Mrs. joe, and she made home unpleasant.

How does Pip feel about working in the forge and why does he feel guilty for it?

Brian: he does not like dealing with Orlick. He feels guilty because they make the shackles that were also on the convicts like the one he helped escape.

Luke: he thinks the job is beneath him but does not want to upset Joe.

What was Pips reasoning for why Orlick disliked him?

Kenner: Pip thought that Orlick was afraid he would replace him

Why did Joe fight with Orlick?

Kenner: The fight started when Pip chose to take a holiday, and Orlick thought hr deserved one too. Mrs. Joe refused to let this happen and started yelling and fighting.

What happened to Mrs Joe at the end of chapter 15? Why does Pip feel guilty for it?

Brian: Pip felt guilty because the prisoners that attacked them were from the same place as the prisoner he helped escape.

Luke: Mrs joe got brain damage after getting hit in the back of the head.

Compare Estella and Biddy

Luke: Biddy is the nice one who isnt rich, kind and helpful to Pip. Estella is the opposite: snobby and rich and condescending.

What does the stranger do for Pip? Who did Pip think the benefactor was? Who did you think itvwas when you read and why?

Kenner: Jagger gives Pip money to go to school in London to raise his social status. Pip thinks the benefactor is Havisham. I thought it was Pumblechook because he has the highest social class.

Brian: I thought it was Estella because she could use it as leverage.

How does the money change Pip?

Luke: He thinks of himself as better than Biddy and Joe. He feels bad about it for a second, but then goes right back to it.

Why did Pip feel guilty after leaving for London?

Brian: He felt bad for leaving them without a real goodbye and acting like a snob.

How does Pip change?

Kenner: he starts off not thinking much of himself as a blacksmith's apprentice, but his ego grows when he grts the money.


Luke: he is constantly feeling guilty.

Jagger's House

Jagger’s House

~Blog post #2~

Topic E

April 22, 2015

By: Brian Arata

            When Pip visits Jagger’s house in Chapter 26, the house is “a stone hall, bare, gloomy, and little used” (222). This house, and its description, seems to be a very similar description to the Satis house. The Satis house is described as a “house, which was of old brick, and dismal” (56). Although Dickens’ portrays these houses similarly, they mean completely different things for Pip. The Satis house means unhappiness, mockery, and ruthlessness for Pip. Whenever Pip visits this house, he always comes out feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or angry with himself. This house opens his eyes to the world he is really living in. He lives in a world where he is in the lowest class, and he is not respected among the upper class. This causes Pip to feel sorry for himself in his situation. He turns his shame into anger against Joe and Miss Joe for giving him such a horrible life. Jagger’s house paints a completely different picture than the Satis house for Pip. In the scene at Jagger’s house, Pip is no longer a member of the lower class. After coming upon his fortune, Pip is rushed into city life in London. He has a good and meaningful education, and he finally feels like he matters in the world. At the house, Pip’s opinion is taken on several discussions/arguments. Jagger trusts Pip, and, in return, Pip trusts Jagger to teach him and provide for him. Jagger is a wonderful and welcoming fellow, even though his house does not portray this. At this scene in the novel, Dickens shows us how Pip has evolved so far. He has gone from an untrusting, angry, and embarrassed child to a mature, educated, and trusting adolescent.

Discussion #1 Notes

Discussion 1 transcript:  (Discussion leader: Brian Arata, Note taker: Luke Edwards)

Brian: in what ways does pip change throughout this part of the book?

Kenner: He starts out as a scared orphan, and doesn't do much for himself, i.e. When he does stuff for the prisoner.  Then he goes to the Satis house, and he was shy.

Brian: I agree he was a little shy at the beginning 

Luke: I feel like he grew a connection with the prisoner like how he called him "my convict"

Brian: I agree, he seems to have believed he could be friend

Kenner: he could have just stayed home but he chose to go back and help him

Luke: but that was also driven by fear

Kenner: but the convict would have had no way to find him.

Brian: what is pumblechook's significance?

