Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

Plot Summary:
The novel follows the character of Pip through his journey from his childhood in a working class background to his adulthood in an upper class environment upon the realisation of his "Great Expectations". Pip meets the escaped convict Magwitch on the dark Kent marshes and aids him with food and a file to release him from his chains. This action changes the course of Pip's life forever, however he is unaware of this until Magwitch reappears many years later. From the moment Pip met Estella at Miss Havisham's, he felt a desire to better himself, taking her unkindness and dismissal of him as common to heart and beginning to resent his humble upbringing, "There had been a beautiful young lady at Miss Havisham's who was dreadfully proud, and that she had said I was common, and that I knew I was common" and  "How common Estella would consider Joe, a mere blacksmith". This catalyses a change in Pip's character as he becomes ovelry familiar with the upper classes and upon his great expectations lives friviously and with thought only for material possessions, ""I wonder he didn't marry her and get all the property," said I." Pip's friendship with Herbert Pocket is a true one and yet their ideas about money are greatly different, whilst Herbert is repeatedly working to find "Capital", Pip undermines this by secretly paying people to employ him. It is not until Magwitch returns, revealing himself as Pip's benefactor that his attitude changes and he begins to realise the mistreatment he showed to the figures of his past.

Pip (Phillip Pirrip):
Great Expectations may be described as a buildungsroman as it follows the protagonist Pip's life and shows eventual maturity. Along this journey Pip witnesses and experiences many different types of love; his obsessive and painstaking love of Estella lasts a lifetime and causes Pip to question his own identity and seek another more fitting. His friendship with Herbert Pocket represents a platonic love within the novel, evident by Pip's desire to see him succeed and his inability to let Herbert leave England independently. "Herbert received me with open arms, and I had never felt before, so blessedly, what it is to have a friend ". As his fortune turns upon the death of Magwitch and his "portable property" lost he begins to realise the ingratitude he showed to both Joe and Biddy whilst lost within his own self-importance.

Miss Havisham:
Miss Havisham is amongst the most haunting of characters within Great Expectations, she personifies the pain caused by a broken heart presented by the literal decay of herself and her home, frozen in time via the clocks, "It was then I began to understand that everything in the room had stopped, like the lock and the watch". Jilted on her wedding day by the elusive Compeyson she vowed never to see daylight again and to cause pain onto men as pain was caused to her. Her story is unravelled throughout the novel and Pip begins to understand why she is the way she is and why she has brought Estella up to break hearts, "Let me see you play cards with this boy", seeing it as personal revenge.

Estella:
Estella may be described as a pawn in a vengeful game played by Miss Havisham, releasing her revenge on the rest of mankind. Brought up to be proud and cruel from their first meeting Estella succeeded in making Pip feel inferior. However, ironically, Pip discovers that she is the daughter of Magwitch but who was lost as Jaggers took in her mother after she committed murder. Estella therefore comes from the dregs of society and yet, although Magwitch had commited much crime and sin throughout his life his only desire was to make a gentleman out of Pip - something he could not achieve for himself. On the other scale Miss Havisham, wealthy and of a high class adopted Estella not out of love but in order to mould her into a weapon. Again, whilst marrying the hideous Drummle over Pip she gain suffered at the hands of wealth until the final chapter where both Pip and Estella return to Miss Havisham's house's remains.“Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching. . . . I have been bent and broken, but—I hope—into a better shape.” These are the first words Estella speaks wholly independently from influence and with any positivity in meaning.

Joe:
Joe from the beginning has showed a humble and yet powerful love for Pip almost in consolation for the resentment his wife, Pip's sister, showed in raising him "by hand". 'And bring the poor little child. God bless the poor little child,' I said to your sister, 'there's room for him at the forge!'"". This protectiveness never ceases and his own beliefs never shaken as he seeks not money or betterring himself but rather a happy life with a steady income, ""But if you think as Money can make compensation to me for the loss of the little child – what come to the forge – and ever the best of friends! –". This quotations is spoken to Mr Jaggers whom, upon dealing with a corrupt society daily, has lost any belief in relationships that look beyond money or gain but rather focus on love. Whilst Jaggers may arguably present the selfishness and greed of society at this period, Joe defies this assumption.

