What Does The Original Ending Of Great Expectations Mean?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Estella has been widowed after an unhappy marriage in which her husband

“used her with great cruelty

.” In the final lines of the novel, Pip comments ambiguously that he “saw the shadow of no parting from her.” After decades of longing for her, it seems possible that Pip will finally get to be with Estella, especially …

Why is the original ending of Great Expectations better?

Although Dickens may have inadvertently been plagiarizing, the original ending is the way that Dickens felt the novel should end, as opposed to the way Bulwer-Lytton felt it should end. Another reason that the original is preferable is

because it seems to flow better with the overall themes of the novel

.

What happens in the original end of Great Expectations?

The Original Ending

In the first ending that Dickens wrote,

Estella remarries after the death of the brute Bentley Drummle, and Pip remains single

. In many ways, this ending supports the tone of the rest of the novel. If we could distill the events of Great Expectations into one general theme, it might be unhappiness.

Why are there two endings of great expectations?

The second ending is

an artistically indefensible and morally cheap about-face

; its purpose is to please a popular audience which expects a conventional happy ending (i.e., marriage). In the second ending, Pip gets more than he deserves. As a result, Dickens confuses the social and moral meanings of the novel.

Where do Pip and Estella meet in the original ending?

Revised ending

Dickens revised the ending for publication so that Pip meets Estella in

the ruins of Satis House

, she is a widow and he is single.

Who married PIP?

Pip starts as a clerk. Herbert marries his fiancee

Clara Pocket

, and Pip lives with them. There is irony in this, as Pip used his gift at age 21 of 500 pounds to engage Herbert with the new firm, despite the fact he was being dogged by creditors.

Did PIP marry Estella?

Varied resolutions of Estella’s relationship with Pip

Though Estella marries Drummle in the novel and several adaptations, she does not marry him in the best-known 1946 film adaptation.

In no version does she eventually marry Pip

, at least not within the timespan of the story.

Who married Estella?

And rather than marrying the kindhearted commoner Pip, Estella marries the

cruel nobleman Drummle

, who treats her harshly and makes her life miserable for many years.

What is the main message of great expectations?

The moral theme of Great Expectations is quite simple:

affection, loyalty, and conscience

are more important than social advancement, wealth, and class.

Why does Estella marry Drummle?

Expert Answers

Estella married Drummle

because she knew he was a terrible person and everyone would be perplexed and hurt that she married him

. She was more interested in hurting her suitors, because there were plenty of excellent men that wanted her. She married Drummle to spite them all.

Who does Joe marry in Great Expectations?

Despite Pip’s renewed affection, living in London makes Joe increasingly unhappy, and one morning Pip finds him gone. Before leaving, he does Pip one last good turn, paying off all of Pip’s debts. Pip rushes home to reconcile with Joe and decides to marry

Biddy

when he gets there.

What does Pip realize at the end of Great Expectations?

Pip realizes that on the outside, there is a “gay fiction”(274) that the rich are always enjoying themselves but finds out the “skeletal truth that we never did.”(274) As Pip matures, he realizes that he

has done absolutely nothing with his money

, so he shows his new understanding of the good uses of money with his …

What is the last line of great expectations?

Has to be the brilliant Great Expectations: “

I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and, as the morning mists had risen long ago when I first left the forge, so, the evening mists were rising now, and in all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed to me, I saw no shadow of another parting

Why did Miss Havisham’s fiance leave her?

Compeyson seduced Miss Havisham and fooled her into thinking that he loved her and would marry her. Before the marriage, he got her to agree to buy the brewery Arthur inherited from their father. When the day of the marriage came, Compeyson left her

a letter saying that he would not be present

.

How old is Pip at the end of Great Expectations?

This story begins when Pip is seven years old and ends (with the alternate ending) when he is

nearly 35

.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.