Great Expectations is a novel written in 1861 by the master of all classics, Charles Dickens, who has written other highly appreciated novels like well known, The Christmas Carol, The Pickwick Papers and many more. One of the amazing things about Charles Dickens is that he always manages to incorporate many themes that can be invisible to some people, and obvious to others. Throughout this whole book it reeks with the theme of revenge and yet, the theme that I would really like to discuss is the passage which represents the importance of humility, not getting caught in unimportant things, and being willing to change.
“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before- more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle. If I had cried before, I should have had Joe with me then.” (Great Expectations, p. 153)
This passage is towards the end of Pip’s first expectations, where he is leaving his family. Throughout the first stage of his expectations, Pip has slowly become ashamed of his family, believing them to be too common for his Estella to love and would make her hate him. Then he gets his expectations, the chance to become a gentleman, and in a state of pride separates himself from his family and treats them coldly as he leaves. Joe, his brother-in-law who is more of a father, offers to take him to meet the coach, but Pip instead chose not to have him come, as he no longer needs him. Until he actually gets there, and realizes his heart really does belong with his family. Slowly, as the book unravels, Pip begins to realize how much happier he could have been if he had been kinder to those who loved him most, his family.
The “Rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts.” Using this imagery Pip describes that crying is alright, that showing emotion is sometimes the only thing that makes us feel better, and recognize reality. The blinding dust of reality is the things that get in our way, that block our image of the import things making us believe that they are the actual items of importance. The rain is our emotion, a true feeling, and by showing true feeling and emotion we settle that dust and put it back into its place on the ground where it can be trod on, then in the air where it becomes of matter of importance and where we can breathe it in.
When I read this passage I guess it makes me think of someone looking back on what they’ve gone through, and in a gentle way telling a person the subtle truths of life. Teaching them what they should not be afraid to be themselves, to be humble, and to not think that they can do everything on their own.
“More sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gently. If I had cried before, I should have had Joe with me then.” If Pip had only looked, cried before, realized, examined himself, wouldn’t he have recognized his pride, would he have realized Joe was someone who he truly loved? Who truly loved him? In the end Pip after many tries comes back to Joe, who had always been there for him, had always wanted him. However, he realized it how much later? After he had been through harrowing trials and had hurt himself. If he had been humble, he wouldn’t have had to “scrape his knees” to learn that truth and his life would have been so much happier.
“Heaven knows I should never be afraid of my tears.” I should never be afraid of changing, of being penitent. It may be painful then but it is more than worth it in the end. Be humble, recognize the need for a change and be willing to go through it.
No comments:
Post a Comment