Luke: he got him invited to the Satis house 

Brian: but he also got him cleaned up and ready for it and took care of pip. He seems to be more of a father figure than joe

Kenner: yeah because pip sees joe as more of a brother

Brian:  plus pumblechook was a higher socia class than joe 

Luke: yeah, because he was a merchant while joe was a blacksmith who was illiterate

Brian: what dilemma does pip have at the cemetery, and how is it dissolved

Luke: pip had to decide whether or not to help him

Kenner: out of fear he and his own will he did decide to help them

Luke: he feels like that is the only thing he can do

Kenner: he feels guilty for it later to (connected to later question)

Kenner: his image of his parents are based on their tombstones because he doesn't remember what they looked like. Also his sister is a mother figure for him so his sisterly relationship is ruined because instead of being a sister she has to be a mother

Brian: why do you think pip helps the police find them?

Luke and Kenner: he is afraid of getting in trouble

Brian: after giving the food and feeling guilty for it, do you think he would do it again?

Kenner: no, he wouldn't help him again because it was more trouble than it was worth and he felt guilty for it.

Luke: I think he would do it again because he is a bit of a selfless person who tries to help others.

Brian: I agree with luke too 

Brian: what do you think is miss havishams goal by inviting pip over?

Luke:  Because a man broke her heart by leaving her at the altar, she can get revenge on men by having Estelle break pips heart. 

Brian:  I don't think that's it because why wouldn't she do that to every boy, not just pip.

Kenner: but they didn't mention any other boys.

Brian: do you think maybe it was to help him at all?

Luke: well she didn't really help him in the end because she didn't raise his status and made him the blacksmith's apprentice 

Brian: in what ways does Estella use her social status to assert herself over pip.

Luke: she always verbally torments him saying that she is superior to him because of the way he dresses and speaks

Brian: yes, and he said he couldn't do something and ms havisham makes him play with Estella. What was it?

Luke: I found it. "I can't play just now...it's so new here, and so strange, and so fine"

Brian: yeah. She makes fun of him for that too

Brian: what does miss havishman so to pip in front of her friends and why does she do it?

Luke: she humiliated him but I'm not sure why?

Kenner: didn't she parade him in front of them like a slum boy

Brian: yeah but why? Do you think she wanted to show superiority?

Luke: or maybe it's another way to break his heart

Brian: what could miss havisham symbolize/foreshadow?

Luke: well the house was like a prison. It was dark and unhappy with iron bars on the windows and it foreshadowed unhappiness and disappointment with what comes from the house.

Brian: in what ways does it act like a prison for pip

Luke: it doesn't help him go anywhere because he stays as a blacksmith's son

Brian: what do you think will happen between estella and picturing the rest of the novel?

Kenner: she is going to break his heart like we predicted

Pip's Relationship with Mrs. Joe

Pip's Relationship With His Sister
-Blog Post #1-
Topic C
April 17, 2015
By Kenner Bartos
In Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, Pip has an odd, uncomfortable relationship with his sister. Pip is an orphan boy and never knew his parents, so his older sister had to raise him. Because of this, Pip views his sister as more of an angry mother than a sibling. Pip's sister always reminds him of how she "raised him by hand" (9), meaning she had to take the role of a mother instead of a sister. Pip is in the same boat as Joe Gargery, his sister's husband. Mrs. Joe is constantly ordering them around and threatening them with "Tickler", a cane "worn smooth from collision with his frame" (10). Pip is noticeably uncomfortable with his sister and her disciplinary methods. 

Satis Penitentiary

The Satis Penitentiary

~Blog Post #1~

Topic E

April 17, 2015

by Luke Edwards

            In Charles Dicken's Great Expectations, the Satis House is described as dark and dreary to foreshadow the environment of the manor itself and disappointment of everything that will come from it.  Pip's uncle Pumblechook was able to arrange for Pip to play at Miss Havisham's manor, believing that she may be able to raise his social status.  When he arrived at the manor, known as the Satis House, he immediately noticed that the house "was of old brick, and dismal, and had a great many of iron bars to it" (33).  All of the windows were either walled up or barred, and there was a large gate outside the courtyard, making the home resemble a prison.  The entrance had chains across it, and when he entered the building, he realized everything was dark.  The candle that Estella held was all that illuminated their path as they walked through the mansion.  Miss Havisham wears a deteriorating wedding dress, is really because she had been left at the altar twenty minutes prior to her wedding, which also explains why she keeps her clocks at twenty minutes before nine.  This event results in a hatred for men, and she intends to exploit Estella in order to get revenge on all men.  She torments Pip with his love for Estella, and whispers in her ear behind her back to "Break their hearts" (57).  Eventually she does, and Miss Havisham does not help Pip's social status because she decides to make him be the apprentice of Joe, the blacksmith.  "Satis" translates to "enough,"  which symbolizes how its owners are never really happy, but just satisfactory with the house.  Nothing good ever comes out of it, and now it is falling apart.  Pip found nothing but heartbreak in the manor, and it was foreshadowed as soon as Pip glanced at it.

