Great Expectations Review: Plot, Subplot, & Theme

After prayer, Mr. Stone reviewed the basic parts of a story:

1. characters
2. plot
3. setting
4. point of view
5. theme

Parts of Setting
1. geographical location
2. historical period
3. time of day
4. weather
5. cultural milieu

Types of Conflict
1. human v. human
2. human v. self
3. human v. society
4. human v. nature
5. human v. God/gods
6. human v. fate
7. human v. machine
8. human v. the unknown

Parts of a Plot
1. exposition
2. narrative hook/initial complications
3. rising actions/complications
4. climax
5. falling action
6. resolution

Mr. Stone emphasized the difference between a topic in a story (a thematic topic)and the story's theme (insight into life).

The class used a list of subplots in Great Expectations from the Internet to facilitate a conversation about the various conflicts and thematic topics in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.

Pip's Conflicts in Great Expectations
(listed in no particular order)
Pip v. self-perceptions/expectations
Pip v. British social class expectations
Pip v. Orlick
Pip v. Drummle
Pip v. Joe
Pip v. Mrs. Joe
Pip v. Trabb's boy
Pip v. Magwitch
Pip v. the pale young gentleman/Herbert
Pip v. the Pockets
Pip v. Estella



Other Characters' Conflicts in Great Expectations
Mrs. Joe v. Joe
Mrs. Joe v. Pip
Mrs. Joe v. Orlick
Mrs. Joe v. Pumblechook
Miss Havisham v. society (specifically men)
Miss Havisham v. the Pockets
Miss Havisham v. Arthur
Herbert v. Mrs. Pocket
Herbert v. society
Magwitch v. Compeyson
Magwitch v. society
Molly v. Magwitch's other woman
Drummle v. his classmates
Drummle v. Estella
Wemmick v. Jaggers
Wopsle v. society
Wemmick v. society

Clearly, there are many more.


Thematic Topics in Great Expectations
wealth/financial gain
social status/class
love
marriage
hate
revenge
jealousy
bullying/abuse
use of others
eccentric individuals
friendship
expectations

Determining Theme
1. Identify the major conflicts in the story.
2. Consider what the results of the central conflicts say about life/one of the story's thematic topics.
3. Look at the story's title as an indicator of what is central to the story.
4. Identify the story's subplots.
5. Consider what the results of the subplots say about life/one of the story's thematic topics.
6. Identify how the characters grow and/or change.
7. Consider what the growth or change of characters says about life/one of the story's thematic topics.


Homework: Write a half a page (single-spaced if handwritten, double-spaced if typed) about one of the thematic topics of Great Expecations. Describe the subplots that go with this thematic topic. Describe the similarities and differences in the outcomes of these subplots. Describe what these stories/subplots reveal about life/write out a thematic statement (what this story says about the way life is regarding the specific thematic topic you have selected.).