The rest of the novel Essays

The rest of the novel Essays The rest of the novel Essay The rest of the novel Essay How are the themes that are introduced in the first five chapters reflected in the rest of the novel? In chapters 1-5, a number of pivotal events occur in Great Expectations that affect the characters and their actions in many different ways. In this part of the novel, Dickens introduces themes that are subsequently carried on throughout the novel. For instance, guilt is reflected continuously. Pip is shown as a guilty character, and battling with his guilty conscience becomes apparent and affects him. Death is also part of all the characters lives. In the opening of the novel we are introduced to some of the main characters, Magwitch and Pip. Pip is also the narrator and he tells us that his parents are dead. Pips immaturity and childhood fears are explored in some detail. In this story there is a definite social class division. The way Pip transforms and becomes a gentleman of a higher social class. Also the way criminals and Pip, as well as other characters are treated unjust and the way they go about getting justice. I will explore these themes in greater detail. The opening chapter in the novel begins with Pip telling us about his dead parents and siblings. on the authority of his tombstone. Dickens does this to give us an idea as to what one of the main themes are in the novel, death. This tells us that death has already become part of Pips life, and that he must already have serious emotional scars caused by death. The theme of death carries on throughout the novel, this is shown in a few different ways. One way death is carried on is the death of Pips sister and parent guardian Mrs Joe. It was the first time that a grave had opened in my road of life, and the gap it made in the smooth ground was wonderful. The figure of my sister sat in her chair by the kitchen fire haunted me night and day When a loved one dies, we would normally grieve for them, not describe the memories of them as haunting, However Mrs Joe was not loving to Pip and they didnt have the regular brother sister bond. The way he described the tragic event as wonderful shows maybe he didnt grieve or miss Mrs Joe. The death of two other main characters in this novel also carries on the theme of death. We know Magwitch led a sinful and corrupt life. He committed crimes and wasnt a pleasant person. However Magwitch dies peacefully and quietly. This suggests he was repented of his sins and forgiven for what he had done. This was because of his apologies to Pip, and remorse for giving up his daughter Estella. However, Miss Havisham died in a violent fire. The way Dickens chose for Miss Havisham to die in a fire gives us the idea that it links to hell and sins. Miss Havisham wasnt a very nice person. She tormented Pip when he went to play at her house, making him feel uncomfortable. She also led Pip and his family to believe she was Pips benefactor. She never said she was but she did know Pip thought she was his benefactor because Pip went to visit her to say thank you and she could have told him the truth, also the way she is cruel to men and teaches Estella to be also suggests she wasnt a nice person and maybe deserved to die this way. This cannot be coincidence. The characters in this novel get what they deserve, and bad things happen to the characters that have not lead a moralistic life. There is a very strong portrayal of the theme death throughout the novel as it shows that death is a punishment not just part of life. From the novel we know that Pip didnt have an easy childhood. He was always living in fear and made fun of. In chapter one we learn that Pip is an orphan. As I never saw my father or my mother For any child never to see their parents must be very distressing. A child needs parents to be loved by throughout their childhood, and to be brought up by. However, Pips parent figure is his sister, Mrs Joe Gargery. His sister frequently uses violence towards pip. Knowing her to have a hard and heavy hand For a childs parent figure to be violent must make the child feel un-loved. He has no one to show affection except Joe, his sisters husband. Joes station and influence were something feebler (if possible) when there was company but he always aided and comforted me when he could. Pip can turn to Joe, but Joe is unable to support Pip as he has no confidence and is not respected by others. The use of the word feebler suggests that Joe is in the same position as Pip or even worse. His immediate family doesnt just torment Pip, the visitors push him aside and are indictive towards him. They are cruel and he is bullied continuously. I was squeezed in at an acute angle on the table cloth, with the Pumblechookian elbow in my eye This gives us an image of Pip sat at the table squeezed on the corner with no room. This shows there was no space for Pip and he was unwanted. Strangers also bully pip. For example on the marches when he is approached by Magwitch and Pip is scared for his life. Keep still you little devil, or ill cut your throat Wherever Pip goes he seems to get bullied in some way. For a child to go through this life must be difficult. Childhood should be a time of enjoyment; instead he is unwanted, has no parents and is bullied. We know that Mrs Joe is Pips guardian, but she isnt a parent figure. She is not someone who Pip can look up to and idolise like many children do. He can turn to Joe, however throughout the novel he is shown more as an equal than a parental figure. I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand Normally we use the phrase brought up when we say a child has been brought up by their parents, as in being punished and taught life lessons. However we wouldnt normally use the phrase when saying an adult was bringing up another adult. However Dickens does this to show how equal Pip and Joe were. This makes us believe for a moment that Joe and Pip are siblings, because they are treated the same. The duties of a parent include protecting the child, but if Joe is more of an equal he cannot protect Pip from the violence inflicted on him by his sister. This must make Pip feel helpless. In a normal relationship between a child and a parental figure the child would be able to ask for help and feel they were secure in the company of this adult, however Joe is just as scared as Pip is so this must make him feel even worse, because Joes fear of Mrs Joe shows Pip that Mrs Joe is a woman to fear. This is because children see adults as fearless and brave, but Joe is afraid, which highlights how bad Mrs Joe is to live with. The way Pip says him and Joe are both brought up by hand shows Pips innocence and immaturity. If Pip was older and had a proper up bringing he would know what the term to be brought up meant. Instead he says him and Joe are both brought up by hand which shows Pip thinks that the term brought up means to be punished with violence, like he and Joe both are. This simply emphasises the fact that Pip is very young and nai ve, which then makes us sympathise for him because of the torments he has to put up with. Mr and Mrs Joes relationship must have some affect on Pip. As we know it is important for a child to grow up in a loving environment instead both mature figures in the household do not have a proper relationship, Pip and Joe both live in a hostile environment because of Mrs Joe. The way Dickens names Mrs Joe reflects irony. Although the wife of Joe has taken both his names in the traditional patriarchal way (usually suggesting the wife is the husbands property) the Gargery household contrasts the patriarchal tradition. In fact, her husband is treated as a child and Pip and he are the inferior ones within the family. Estella parentage is extremely ironic. She lives in a large house and has a high social status, however her father is an escaped convict, so how can father and daughter belong to different class divisions at opposite ends of the social class spectrum? The way Estella find it easy to conform with the higher social class lifestyle shows how parentage and childhood ultimately affect how the person will behave in adulthood. This idea is exhibited through the way Estella treats males Estella repeatedly warns Pip that she has no heart. These characteristics that Estella holds come from that of her adoptive mother, Miss Havisham, who was jilted at the alter by her fianci , therefore hates all men and is cruel to them. Estella again shows her lack of respect for males when Pip first goes to visit Satis house with Uncle Pumplechook, and Estella is rude to Mr Pumblecook. Oh! she said. Did you wish to see Miss Havisham? If Miss Havisham wish to see me.. Ah! Said the girl; but you see she dont The way Estella is rude to Mr Pumblechook shows that she has no respect for males, even her elders. This tells us that Estella isnt taught common courtesy towards males and Miss Havishams bitterness is subsequently transferred to Estella through setting a bad example, which will affect Estellas live in a negative way.

