Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Great Expectations EssayQS. Look c befully at the opening chapters of great supportations and explore some of the ways in which devil captures and keeps the interest and attention of the reader. search also how social conditions of the time inform his writing. When Dickens writes he uses three methods to interest his readers, the presentation of character, populace of atmosphere and his use of narrative, description and speech. To begin with we will look at dickens presentation of character.When my incline class first began reading great expectations I noticed that Dickens did not describe a character physically or through their thoughts, instead he describes them with two details, their surroundings and their past. For congressman we argon never told that gain is blonde or his age etc, instead we are exactly told that he has a married older sister who cares for him and that they live rather simply for example we learn that for dinner they would keep up something like buttered bread which suggests that they throw off poor nutrition.We are also told about the fact that when arrive at was younger his parents died along with five of his siblings, which suggests that he comes from a family that were and still are struggling and this suggests that they are living in the popular social conditions of the time which were harsh cold, poor hygiene, no hot water or heat, high infant mortality rate etc and this is also suggested at the bottom of page two when Pip says I was undersized for my age and not strong, the house they live in is also described as world in the marsh country this method of Dickens I found to be quite prominent as I have not before read a book that does the same, however I think it is very effective because it allows the reader to paint their own picture of the characters and pass them a great insight into the characters and helps them to understand the characters actions, thoughts and words.This also allows the reader to become more involved in the novel and then the readers interest is already being drawn in.These social conditions, so far mentioned inform the novel a great deal as it is the story-line of this young boy from a poor background, and because he has been raised by hand that this child is so meek and innocent, and because of this innocence, and by chance, he is given the opportunity to become someone, quite literally, a man of great expectations In the first two chapters it is also notice able-bodied that Dickens st crafts to give particular traits to each character to make them individual, such as Mrs Joe Gargery Was the evil step-mother while her husband Mr Joe Gargery was the low-keyed and almost wimpy yet kind man. Dickens narrative technique is also very powerful. distant most novels the action starts almost straight away. By page two we are shocked by the very sudden arrival of Magwitch with the shocking and almost frightening line Hold your noise We are suddenly completely sucked in to the story when we find very quickly that Pip, the young boy we have become fond of is in danger and that Magwitch has only just escaped from a prison send out and is in desperate need of food, drink and possibly a file, if he will be able to make a full escape. This makes the first chapter become very exciting.Also it counts quite realistic because Magwitchs spoken language is very powerful because it is so graphic, blunt and colloquial. Also Magwitch not only speaks in the way you would expect a convict to speak but he dresses how you would expect as well.Dickens uses many marcher clauses and he also uses the word and a lot yet he uses it with style and it makes his writing seem much more rhythmic, for example in the third paragraph in the first chapter when Pip is singing us of his first memory, he says My first most vivid and broad impression of the identity of things and that the piddling bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry, was Pip Dickens mai nly keeps our attention by using drama such as when Magwitch enters on page two.Another way in which Dickens sustains the readers attention is his use of language in the way he writes. For example the type of words he uses to describe the new characters intrigues the readers so that they want to know more such as when Mr Joe Gargery is being introduced, In the middle of page six, Pip describes him as being a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness. This seems to be very confusing and makes the reader want to continue in the story in aim to figure out its meaning. Finally the most effective way which Dickens uses to with-hold the readers attention is through the insane asylum of atmosphere. By using words such as raw, bleak, marsh and phrases like overgrown with nettles, dark plain wilderness etc.the writer makes the scene seem gloomy, drag and sad, and with the opening setting not only being in a churchyard, but a graveyard, we are subconsciously being prepared for M agwitchs arrival. Pip describes the river as a low leaden line This is a perfect example of Dickens art of alliteration. The word low is also representing the low spirit of Pip, The word Leaden makes us think of something that is heavy, colorize and dull, and the word line sounds very bland and boring. Also the way in which Dickens uses personification for example in calling the wind a savage beast, these words make us think of Pip a small helpless child who is out alone in what seems like an extremely retirement and scary place.We then fear for this young child and want to learn what happens to him so once over again the reader finds that they wish to continue in the book, and for the rest of the novel the drama and language that Charles Dickens uses makes us keep wanting to read on continues Therefore it is through using the techniques previously mentioned, of character presentation, domain of atmosphere and narrative, description and speech that Dickens gains and sustains his readers attention. 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