Δεν χρειάζεται κανένα σχόλιο ή "κριτική" από εμένα. Απλά Υ Π Ε Ρ Ο Χ Ο.

Διαβάστε το και αναζητήστε και το πρώτο τέλος που έδωσε ο συγγραφέας!

How? How? How did I get to the age of 40 without having read this novel? Better yet, in 1860, when the average person had not the wherewithal to take a bath, how did Dickens so profoundly understand the human condition? This novel is quite possibly the most tender tribute to friendship I have ever encountered in a single book. Great Expectations is incredibly modern and is filled with flawed and likable characters, realistic and break-your-heart friendships, mystery, romance, and redemption, redemption, redemption. Yes, the language is dated, get over it. This is a masterpiece and Pip, well, you've heard of Pip, he's always in the crossword puzzles. . . he's someone you should know.

Μ αρέσει η γεύση που σου αφήνουν κάποια βιβλία στο μυαλό.
Η μυρωδιά που πλυμμηρίζει την ψυχή και την αναστατώνει, αφήνοντας της για πάντα αναμνήσεις.
Η μελωδία που βλέπεις να παίζεται μπροστά στα μάτια σου και να σε παρασύρει σε τοπία και μέρη του κόσμου που ίσως να είναι φανταστικά, ξεχασμένα, αλλοτινής εποχής, ίσως όμως να είναι τα ίδια με αυτά που ζεις.

Μεγάλες προσδοκίες, είναι μοναδικές στιγμές που όλα τα «μακάρι» γίνονται «επιτέλους».
Πάντα θα λατρεύουμε τις μεγάλες προσδοκίες, μόνο αυτές αντιπροσωπεύουν όλες τις αμαρτίες που δεν είχαμε το θάρρος ή την ευκαιρία να κάνουμε.

Λάτρεψα αυτό το κλασικό μυθιστόρημα όπου τα πάντα παρασύρονται στο τέλος τους, όπως ακριβώς και στην ζωή μας.
Δεν καταγράφονται απλώς τα γεγονότα, δημιουργούνται και παράγονται απο το μυαλό του συγγραφέα κάτω απο συνθήκες που θεωρεί πως είναι φυσικές εξελίξεις της ανθρώπινης νόησης.
Διεισδύει στην πραγματικότητα και γράφει για όλα αυτά που είμαστε φτιαγμένοι για να ζήσουμε και τρομάζουμε όταν τα σκεφτόμαστε.
Μεγάλες προσδοκίες.....

Αυτό το βιβλίο είναι μια αξεπέραστη καλλιτεχνική δημιουργία που φανερώνει τη σαφέστερη αντίληψη και γνώση αυτού που ονομάζεται ζωή-κόσμος.
Έχει μια δύναμη παρατηρητικότητας βαθιά και λεπτομερέστατη που ορίζεται ως διαλογισμός, ως ένα έργο που ξεπερνά κάθε μορφή εξουσίας ή κοινωνικής αποσύνθεσης.
Οι μεγάλες προσδοκίες έχουν τις ρίζες τους στις κοινωνικές πραγματικότητες του συγγραφέα, μα στην ουσία η διαχρονική του ανεκτίμητη αξία είναι η παγκόσμια έκκληση ερωτημάτων που θέτει με ζητούμενο τις προσδοκίες της ανθρώπινης ψυχής.

Μέσα απο χαμένες προσδοκίες και τα κατεδαφισμένα όνειρα βρίσκεται πάντα μια άλλη χαμένη ελπίδα που ειναι ικανή να προκαλέσει επανάσταση επιθυμιών.

Συνειδησιακή πάλη, σκοτεινοί χαρακτήρες, βία, εγκληματικότητα, ποινές φυλάκισης, άνιση κοινωνική διαστρωμάτωση, ορισμός της ανθρώπινης οντότητας με βάση την μόρφωση, ορισμός εκτίμησης,τιμής και αξιοπρέπειας με βάση την καταγωγή και τον πλούτο.