Magwitch:Magwitch has lived his whole life in corruption and, though he remained in the constant eye of the judge up until his death, his meeting with Pip and the resultant sacrifice of all his wealth in order to make a gentleman of the boy who helped him, ensures that Magwitch died achieving something positive. This most mysterious of benefactors may be described in parallel with Miss Havisham and yet completely opposite at the same time - both sought to take responsibility for a child and yet whilst the upper class society belonging to Havisham sought to form a vengeful, cruel and cold woman that may not be broken by man, Magwitch sought to create a true gentleman, ""As I giv' you to understand just now, I'm famous for it. It was the money left me, and the gains of the first few year wot I sent home to Mr. Jaggers – all for you – when he first come arter you, agreeable to my letter." Indeed Magwitch may also be using Pip as a replacement for his paternal instincts as he would have been of similar age to Estella, the child he lost "Look'ee here, Pip. I'm your second father. You're my son – more to me nor any son. I've put away money, only for you to spend." This is particulalry poignant as they met at the grave of Pip's own father.

Quotations:
"I wished Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so too."
"Whatever I acquired, I tried to impart to Joe. This statement sounds so well, that I cannot in my conscience let it pass unexplained. I wanted to make Joe less ignorant and common, that he might be worthier of my society and less open to Estella's reproach."

- Shows Pips desire to enter into the upper classes and also the influence Joe had on him as he feels he has been mirrored upon him.
"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"
"She reserved it for me to restore the desolate house, admit the sunshine into the dark rooms, set the clocks a going and the cold hearths a blazing, tear down the cobwebs, destroy the vermin – in short, do all the shining deeds of the young Knight of romance, and marry the Princess."
""It would have been cruel in Miss Havisham, horribly cruel, to practise on the susceptibility of a poor boy, and to torture me through all these years with a vain hope and an idle pursuit, if she had reflected on the gravity of what she did. But I think she did not. I think that in the endurance of her own trial, she forgot mine, Estella."

- Speaks about dreams, futures, plans and hopes.

"The unqualified truth is, that when I loved Estella with the love of a man, I loved her simply because I found her irresistible." - Arguably Pip is only in LUST with Estella rather than LOVE? In love with the idea?
"Before I could answer (if I could have answered so difficult a question at all), she repeated, "Love her, love her, love her! If she favours you, love her. If she wounds you, love her. If she tears your heart to pieces – and as it gets older and stronger, it will tear deeper – love her, love her, love her!" - Shows the revenge Havisham wishes to do unto those who love Estella.

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

Plot Summary:
"The Picture of Dorian Grey" uses the character of Mr Grey to optimise how sin and evil may influence and destroy a man's soul. There is a definite 'Faustian' theme with the wish of Dorian to preserve his external beauty and youthfulness, instead using the painting created by Basil as an outlet for his sins. As he becomes obsessed with the aesthetic throughout his life the picture decays and pays the price for his own misdealings. As a result of this obsession love also is cast away, with lust being used as a replacement; for example he believes himself in love with Sybil Vane and yet when she reveals her true self on stage, removing the mask formed from her acting, Dorian rejects her and causes her suicide. The purest love within the novel is the love Basil has for Dorian. He portrays this love through the painting he creates of Dorian, "I have put too much of myself in it" and "Shown in it the secret of my own soul". The preface written by Oscar Wilde for this novel highlights the key messages that the reader should consider; "All art is at one surface and symbol...those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril".

