Great Expectations By Charles Dickens :: Great Expectations Charles Dickens Essays

Great Expectations By Charles Dickens Charles Dickens makes this extract memorable and significant as it is the first time Pip, a working class boy from the forge, meets Miss Havisham and Estella who are going to have an important and significant affect on his life. Pip is invited to Miss Havisham's residence Statis house. This is important as he doesn't know why he was invited and before he goes he is told there may be something in this for him. The reader knows this might be true due to the title of the play "Great Expectations" Dickens makes Pip's first encounter with Miss Havisham and Estella at Statis House a significant and memorable point in the novel in a number of ways. The first point that makes it memorable is that it is written in first person narrative. Pip says "sat the strangest lady I have ever seen, or ever shall see". This image is seen through the eyes of a child so it will be memorable to him as he will never forget this lady. This also gives the reader first hand experience into what Pip is seeing. Another point why Dickens makes this a significant and memorable part of the novel is that at the beginning of the extract we do not know who the lady is. Dickens uses pronouns to name her, he uses words like "she" and "her". This makes it significant as Dickens is building up an appearance of the character before he tells you her name. Dickens makes a memorable part of the novel when he describes the lady's clothes. He says "she had a long white veil dependant from her hair and she had bridal flowers in her hair". This gives the impression of a young bride. Dickens uses the adversative clause "but" so we know something is going to be wrong. Dickens then says "her hair was white". This then changes the reader's perception of the character so this is why it is memorable as it now sticks in the readers head. Another memorable part of the extract is how Dickens gets across that this lady is wealthy. Dickens just doesn't say she is rich he describes her assets that pip can see in the room. He describes the fabrics "rich material- satins, and lace, and silks". He also describes her jewellery "bright jewels" and "some other jewels lay sparkling on the table". These all tell you how rich she is and the adjectives "bright" and "sparkling" makes it memorable to the character and the reader. A way Dickens makes this a memorable and significant part of the extract is when he describes what sees when he enters the room, he