Introduction.

 Great Expectations.

When I was first told to read the classic novel `Great Expectations` (Charles Dickens). I did not have any interesting thoughts about it all I thought was oh it's that book about the wedding woman. Then I saw the mammoth sized book then laid before me I wanted to cry. When I started reading it I rather enjoyed how Dickens did not let one detail slip. He introduced the characters in such an interesting manner such as Mag witch threatening a child. However after a few chapters I found the book t be quite slow. To me the book would go through stages where it would be extremely interesting, then the interest would drop then rise again; so it that sense it was not an easy read; as I am used to there being constant action in books.Reading the book certain themes struck me such as Pip's ambition to transform himself into a gentleman as he naively thought that would make him a better person to be of a high social class. Social class is a significant theme within the book. Crime was a reoccurring theme with Magwitch appearing again in the book, we later discover hi innocence which I suppose is a theme in the book innocence especially as the book includes children a symbol of innocence. Guilt is also a theme as Pip cannot get over the day when he helped a criminal. I have seen the first part of the television series of Great Expectations in class. It was extremely different to the book not only did they miss a fair bit of the book out; but the characters are portrayed different in comparison to the book! When I read the book I imagine Estella to be this porcelain, brunette beauty in the TV series I do not see it. Miss Havisham is very ghostly, dewy and mysterious looking; whereas Pip describes her as looking dead.I really liked the way `Gillian Andersons` portrayed Miss Havisham, she seemed gentle, kind;she ha this radiance that I warmed to. Yet she seemed to be mad and anxious with her nervous tick of scratching; which is something that Dickens wold not of picked up on as physically was not spoken of as openly as it is today. 

I am excited yet nervous to start this brief. I am going to research extremely hard to get a clear understanding of Gothic.