Dorian Grey:
Described initially as an "Adonis", a beautiful and youthful creature untouched by the corruption of society. However, once introduced to Lord Henry such beauty, encapsulated by Basil, becomes realised and Dorian sees only the external. Afraid of decaying from age and sin he exclaims that he wishes to expel all corruption from his life onto Basil's creation. This creation, as created from love, has captured the very soul of Dorian and thus when he eventually attempts to destroy it, he destroys his soul and dies while the picture returns to its original perfection. Towards the end of the novel Dorian attempts reformation as he realises what he has become, however this is out of vanity and so the picture remains corrupt.

Lord Henry:
Henry is the epitomy of a "bad influence". His opinions of life are promiscuous and leave little room for tender feeling and appreciation of inner beauty and true love, "His principles were out of date, but there was a good deal to be said for his prejudices." He preys on Dorian feeding him books and stories that entice him into corruption. One could easily compare him to the devil whilst Basil remains a good and yet unheard influence upon Dorian. He teaches Dorian of his own beauty and youthfulness and catalyses a life-long fear that this will decay.

Basil:
Oscar Wilde stated that "The artist is the creator of beautiful things" and thus why Dorian blames him for creating a taunting preservation of his own beauty that will remain untouched whilst he ages. This fear planted by Lord Henry thus grows to the point at which Dorian murders Basil, in anger and realisation of what his soul has now become. Basil's obsession with Dorian runs much deeper than his aesthetic, "He is necessary to me" and thus is the only presentation of true love within the story. It seems particularly poignant therefore that Dorian murders the only person who truly loved him. His fear of revealing the painting comes from his fear of revealing himself within it "My heart shall never be put under the microscope" as not only would homosexuality be illegal at this point but also the issue of unrequited love would undoubtedly arise.

Quotations:
"I had a strange feeling that fate had in store for me exquisite joys and sorrows" (Basil about Dorian)
"My heart shall never be put under the microscope"
"Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man's face, it cannot be concealed"
"If it was only the other way! If it was I who were to be always young, and the picture that were to grow old! For this--for this--I would give everything!" (Dorian's deal to the devil so to speak)
"Here is the first passionate love-letter I have ever written in my life. Strange, that my first passionate love-letter should have been addressed to a dead girl." (Dorian about Sybil Vane)
"People who love only once in their lives are ... shallow people. What they call their loyalty, and their fidelity, I call either the lethargy of custom or their lack of imagination." (Lord Henry's views on love)

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Plot Summary:Based in early 20th century Massachusetts, USA. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are four sisters that, upon the departure of their father to the WW1 war effort, are left to embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth with their mother - Mrs March as guide. Indeed they epitomise this journey via their childhood game "Pilgrim's Progress" that maps out the hardships and challenges they must face. Each sister wishes to better herself according to the moral teachings of their mother and the more religious teachings of their father whom is a priest, the presence of the love of God is therefore abundant;

Meg - is the beauty of the family and she wished to rid herself of her vanity and become accustomed to work in order to provide a wholesome family home. Indeed she was obsessed with the maintenance of her hands, white and unblemished - a sign of wealth and sophistication, but sacrifices this for the good of the family. Mr March states "I remember a time when this hand was white and smooth...but is is prettier to me now- in these blemishes i read a little history". She experiences romantic love at the hands of Mr. Brooke and her story showcases the obstacles that marriage and motherhood offers. Her children Daisy & Demi personify the result of a loving and compassionate life and thus are particurlarly significant in showing the value of love as opposed to wealth.
Main Love = Romantic & Motherly

Jo- "I can't get over my disappointment in not being a boy", is the most masculine sister with a love of literature whom seeks a life away from love and into one whereby she can support her family, taking a particularly defensive role over the more timid Beth. Indeed in pursuit of this desire to wholly support the family she shaves off her hair and writes stories that undermine her natural ability and morals. So afraid of change she vows to stay by her mother and even declares she would prefer to remain a spinster. Her only flaw is a violent temper which she attempts to defy throughout. After the death of Beth however she becomes lonely and falls for Professor Bhear, an intellectual man who although not rich nor attractive provides Jo with the life she now desires, as mother. Her obvious comfort with the male sex leads to the creation of a school for young men- where she utilies her maternial instinct, formed by the bond with Lurie, to aid others in their journey to be educated and well mannered men.
Main Love = Familial, Romantic & Selfless

