Great Expectations

As the whole world watched the BBC take on the challenge of producing an adaptation of one of Charles Dickens' most beloved works, it got me thinking about the New Year and what it holds for me. Just now, I've finished watching the three-part drama with my parents and my brother and it got me thinking about (here we go...) life. Yeah, yeah, I know. It all sounds a bit soppy when you read it like that, but can you blame me? I blame it on the Dickensian effect. He just gets under your skin, your psychology, as does every other genius writer, and what else are you supposed to think of when you watch (or read, though I have to admit, I've never actually finished the book) something like Great Expectations? 

Before I ramble on about how enlightening and epiphanic GE was, I would like to comment on the actual adaptation itself. Now, given the circumstance- that I haven't finished the book yet and that I've only seen half of the 1946 film adaptation- this makes things a bit tricky. I'm not going to comment on accuracy in terms of the literature because I'm not in a position to do so, so instead I'll just look at it objectively as a piece of BBC filmography because technically, and I mean down to the wire, I had no idea what it was about. I'll start with a kind of synopsis, if you will. Do pardon the hurriedness and abrupt writing, as I swear to you, I am not about to channel the scriptwriters of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

In the beginning, we encounter the character of Pip who stumbles upon Magwitch (Ray Winstone), who appears to be an escapee from prison. He threatens the life out of little Pip while asking for a file to get rid of his shackles. Pip does so, and steals a slice of pie for the convict, out of pure childish innocence and kindness. He then returns to Magwitch who is touched and moved by the child's stint as a felon (stealing pie from under her sister's nose) and thanks Pip for his services. Then stuff happens. The next thing you know, Pip is being driven to Satis House as per request of a Miss Havisham, who turns out to be this witchy looking, crazed woman who was still hung up on being a jilted bride. And what a beautiful wedding it would have been! Now what remained was a mouldy and cob-webbed laden reception hall and a lot of taxidermy owls and butterflies that reminded me of the Silence of The Lambs. Pip meets the lady of the house who glows with what looks like an innate lunar brightness. She'd gone after the Touche Èclat again and my god does she look a right mess. Dreckitude indeed. In any case, Pip finds this all very amusing, alongside meeting a physically and emotionally abusive monster of a girl in Estella. 

From this moment on, Pip's life changes dramatically. The following turn of events turn him from this shy, unassuming blacksmith apprentice to the adult Pip (Douglas Booth); foppish, a little easy on the eye and also a little annoying. Stuff happens (This is not a case of literary lethargy, though I don't see why the holiday induced one couldn't impose a similar problem...I just don't want to spoil the whole plot!) which leads Pip to be sponsored and is eventually propelled into High Society a la Eliza Dolittle- only he doesn't wail as much while being tailored into becoming an acceptable member of the human race. His accent does change midway, from some sort of West Country/generic peasant to one that was a little more posh. 

The whole story is a cautionary tale, a parable of the unfortunate outcome of having too great an expectation and the disappointment that it entails. Havisham expected Estella (Vanessa Kirby) to be Havisham 2.0- completely devoid of human emotion and was designed to be a Victorian maneating cyborg, who ironically fails to live up to this expectation even as she insisted that she was the perfect article. Pip expected too much of his benefactor and the life he was aiming for in becoming a gentleman for Estella. Jatter (the lawyer who is revealed to have been the mastermind after all) expected his actions to yield results that would satisfy everyone's problems, and finally, Magwitch expected redemption and love from somebody who he didn't care to trust (or at least, not enough to ease him into the revelation of the mysterious relationship between himself and Pip). 

Overall, I'd say that as effectively as the BBC delivered Dicken's message beautifully, they also served a fantastic adaptation with a superb cast who delivered through and through. Winstone and Anderson are obvious standouts with their accomplished performances. Anderson especially with her debate rousing, re-imagination of the decaying Miss Havisham. As a supposedly aged, witchy-looking and grotesque lady of the manor, Gillian wasn't all that ugly. In fact, she still retains her beauty despite the make-up. What was striking however was the complete control in her craft, as she quietly, and as cold and haunted Satis house was, internalised the pain of being jilted and conned out of a marriage and hanging on to that grudge for the rest of her life. Cougar-ish she may have been, but I'd rather that teamed with her brilliant performance than an overcooked, panto dame in her behalf. And, not to be an advocate for suicide and arson or anything like that, but was I the only one who found her suicide scene in the end both haunting and beautiful? If I could paint, that would have been my first piece. Ideally. 

So what was the epiphany? Yes the series made me think, and though it is a rare occurrence, I was happy that it did. Great Expectations made me think-  is it really all that bad to have great expectations in life? Be it as it may, I have already undermined my future by not thinking outside the box and aiming higher, but just when I'm about to go for it and expect more, you see something like this- something Dickensian and depressing, and then I'm back to re-evaluating again. I'm not saying I'm going to expect perfection out of 2012. After all in our current economic climate and my already dwindling social life (thanks to my final year), I can't really expect much, but to what extent is it okay to aim high and expect ideal results? As for my body of academic work, I'm not a genius or a an exemplary student, so instead of aiming unrealistically for a double first, I am expecting a good result in turn for all the work (however hard it was is completely subjective) I've put in. Out of life? It's tricky. I have yet to put myself out there so I can't expect things to fall into place as easy as saying 'ta-dah!' right after graduation. There are another thousand students behind me thinking and feeling the same sentiment so again, it'll be down to hard work as to how things are going to play out. Out of love? Nobody really wishes for an outcome like that of Miss Havisham's but taking aside the arson, the jilting and the suicide- what should I expect? I'm not the dating type, or at least I'm not really THAT proactive when it comes to dating. Maybe that's why I shouldn't expect so much because I don't really take things further. Honestly, I really don't mind not having a boyfriend, but seeing couples and realising I don't have a 'person' just eats away into my psyche and it feeds into an emotional blackhole that can suck me in, anytime. 

As my first post of the year, I wish to conclude on a somewhat light and optimistic note (not completely like me, but it's time for a change!). Having great expectations often lead to disappointment, especially when they are completely unrealistic and entirely misplaced. Instead of making resolutions and creating false hopes, I and going to stop and just be. If I don't I will end up curled up in my bed, typing hotly out of distress and perhaps 20 lbs. heavier. Tying in with Dickens' conclusion, it is always better to re-evaluate and really think about the important things in life instead of making assumptions. Pip went back to the Forge, humbled and resolved, as was Estella who has finally broken out of the shell she helped Havisham to create. Jatter realised all he did had unfortunate repercussions and Havisham found absolution in the admittance that she was wrong all along and that ultimately everything she worked for blew up on her face. It was Jo who all the while remained true and unassuming, and he welcomed Pip back with open arms. I certainly hope my 2012 won't be as macabre and disheartening (?) as Great Expectations, but what I do hope and will work for, is a better year and a better me with an adamant sense that I will only get as much as I give. No great expectations, just a glass that is half full. 

Hope you all have a great year!

Lots of love,