Και ο έρωτας ; Ο έρωτας που δεν μαθαίνεται... γιατί απλά συμβαίνει είναι το βασικό συστατικό της ιστορίας μας. Είναι η ενοχή, η ψευδαίσθηση, το όνειρο, η περιφρόνηση, η συγχώρεση, η κατανόηση, η λύπηση, η τρυφερότητα, είναι η πραγματική ουσία της ζωής.

Η διορατικότητα στην ανθρώπινη φύση είναι η δύναμη του έρωτα, μια ανάγκη για αγάπη και πάθος, το θέμα, ο θύτης και το θύμα των μεγάλων προσδοκιών. Η αναζήτηση της ψυχικής μεγαλοπρέπειας και καλοσύνης μέσα στα σκοτάδια των επιφανειακών εντυπώσεων και της ψεύτικης κυριαρχίας.

Ο Ντίκενς μας περνάει με την ιδιοφυή πένα του απο τη μια κατάσταση στην άλλη για να αποδείξει πως το πέρασμα αυτό ικανοποιεί επιφανειακά και αναποτελεσματικά τις προσδοκίες μας.
Η άρνηση του πραγματικού εαυτού μας και η απεμπόληση των δεσμών με το παρελθόν μας προκαλούν ηθική φθορά με τεράστιο συνειδησιακό αντίτιμο απενοχοποίησης.

Η διαδρομή της καρδιάς προς το όνειρο των μεγάλων προσδοκιών οδηγεί σε αδιέξοδο αν χάσεις την ουσία της ζωής, προσπαθώντας να ξεφύγεις απο τη μοίρα.

Κι όταν μοιραία αποκαλύπτεται η αλήθεια ίσως είναι αργά για μεταστροφή. Εκτιμούμε βαθιά αυτά που χάσαμε. Κατανοούμε πως τα χάσαμε επειδή δεν τα εκτιμήσαμε.


❤️❤️❤️

Its a great human weakness to wish to be the same as our friends. If they are rich we wish to be rich. If they are poor then we don't mind being equally poor. We are not ashamed of being stupid, we are only ashamed of being more stupid than our friends. Its a matter of comparison. It is also a matter of expectation. We don't miss things that we never expected to have. We are not disappointed at being poor if we never expected to be rich.....

I've actually read this quintessentially Victorian novel twice. The first time was as required reading in junior high school, where I liked it from the get-go; the second time was as an adult, back in 1997. It remains one of my favorites (among the ones I've actually read) of the novels of Dickens, a writer whose work I was first introduced to as a grade school kid, and have long counted as a favorite author. Written serially in 1860-61, it's a mature Dickens work (his second-to-last completed novel). By the time of its composition, his unequaled mastery of characterization, dry humor, social consciousness, and ability to evoke powerful emotion and to conjure totally realistic scenes and situations even while writing in a thoroughly Romantic style, were already honed to their fullest perfection. But he also brought to this novel a focused moral message, which is more marked here than in some of his earlier works, such as David Copperfield, and the classic simplicity of a basically linear plot (albeit with some tightly controlled and dovetailed subplots). And in the person of Pip, he gives us here a protagonist who's dynamic --that is, who changes in significant ways besides aging and altered circumstances, unlike, for instance, the eponymous heroes of David Copperfield or Oliver Twist. For this reason, it has a stronger effect on the reader (or at least this reader) than either of those novels. (I rank it in the same class as my other favorite Dickens works, A Tale of Two Cities and A Christmas Carol.)