Pip's Moral Troubles

Pip’s Moral Troubles

-Blog Post #1-

Topic B

April 16, 2015

By: Brian Arata

            Young Pip struggles to define right from wrong early in the novel. At the beginning of the novel when the escaped prisoner demands that Pip give him food and find a file to break his chains, Pip does not think twice about it. He is blinded by his fear of the man, and his fear is what guides him to do what the man says. After he gives the man what he asked for, Pip worries and thinks about what he has done. He realizes that the man he helped is a very bad person. He recognizes that he helped an escaped prisoner, and this makes Pip regret his actions. He begins to question why he even thought of helping the man. He is struggling to find what is morally right and what is morally wrong. Since he has no one who can define it for him, he must make this decision on his own. Pip begins to wonder if he “had insisted on being born in opposition to the dictates of reason, religion, and morality” (23). He is beating himself up over the fact that he helped an escaped prisoner, and he is questioning everything he does now. From the very beginning of the novel to this point, Pip’s view on his actions has drastically changed. At the beginning, Pip makes decisions without thinking and on the fly. Now, after helping an escaped prisoner, he realizes that he must carefully examine each situation to decide what the right thing to do is.

Reading article reflection

~Reading Article Reflection~

April 14, 2015

by Luke Edwards

​I do not consider myself a strong reader because I struggle to focus while reading and get distracted very easily.  If I am in an environment that can have the slightest distractions, I will have extreme difficulties reading, but even when I'm alone it still isn't easy sometimes.  I may get hung up on certain line or phrases and start thinking about something random and not make any progress in reading.  If I am able to put all focus into reading, I forget very little, but there is always a little part of my mind that starts to wander off.  For most, annotating may keep them paying attention and really reading the words, but for me it can be even more distracting.  The number of thoughts that can go through my head from the time I think of something to write and actually reaching for a pen and writing it makes it difficult to get back into a rhythm of reading. If I am really interested in a book, I could sit there and read for a long time, but with the constant breaks in concentration to make notes, I can't maintain the required focus to finish it.  From now on, I will try to make sure that when I am reading I am secluded with only one task in mind: reading the book.  I will put my head into it and block everything out so I can simply focus on one objective.

My Weak Reading Abilities

Brian Arata
Ms. Molyneaux
English Period D
16 April 2015

Reading Article Reflection

I am a slow and weak reader. When Ms. Blau talks about sustained attention, taking risks, and re-reading, I recognize that I do none of these things while reading. If a part of a book or article is too difficult for me, I either skip it or skim it. I never try to understand or re-read it. Whenever I have to read something for school, I rush myself; however, when I read for fun, I am relaxed and I take my time. After reading the article and completing the self-evaluation about my reading, I recognize that I need to be patient with myself. I need to re-read confusing sections of texts, make more connections from the text to my previous knowledge of the subject, and I need to take notes so that I can keep track of what is confusing me. Annotating this year was a new and, at first, difficult experience for me. I strongly disliked having to stop and start my reading to annotate. After doing if for a while, however, I realized that it helped me identify key quotes and themes from the various novels I read. Even though I think of myself as a slow and weak reader, I am learning new strategies, like annotating, to help me focus when I am losing my attention from the text I am reading. I am always trying to make myself a better reader, and these strategies will help me.

Blog Prompts

Blog Post Topics (Respond to 1 of the prompts below each week):

A.            Select a significant quotation from your reading; explore the significance of that quotation to the development of characters, conflict, theme, etc.

B.            Explore a significant change in an important character.

C.           Explore a significant relationship’s conflicts or growth.

D.           Write about a motif you see developing--where have you noticed it? What does it seem to be revealing about characters or themes?

E.            Explore the significance of a particular setting (not of the whole novel--pick a specific scene).

F.            Explore the significance of a passage with a lot of imagery or description.

G.           Write about a symbol--how does it exist both literally and figuratively? What does it represent?

H.           Explore connections between your book and something you’ve read previously in English class.

I.              Explore connections between the text and your own life.

J.            What is the significance of the book’s title? What does it reveal about the main characters, conflicts, or themes?