Literature Analysis #2!

GENERAL
1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read, and explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is about an orphan named Pip who lives with his sister Mrs.Joe and her husband. The story begins with Pip at his parents' grave beginning to cry. He is interrupted an escaped convict who puts a knife to Pip's throat. He empties Pip's pockets and steals bread from him. (This is important to the story I promise!) So anyways, one day Pip is sent to play at the house of Miss Havisham. She is really weird and after reading this book I can definitely understand why Helena Bonham Carter is playing her in the movie that is being made. She always wears a wedding dress and keeps all of her clocks set at the same time. Pip meets a really pretty girl named Estella and he falls in love with her even though she is not very nice. He hopes to marry her. He starts working with his brother-in-law who is a blacksmith. One day he finds out that he has a secret benefactor and now he has a lot of money! He assumes that it is Miss Havisham and that she wants him to get married. BUT IT'S THE CONVICT!!!! So I'm going to end this plot summary because I've ruined the majority of the book for all of whoever reads this!  
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
I see the theme as redemption in a way? Just because the convict (Magwitch) looks for forgiveness from God and tries to redeem himself in the eyes of God by giving to others. Also Miss Havisham, she was very mean to Pip and led him to believe that she was his benefactor and then in her dying days she apologizes to him and fears that her wrongdoings will not be forgiven. Even Pip looks for this forgiveness and redemption. He is terrified of Magwitch at first because he is a convict but then later he gets to know him and is sorry about his judgment.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
The tone is sometimes dark and gothic and pretty depressing. When Miss Havisham sits in her wedding dress with all the clocks set at the same time. When Estella brutally teases Pip for crying and then laughs at him, but he falls in love with her anyways! Lastly, Pip longs to be a wealthy gentleman and be good and kind and educated and then he realizes he cannot read and longs to learn how to.
4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)
Great Expectations uses a lot of foreshadowing! I can't really include a page number because it is all throughout the book but I will provide one example. When Pip's sister is attacked and cannot speak, she kind of gives signals that make Pip assume who her attacker was. Her attack takes place on page 126 and her signals to Pip happen on 136. Dickens uses local color (real locations in a non-fiction setting.) He has used London in his stories because he grew up there. The setting is stated several times throughout the book. Estella and Pip are foils to each other because they are very different. Estella is very superficial and conceited and Pip just wants to be good. Dickens uses dramatic irony because Pip is speaking about the past so he knows the outcome and the reader does not. Situational irony is also used because the reader and Pip expected the benefactor to be Miss Havisham and it ends up being Magwitch. It is a paradox when Pip goes to Biddy about becoming a gentleman when Biddy is a commoner just like Pip. This takes place on page 140. This book also uses bildungsroman because it details Pip's life from a child to an adult.The relationship between Pip and Biddy is special because Biddy is a confidant for Pip. He confides in her his secret desires to become a real gentleman and marry Estella. Dialogue is used throughout the story as Pip recalls the events. Lastly, this story uses omniscient point of view because Pip is fully aware of what is going to happen and the reader is not. 
CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?
Direct characterization is used on Magwitch when he steals bread from Pip and is revealed to be a convict. Obviously one would assume he is not a cool guy. Indirect characterization is also used on him when he shows his true personality and his generosity by giving Pip money and repenting for his sins. Direct and indirect characterization are also used on Pip. Direct when he starts acting rude to Biddy and Joe. This shows that this is how he thinks a gentleman is supposed to act and that he has become on. Indirect when Pip is narrating the story and he is mature and finds his younger self to be quite funny. Also when he learns to read in order to become a gentleman and reveals to Biddy that he just wants to be good and a gentleman. My impressions of these two characters changed throughout reading the story. I hated Magwitch and then ended up really enjoying his character. I liked Pip a lot and then didn't like the way he was acting and then I ended up loving his character. 
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?
Yes. When Pip is having the discussion about the benefactor with the lawyer (Mr. Jaggers), the whole scene is very creepy and the room is described as dark and the office is described as twisted.
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.
Pip is dynamic! He changes very much throughout the book and finally evolves from a boy into the gentleman that he always wanted to be.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.
I felt like Pip is someone I would really like to meet. It is hard to me to say I feel like I've met him. Honestly, it is hard for me to imagine knowing someone so sweet. He is really innocent to me and I hope to meet someone like him someday. When Pip realizes that Magwitch is his benefactor and he admires him, he begins to realize that his "gentlemanly" behavior has hurt the people that he loves. That realization really made me love him because not a lot of people can see themselves clearly and admit that their behavior is wrong.