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1、GreatExpectationsThiswasDickens'second-to-lastcompletenovel.Itwasfirstpublishedasaweeklyseriesin1860andinbookformin1861.Earlycriticshadmixedreviews,dislikingDickens'tendencytoexaggeratebothplotandcharacters,butreadersweresoenthusiasticthatthe1861editio
2、nrequiredfiveprintings.SimilartoDickens'memoriesofhisownchildhood,inhisearlyyearstheyoungPipseemspowerlesstostandagainstinjusticeortoeverrealizehisdreamsforabetterlife.However,ashegrowsintoausefulworkerandthenaneducatedyoungmanhereachesanimportantreali
3、zation:grandschemesanddreamsareneverwhattheyfirstseemtobe.Piphimselfisnotalwayshonest,andcarefulreaderscancatchhiminseveralobviouscontradictionsbetweenhistruthandfantasies.Victorian-eraaudiencesweremorelikelytohaveappreciatedthemelodramaticscenesandthe
4、revised,morehopefulending.However,moderncriticshavelittlebutpraiseforDickens'brilliantdevelopmentoftimelessthemes:fearandfun,lonelinessandluck,classismandsocialjustice,humiliationandhonor.SomestillpuzzleoverDickens'revisionthatendsthenovelwithsuddenopt
5、imism,andtheysuggestthatthesalesofDickens'magazineAlltheYearRound,inwhichtheseriesfirstappeared,wasassuredbygluingonahappyendingthathintsPipandEstellawilluniteatlast.SomecriticspointoutthattheoriginalendingisbetterbecauseitismorerealisticsincePipmustea
6、rntheself-knowledgethatcanonlycomefromgivinguphisobsessionwithEstella.However,VictorianaudienceseagerlyfollowedthestoryofPip,episodebyepisode,assumingthattheprotagonist'sloveandpatiencewouldwinoutintheend.Moderneditionscontainbothdenouementsforthereade
7、rtochooseapreference.PlotSummaryTheFirstStageofPip'sExpectationsCharlesDickens'GreatExpectationsopensasseven-year-oldPhilipPirrip,knownas"Pip,"visitsthegravesofhisparentsdowninthemarshesnearhishomeonChristmasEve.Hereheencountersathreateningescapedconvi
8、ct,whofrightensPipandmakeshimpromisetostealfoodandafileforhim.Pipstealssomefoodfromhisbrother-in-law,theblacksmithJoeGargery,andhiscruelsister"Mrs.Joe,"withwhomhelives,andtakesittotheconvictthenextday.Theconvictissooncaughtandreturnedto