Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Vanity: Anyone Interested in a Freeper Book Club for "Great Expectations" via the Weekly Harper's Weekly Posting from Freeper Mr. Homer Simpson?
Free Republic ^ | November 25, 2020 | Me

Posted on 11/25/2020 9:17:19 AM PST by C19fan

I thought I would give this a shot. As perhaps some Freepers with historical interest notice a certain Mr. Homer Simpson posts scanned copies of Harper's Weekly magazine form 150 years ago as the United States was headed to Civil War. Staring this week Harper's Weekly will be publishing as a serial Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations". Some would argue "Great Expectations" is Mr. Dickens' greatest work and it is my Dickens; novel. I have seen various movie and TV adaptations. Some of my favorites are the David Lean 1946 version with a young Jean Simmons as young Estella, the gritty BBC miniseries with Ioan Gruffudd, and the 2012 movie with Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham, I tried to watch the Ethan Hawke version set in modern days but I proverbially threw a brick at the TV when Estella decided to sleep with Pip called Finn in this movie. That one moment destroyed the whole point of the Pip-Estella story line. I wold imagine perhaps people reading this was a type of escape from all the political turmoil engulfing the United States. I thought it would be nice for interested Freepers to start a "Great Expectations" book club via the weekly Hapers Weekly post. I think it would be quite fun as one can post video clips and like form their favorite adaptations. Happy Thanksgiving to Freeper nation.


TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: books; dickens; fiction; greatexpectations; literature; victorian
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

1 posted on 11/25/2020 9:17:19 AM PST by C19fan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: C19fan

I’ve read it.

It wasn’t that great...............as expected.............


2 posted on 11/25/2020 9:18:05 AM PST by Red Badger (Democrats cheat. ... It's what they do. ... GUARANTEED! ... Even if it's not necessary!....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger; C19fan; Gamecock; SaveFerris; PROCON

Only if I can rent it on video.


3 posted on 11/25/2020 9:19:30 AM PST by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Nyuck Nyuck.

Jolly Joker.


4 posted on 11/25/2020 9:20:35 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

I’ve noticed growth of conservative book clubs in general from Dennis Prager’s group to Unsafe Space.


5 posted on 11/25/2020 9:22:02 AM PST by tbw2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ifinnegan

I’m actually a Dickens fan, have several of his books...................


6 posted on 11/25/2020 9:24:12 AM PST by Red Badger (Democrats cheat. ... It's what they do. ... GUARANTEED! ... Even if it's not necessary!....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Larry Lucido

Well, if Jennifer Lawrence is in it, I’m game................


7 posted on 11/25/2020 9:24:48 AM PST by Red Badger (Democrats cheat. ... It's what they do. ... GUARANTEED! ... Even if it's not necessary!....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
I read somewhere that David Copperfield was Dickens' favorite.
Ioan Gruffudd is a good actor, and Tale of Two Cities is my fave of his work.

Dickens was paid by the word , or episode IIRC, so that's why he's so descriptive/wordy.

More $$$$

8 posted on 11/25/2020 9:26:09 AM PST by spankalib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

we had to read it in 9th grade. I understand why people like it, but if you think about it, its kind of weird.


9 posted on 11/25/2020 9:28:03 AM PST by job
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

A friend was going to write a book on spitting titled “Great Expectorations”.


10 posted on 11/25/2020 9:30:53 AM PST by cymbeline
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: job

The plot twists were good, but the ending sucked................


11 posted on 11/25/2020 9:33:12 AM PST by Red Badger (Democrats cheat. ... It's what they do. ... GUARANTEED! ... Even if it's not necessary!....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Love it. Hated it in middle school. Reread it as an adult, and the depth of evil in the characters machinations was shocking. I would join you, but rarely have time to devote to discussion.


12 posted on 11/25/2020 9:58:02 AM PST by OpusatFR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

“Great Expectations” was a great book. Another problematic adaptation was the one with Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham. Anderson is a pedestrian actress with pretensions that are accommodated because of her following from X-fIles days. She portrayed Miss Havisham as wispy, and barely there. The book doesn’t read that way. She also was unwilling to even dress as she was in the book, with ONE wedding show on. That is important to the character.

GE wasn’t my favorite Dickens book, though. I prefer “Bleak House”, “Martin Chuzzlewit” and “Tale of Two Cities”. But it is on par with “Nicholas Nickleby”, and well worth reading.


13 posted on 11/25/2020 10:04:56 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: spankalib
I read somewhere that David Copperfield was Dickens' favorite.

I think it was his favorite because it was his most ego-centric. I think "Hard Times" was also an attempt to excuse his bad personal behaviour.
14 posted on 11/25/2020 10:06:19 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
My favorite is Oliver Twist.

That scene when Oliver goes to jail to visit Fagin, near the end of the book, is riveting.

It wasn't really captured in the musical, 'Oliver,' but Ben Kingsley did a fine job with it in 'Oliver Twist.'

15 posted on 11/25/2020 10:11:32 AM PST by deadrock (<img src="WIDTH420WIDTH420.jpeg" width="420">)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Sivana

I hate to say this but the actress who played Estella, a Miss Vanessa Kirby, did nothing for me. I do not find her the least bit attractive.


16 posted on 11/25/2020 10:12:51 AM PST by C19fan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Sivana
Haven't read Hard Times, but after checking more on his bio, you're probably right ;)

I DID weep at the end of "...Cities" though...

17 posted on 11/25/2020 10:32:31 AM PST by spankalib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Loved the book. Recently repurchased it for $3 at barnes and noble. Total steal


18 posted on 11/25/2020 10:32:53 AM PST by steel_resolve (Stephen Miller is my spirit animal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

I’m down for it!


19 posted on 11/25/2020 11:07:50 AM PST by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Recent months have been the perfect time to hunker down and read Dickens. Currently on Oliver Twist.


20 posted on 11/25/2020 11:25:37 AM PST by Demiurge2 (Define your terms!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson