I am not even going to try and describe what it that is so great about this novel because undoubtedly I would just ramble on and bore you to death so instead I will quote a small line from the novel (which happens to one of my favourite quotes) and let Dickens speak for himself, ...
"Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts."
"Great Expectations" (Chapter 19)
Love Mel xx
12 comments:
I've heard that quote before but I didn't know it was from 'Great Expectations'! Now I'm sorry I didn't buy the copy of GE that I found at the thrift shop yesterday!
Did you really miss your stop twice? I love that mental picture, it's so funny and so like a bookworm like you! :)
~Miss Laurie
My favorite Dickens!
Really? Well, I guess I can't say much since I haven't actually read the book...but I found the movie rather depressing. o.o And not a satisfactory ending. I usually like Charles Dickens' endings (except it seems like there's always a little something left undone) but this one was different.
BTW, what's that picture from?
Great quote! I've seen the Ioan Gruffudd version of Great Expectations, but I didn't like it that much. I'm kind of interested in the new versions of Great Expectations that are coming out, though. I wonder how they'll be.
Melody,
The picture is from Downton Abbey.
Miss Laurie,
Oh I just love thrift shops! I always come home wishing I had bought something that I didn't.
I did almost miss my stop twice! I think I must have appeared quite funny to those people in the train around me as I tried to get off before the train started to move again.
Charity U,
Me too! Well so far, I haven't read them all yet :)
Melody,
I actually really love the ending of Great Expectations (in the book), The transformation of the characters was great. Although I haven't seen the any of the movies in a while so I cant remember how close they were to the novel.
I also love the fact that Dickens leaves many things undone in his books because i think it is so true to life :)
And like Miss Elizabeth said the picture is of from Downton Abbey :)
Miss Elizabeth,
I too cannot wait for the new versions (particularly the series one!) :)
I like fiction to be true to life...but I also like it to be...well, fiction. ;-)
I like it to be *satisfyingly* true to life. haha
And I realize you didn't say 'realistic'...I guess 'true to life' and 'realistic' are two different things...but Charles Dicken's novels are far from realistic I think. Very outlandish things happen and there are some very unlikely stories!! (But then I'm okay with that! haha ;-) )
Melody,
I agree that fiction is nice as "fiction" yet I always find my many of my favourite novels are those that have true to life elements with which I can identify with.
Although many of the events that happen in Dickens' novels may not be common in everyday life I like the sad and raw events and emotions he encorporates in his stories. Rather than make me wish I was living inside a novel it makes me appreciate the life I have :)
But then again I love sad and unfinished stories. They are always my favourties, so perhaps thats just me :)
And I absolutely undertand what you mean by "satisfyingly true to life"! :) hehe
Mel xx
Well I *do* like dramatic/sad things that make me cry, but I am a big fan of happy endings. Which Charles Dickens, for the most part, does a great job at. (I love how he always 'gets back' at the main 'bad guy'!)
So, would you have liked it if Catherine and Henry hadn't gotten married in NA? THAT would have been a sad and unfinished.
Haha...I just had to say that. ;-)
I suppose it depends upon whether or not *I* get to marry Henry instead! :)
Haha, that is a very good point, Missie. ;-)
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