Although David Copperfield is usually considered Dicken's most autobiographical work, Michael Slater (who contributes the introduction to the 1992 Knopf edition I read) makes the case that this novel represents "a far more ruthlessly honest fictional use of his personal life." It's certainly the case that he was born in the same part of England as Pip, the marsh country around the southern coast, and evokes that setting here with a vividness born of personal familiarity. (The same goes for his ability to bring the teeming, sooty urban jungle of London to life.) Again in Slater's words, "The deep concerns of Dickens life that feature so prominently in the novel...[include]...concealment of a shameful prison secret about one's past [his father spent time in debtor's prison], love for an unobtainable woman [Ellen Ternan], English class snobbery and the debate about what constitutes a 'gentleman,' the life of the imagination, the father/son relationship, bad mothering, and the moral and psychological consequences of brooding on past wrongs and betrayals."

It's worth noting that this is the only Dickens novel, to my knowledge, for which he wrote two entirely different endings, the original more "realistic" one (written in advance of publication) and a more ambiguous one which he wrote on the suggestion of his friend Bulwer-Lytton, and used in the published version. Both editions I've read included both (the original ending being added as an appendix), and this seems to be a common practice. So the reader has a sort of "choose your own ending" option. :-) (Personally, I prefer the Bulwer-Lytton approach --as Dickens apparently did himself, considering his decision to publish it and not the original!) If readers have a settled dislike or mental block towards Victorian prose, they won't like this book; yes, it's wordy (though, contrary to what some people believe, Dickens was NOT paid by the word for his writing), and the diction can be elaborate. But if that isn't a deal-breaker, this offers a great tale of Gothic atmosphere, lethal danger, intrigue and secrets, a window into a fascinating and vanished time --and most of all, Dickens' deepest exploration of what really matters (and what doesn't matter) in human life, and what makes for human happiness. (And what doesn't.)

1.) Note: A more in-depth discussion of the novel, with some significant insights and interesting background information about, for instance, the real-life models for some of Dickens' characters and settings, can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... .

2.) Note: Of the many movie and TV adaptations of this novel, the one I personally recommend is the 1999 version starring Ioan Gruffudd as Pip (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167187/ ). That one adopts the published ending as its conclusion.

It has been a very long time since I last read this book but it was still every bit as good as I remembered. I was very interested too to find out which parts of it I still remembered well and which parts I had totally forgotten!

Great Expectations is certainly one of Dickens’ best books. He always wrote great characters, good stories and wonderful observations of everyday life. In this book he brings all that plus humour, danger and some spooky stuff too. Who could forget the scene where little Pip meets the convict for the first time? Or our very first meeting with Miss Haversham in her bridal gown.

There are so many great characters it is impossible to pick a favourite. Poor Pip is not very likeable for most of the story but comes good in the end. Wemmick and Herbert are excellent friends for him and Wemmick in particular has some of the best scenes with the castle and the Aged P. Even Estella discovers in the end that she does have a heart.

All very enjoyable and now I am inspired to reread some more Dickens - maybe David Copperfield next?

I see more in this book each time I read it. Class distinctions, friendships, character development, sin, repentance, forgiveness, redemption--all are explored and charted in this thirteenth novel of Dickens.

My favorite characters are Joe Gargery, the gentle and loving blacksmith; the faithful Herbert Pocket; and the helpful Mr. Wemmick and his Aged P.

I've been seeing a recurring theme in several of Dickens' novels--a degrading reliance on hopes of the future to the detriment of the duties and joys of the present. Whether they are waiting for something to turn up (Mr. Micawber), for the settling of a lawsuit (Richard Carstone), for a son to join the family business (Paul Dombey), for the dignities that come with freedom (William Dorrit), or for the unfolding of the plans of a benefactor (Pip), certain key characters are addicted to gambling just as surely as is Little Nell's grandfather.