High School Grades Dont Always Accurately Reflect Your Ability

High School Grades Don't Always Accurately Reflect Your Ability A college interview can provide you with an opportunity to explain grades that arent reflective of your true academic ability. Just be careful to use the opportunity effectively. When Should You Explain a Weak Grade? Some interview questions provide you with an opportunity to explain a bad grade or weak spot in your academic record. Nearly all highly selective colleges have holistic admissions, so the admissions officers want to get to know you as a person, not just as a list of grades and test scores. Your interviewer knows that you are human and that extenuating circumstances can sometimes affect your academic performance. That said, you dont want to sound like a whiner or grade grubber. If you have mostly As, dont feel that you need to come up with an excuse for that one B. Also, make sure youre not blaming others for your academic performance. The admissions folks wont be impressed if you complain about an unreasonable teacher who doesnt give out easy As. However, if you did have circumstances outside of your control that hurt your grades, dont hesitate to explain what happened. Many events can affect grades: your family moved, your parents divorced, a close friend or family member died, you were hospitalized, or other serious events.   Weak Interview Question Responses All of these responses will backfire and paint you in a bad light rather than bring context and understanding to your grades. Im very good at math, but my teacher didnt like me. Thats why I got a C.  This response suggests that you arent mature enough to own up to the grade you earned. Was your math teacher that biased and unprofessional? And if so, why didnt you address the unethical behavior with school officials? Even if your teacher didnt like you, this isnt something you want to highlight in your interview. Are you unlikable?I worked really hard, so I dont know why my grades werent higher. This response makes you sound clueless. Students who dont understand the low grades they earned are risky prospects for a college to admit. Successful students know what went wrong, and they work to address the problems.I would have put more effort into my classes, but I was too busy with my job and sports. While this response may be honest, it will not create a good impression. Its wonderful that you are busy with work and athletics, but successful college students have strong time management skills, and they give academics a top priority. I didnt have to work hard to get all those As. Shhh. Sure, we all had classes that were easy As, but dont draw attention to this fact during your interview. Good Interview Question Responses So, how should you answer a question about the relationship between your record, your effort, and your ability? In general, take ownership of your grades and justify low grades only if you have truly extenuating circumstances. The responses below would all be appropriate: My parents got divorced at the beginning of my sophomore year, and Im afraid I was too distracted to put in my best effort at school. Fair enough. Big upheavals at home- divorce, death, abuse, frequent moves- can certainly make it difficult to devote 100 percent of your effort to academics. If a large domestic issue did affect your grades, your interviewer will want to know about it. Ideally, however, your academic record shows that the dip in grades was short-lived. If your grades never recovered, the admissions officers will wonder if you have gotten your act together enough to do well in college.I had surgery in 9th grade and was on a lot of pain medications. Serious illness or surgery can certainly disrupt your academic efforts, and it is worth mentioning this type of disruption if it had a negative impact on your grades. Here, as with the response above, your record should show that the dip in grades was temporary. Make sure you are talking about serious health issues. Your inte rviewer will not be impressed if you try to blame that weak semester on the sniffles. Yes, my record does reflect my effort. I didnt work as hard as I should have in 9th grade, but by 10th grade, I had figured out how to be a successful student. The honesty of this response is refreshing. Some students figure out how to succeed later than others. There is nothing wrong with this. In general, colleges will be pleased to see that your grades have trended upwards throughout high school. A downward trend will raise red flags. Again, dont be tempted to explain every little aberration in your academic record. The interviewer is looking to see if you had any major extenuating circumstances that affected your grades. More on College Interviews A successful college  interview requires some preparation, so make sure you have thought of responses to some of the most common interview questions. Youll also want to be careful to avoid common interview mistakes. Keep in mind that interviews are usually friendly affairs, and you should view them as an opportunity to chat with someone about the college you are considering. Interviewers arent trying to trip you up; rather, they want to get to know you better, and they want to help you get to know their school better.