Photo Post

This picture represents Pip  becoming an easy victim of society and wanting to be seen as something greater. Relating back to the novel, the car can be seen as the vulnerable Pip looking into the face of something much more than how he sees himself. With that being said, the picture overall relates to the theme of Pip becoming a gentleman.

Connections

In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens conveys the message of living a simple life to the reader. He shows through the passionate character, Pip that life can be seen more beautifully through a simple life. Once come power, fortune, and class, it is never easy to put it away. Dickens portrays through Pip that though he plans on becoming a gentlemen, life is better lived sweet and simple.

Pip starts off seen as an innocent and young boy doing what he is told. He knows who he wants to be like, and that is his brother-in-law, Joe. But when Pip gets a taste of much more after meeting the beautiful Estella, he looks much further than Joe. Pip's dream is now to become a gentleman.

Little Miss Sunshine nearly mirrors Great Expectations with its similar characters and matching plot. It begins with a young girl, named Olive Hoover, full of hope and innocence; just as Pip is seen. Olive is looked upon by her dad as someone that needs to be something in life; however coming from the small town they live in, that dream is far ahead of her. Olive's grandpa, Edwin Hoover, her relates to Joe in Great Expectations because he thinks no less of Olive and her dreams of becoming a beauty queen. After receiving an exciting phone call about a pageant, Olive's journey begins.

Just like Pip, Olive cares about how people see her, and though her family knows Olive does not look nor act like the other girls, they do not stop her in becoming a beauty queen. With all the obstacles that get in their way of reaching the pageant, the Hoover family sways between falling apart and coming back together day by day on their journey. In the end, once they realize the need to support Olive, the family unites to turn away the ridicule from the crowd, and finally willing come together.

Both Olive and Pip both strive to be the ideal person, but in doing so they both come to better know themselves and better understand who they are as a person. I predict that Pip will realize, just as Olive did, that he is seen as a better person in his own thick black boots (and red cowgirl boots in Olive's case.)

Second Stage

Pip's character begins to change for he is in hope of pursuing his role of becoming a gentlemen. Along with a changing attitude, Pip's expectations are greater, for he is sent to London. With high hopes, Pip is disappointed; for he says, "While I was scared by the immensity of London, I think I might have had some faint doubts whether it was not rather ugly, crooked, narrow, and dirty. His goal of becoming a gentlemen seems much further away now that he is in London. Dickens uses words like crooked, ugly, and narrow to show that the upper class is not as charismatic as it may seem.

Pip is no longer seen as the once innocent and naive young boy. Though Pip has seem to have lost his innocents in the second stage, Pip allows his determination in for being upper class to cause him to become just as naive as child. Pip's lost character would have been awed by the crooked and narrow streets of London; yet he sees it as nothing but a disappointment. Dickens spreads the motif of "becoming a gentleman" all throughout the book; showing to the reader that it can cause much harm then good on the ones that truly care about you. 

Pip's Quote

Pip's attitude has changed for being an apprentice to Joe; he now realizes that he can take bigger steps than Joe and he no longer desires to be a blacksmith. Pip begins to build his chain that will help him discover his true character. His new character is revealed when he says, "I am afraid I was ashamed of the dear fellow-I know I was ashamed of him...." Pip no longer looks to Joe as a remodel, but rather sees him as a motivation to go further in life. 

The most defining moment was when I realized that I could be seen as an independent person. I not longer defined myself by how I was seen by others, but how I how I was able to see myself. The links began to fit together once I was able to set and stick to my goals; not letting anyone or anything get in the way. Just as Pip doesn't let the negative thoughts of others influence his pursuing of goals; I have and will do the same. My chain wont break.