This was my second time reading this book but my first time reading it in English.
The pace is extremely slow (and some times boring), but one principal reason why this is such a good book is that it contains such memorable and colorful cast of characters, likable or not.
Dickens had a genius for creating believable and human characters.
This book reveals important truths about life and about humanity.
Who did not have delusional expectations while growing up? Delusions about love, about money?
Although I thought that the storyline was more like a fairytale (some events I thought were a bit unrealistic), its slow development is superb.
I found the writing a lot easier than I expected, but I did not realize that Dickens repeated the same words in the same sentence (I guess it’s a way to give more emphasis to the sentence or dialogue, or perhaps that’s how people used to talk).
I was simultaneously listening to the audiobook narrated by Martin Jarvis, who I thought did a terrific job. It really added that extra joy and a different pace to the book (as I have said on other reviews, I’m still not able to enjoy an audiobook on its own. I’m experimenting. Thank goodness for the public library!).
Now I want to watch the movie or TV adaptation (I have a couple of versions sitting on my shelves of DVD collection).

PS. This book was not meant to be read at once. It was originally intended for weekly publication. Great Expectations was divided into nine monthly sections, with new pagination for each, and released between December 1860 and August 1861.
A good reason to take it slow.

Había escuchado cosas maravillosas sobre el autor y sobre todo sobre esta novela "Grandes esperanzas", pero por alguna razón, quitando su famosa novela corta "Canción de Navidad", nunca me animaba a leer nada del autor hasta ahora. Una vez terminada esta obra y teniendo tan dentro de mí tanto su historia como sus personajes solo me queda agradecer el maravilloso momento en el que decidí embarcarme en este viaje.

En el libro se narran las aventuras y desventuras de Pip, un niño huérfano al que el destino pone en bandeja una gran oportunidad de salir del mundo sórdido y pobre en el que se encuentra, de tener "grandes esperanzas" y buscarse un futuro como caballero en Londres por medio de un peculiar benefactor anónimo. Un libro absorbente como pocos, con descripciones y personajes soberbios y una peculiar historia de amor.

En definitiva, se trata de una obra evocadora, bellamente escrita, además de atemporal. Cubre casi todas las emociones conocidas, venganza, envidia, desesperación, júbilo, amor, odio. Me habían dicho que con cualquier novela de Dickens la lectura no es una empresa pequeña, pero que vale la pena el esfuerzo. Y vaya si lo vale, tanto que hace que "Grandes esperanzas" sea una de mis novelas favoritas de todos los tiempos.

A classic for certain, and only my second Dickens to date. The most surprising thing I found? Dicken's amazing humor! This is especially true in the first third, or so, in the story of Pip. But it may be the themes of this book that I remember most, and the growth of Pip. What does it take to make one happy? Is it wealth, or is it love and friendship? Those are the few things I thought about most often here.

Yeah, the writing is vintage. But, I found it mostly relatable, even a nice change of pace for me (all truth be told – some parts were confounding. I back-tracked often, sometimes I simply moved on). At story's end I was left these feelings: A little bit of joy, a little bit of heart-break, quite a bit of contentedness. Glad I finally read this one.

My thoughts while reading this book...
n  n

A rags to riches story - for more than one character. Like Dickens’ other novels, it was originally published in chapters in periodicals, so it’s broken up into manageable chunks, with most chapters ending at a turning point, so you want to read on.

Pip is an orphan being raised by his strict sister and henpecked husband Joe, a blacksmith. A wealthy woman (who was left standing at the altar and has lived in her bridal gown ever since) invites him to play with her ward, Estella, each week. She is a little older than Pip, and mocks him and toys with his affections.

**** SPOILERS FOLLOW ****

When a few years later, Pip receives an unexpected inheritance, he goes to London to become a gentleman, and hopes his new found position will enable him to woo Estella. However, he becomes arrogant and feckless and is embarrassed by Joe – who is the kindest character in the novel.

It transpires the inheritance was actually from a convict Pip gave food to when he was a child, and who was transported to Australia where he eventually became a respectable wealthy man. Pip struggles to accept this unsavoury fact, though in the end he risks much to help his benefactor one last time.

It’s a good yarn, but part of the interest is that whilst Pip is ostensibly the hero, he’s not a very likeable character, which gives it an interesting edge.