Beth- The shy and timid Beth delights in music and the comfort of her family, rarely venturing out or communicating with others. Her mother states that she can see no flaw in Beth whom is loyal, passive and says not a bad word of anyone. Indeed this natural kindness leads to Beth's downfall as after aiding the impoverished Hummel family she falls ill with Scarlet Fever and never recovers - growing more pale and transparent by the day until eventually her already weak body departs.
Main Love = Familial

Amy- The most ambitious of the sisters she, and also Meg, is the most aware of her family's poverty and wishes to better herself because of it in order to gain a life of wealth and culture. The most graceful and articulate she has a way of charming others and as she grows she moves away from her old childish snobbery and patronage into a lady that can hold her own in different social classes. Her journey to France adds the polish to her femininity and draws Lurie out from his heartache over Jo. Seeing that the two are far more suited and less attached in familial love they marry, ensuring Amy fulfills her desire of wealth- however not at the cost of true love. Motherhood also changes Amy's character as her daughter Beth follows in her aunts footsteps - frail and weak, the fear of losing her making Amy more tender and selfless.
Main Love = Familial, Motherly, Romantic, Jealousy

OTHER SHOWS OF LOVE:

Unrequited - While the sisters are the main focus one cannot ignore the character of Lurie and his importance within the novel. Indeed he acts as the brother of the family and is present within all of the main events in the novel. As the masculine sister, Jo immediately forms a deep connection with Lurie - their similarities proving the cement. However, over time Lurie wishes to progress the relationship further and is shot down by stubborn and determined Jo who remains to see him as only a brother. This is the first instance of UNREQUITED LOVE.

Conclusion: Little Women is therefore a great example of Victorian literature as it showcases the typical features; social and personal identity. Indeed the entire book is about the struggles the girls show in their personal growth and also the impact the contrast between upper class society and poverty had on such growth. By showing each character's experiences seperately as well as intertwined we get a great deal of depth in each character's psychology. Alcott provides an omniscient narrator whom seems aware of each character's thoughts and feelings. In some cases she also directly speaks to the reader, suggesting the book could be interpreted as an oral story or a lesson in morality and the importance of love over wealth.

Quotations:
" I’ll try and be what he loves to call me, “a little woman,” and not be rough and wild; but do my duty here instead of wanting to be somewhere else."

- Jo shows what the stereotypical role of women was in these times, a basically domestic position. She also portrays an element of selfless love as she wishes to please her father by going against her ambitions of adventure, hiding her personal struggles for the benefit of her family.

"Mercy me! I don't know anything about love and such nonsense!" cried Jo, with a funny mixture of interest and contempt. "In novels, the girls show it by starting and blushing, fainting away, growing thin, and acting like fools."

- Jo describes how uncertain she is about love whilst also highlighting the typically presented nature of falling in love i.e. blushing and giggling.

"He was perfectly open and honorable about Meg, for he told us he loved her, but would earn a comfortable home before he asked her to marry him. He only wanted our leave to love her and work for her, and the right to make her love him if he could"

- Referring to Mr Brooke, shows how marriage was based on financial security and that it was the man's job to provide and persuade his lover into marriage. The term honourable is synonymous with the nobility found in courtly love.

"My dear girls, I am ambitious for you, but not to have you make a dash in the world - marry rich men merely because they are rich, or have splendid houses, which are not homes because love is wanting. Money is a needful and precious thing - and, when well used, a noble thing - but I never want you to think it is the first or only prize to strive for. I'd rather see you poor man's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, then queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace."

-Marmee tries to instruct her girls to rebel against the typical "wise" marriage whereby financial security surpasses love. She is an example of how one can be happy as well as poor as long as love is abundant.