Received a few more of the books for this summer's reading in the mail today, and am trucking along delightedly, if a bit wearily, through the elaborate syntactical maze that is Great Expectations. I had known that Dickens wrote good stories, having read bits and pieces earlier in my education, but my previous ventures into the work of said author had failed to impress upon me the humor that I am delighting in now as I read about Pip and Miss Havisham and Estella.
See what I did there?
(Syntactical maze)
"If a dread of not being understood be hidden in the breasts of other young people to anything like the extent to which it used to be hidden in mine - which I consider probable, as I have no particular reason to suspect myself of having been a monstrosity - it is the key to many reservations."
"What could I become with these surroundings? How could my character fail to be influenced by them? Is it to be wondered at if my thoughts were dazed, as my eyes were, when I came out into the natural light from the misty yellow rooms?"
"It was pleasant and quiet, out there with the sails on the river passing beyond the earthwork, and sometimes, when the tide was low, looking as if they belonged to sunken ships that were still sailing on at the bottom of the water. Whenever I watched the vessels standing out to sea with their white sails spread, I somehow thought of Miss Havisham and Estella; and whenever the light struck aslant, afar off, upon a cloud or sail or green hill-side or water-line, it was just the same - Miss Havisham and Estella and the strange house and the strange life appeared to have something to do with everything that was picturesque."
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
photo courtesy of pinterest.com/dreeharper (Goldie Hawn)
IT is, indeed key to many reservations, some which we have recently discussed. Go Charlie!
ReplyDeletethe gal who recently planted lettuce