Great Expectations, also translated as Lone Star Blood and Tears, is the later work of Charles Dickens, a famous British writer in the 19th century, and one of his most mature works. Over the past 100 years, the work has been adapted into films, TV series and stage plays.
This is a coming-of-age story, but also a story of a poor man who gets rich, the protagonist goes through many difficulties, and finally finds himself and successfully completes his self-transformation.
I watched the movie before, and I was moved by the boy in the play, and I always wanted to find a paper book to read. I just happened to see the illustrated collector's edition of "Great Expectations" produced by Houlang Literature, so I decided to start it.
After reading this book, I feel that the dialogue in the movie is quite reproductive. Especially after the characters have an appearance, and then read the book, it is very picturesque.
The book is bound in dark blue cloth, which is beautiful and high-end. Coupled with the exquisite illustrations by the famous illustrator Harry Fornis, the translation by the literary translator Wang Keyi, and the humorous language of Dickens, whether it is reading or collecting, the classic works of Houlang illustration are the best choice.
Dickens's works focus on the "little people" at the bottom of society and the sincere feelings between people.
The protagonist of this book, Pip, is an orphan living at the bottom of society. Dickens, the author, uses an autobiographical approach to describe several important stages of Pip's life from the age of seven.
After Pip was born, he saw neither his biological parents nor their portraits. Pip is cared for by his sister and brother-in-law Joe Guggier, the blacksmith.
For such a child, the birth and growth environment seem to be destined for the life path he should take in the future. If nothing else, he will be his brother-in-law's apprentice when he grows up, do a lifetime of iron-making work, and then marry a wife and have children, and live an ordinary life.
So, do the little people living at the bottom really have no chance to counterattack and go to the upper class? The answer is no, and Pip gave us a demonstration.
Pip's change of fortune began when he met the noblewoman Hevia, who had another dream of being a gentleman when he met Hevixiang's adopted daughter, Estella, at the Manor. Because only by being a gentleman can you be worthy of the beautiful Estella.
But if you want to be a gentleman, you need a lot of money. As an ironworker, ** has the money to go to higher education and enter high society. But the god of fate still favors Pip and makes the impossible possible - a mysterious man gives Pip a fortune and wants to train him to become a cultured London gentleman, a real superior person.
And this opportunity is also thanks to a fugitive he rescued as a child, Magwech, which may be a good reward! (If we want to change our fate, it seems that we still need to do more good deeds!) Maybe one day good luck will come! ）
Because Pip's guardian, Mr. Jaggers, is Hevexiang's ** and legal counsel, Pip thinks that Hevish is the one who finances him and wants to train him to be a gentleman and match him with Estella.
In this way, Pip left his brother-in-law and his life as a blacksmith, and began to run for his great ambition - to come to London to study and be a high-class man.
If one day you are suddenly hit by good luck, do you think it is a good thing or a bad thing? In fact, the ancients have already given the answer, blessings and misfortunes depend on each other, and the two can be converted into each other, depending on how you look at and grasp it.
When Pip comes to high society dressed as a gentleman, learns the manners of a superior person and lives a superior life, he gradually loses himself and becomes arrogant. He looked down on his brother-in-law, who had lived with him, and he refused to believe that the person who financed him was a fugitive, and he did not want to be associated with such a person.
Later, after a series of events, he discovers that the girl he loves is actually a tool that Hevisham has cultivated to take revenge on men, and he is also the object chosen by Hevisham, the reason is that Hevisham was abandoned by her fiancé on the wedding day and swindled her money away with her brother.
Fate always loves to play tricks on people, and Pip still loves Estella after knowing the truth, even if they can't be together.
When he learns about the fugitive's origins and his feud with Hevexiang; When he lost all his money, he woke up, he found himself, he understood what kind of person he should be.
In the end, he made a career through his own efforts, and met his beloved Estella again and reconciled with her.
Written at the end: Pip is both unfortunate and lucky, he has a brother-in-law and a fugitive who has always loved him, which may also be the cause of his kindness. Although Pip has experienced ups and downs, he has finally found himself and completed his self-transformation, which is also a good thing.
From Pip's upbringing, what do you think about good being rewarded? What do you think about the sudden windfall? What do you think about the causal cycle? What lessons have you learned from these events?