1. Presented By
Niwat Siwawuth 550132007
Passamon Kamnertsiri 550132010
Submitted by
Dr. Wilailak Saraithong
Literature in the Media 001773

2. Great expectations (1998)
Plot and Setting
Plot and setting of Great expectations is a contemporary film version, very different from
the novel by Charles Dickens, as the setting has been moved from mid-nineteenth century in
Kent and London to 1990‟s Florida and New York City. Due to the limited time in the film
(nearly 2 hours), some original characters are deleted, such as Biddy( Pip‟s friend) , Herbert
Pocket( Pip‟s best friend), Compeyson (criminal and Miss Havisham „s fiance) and Molly
( Estella‟s mother) because these characters are not much related to the main theme of
romantic drama in the film. Also, some characters‟ names are changed from the novel: The
narrater‟s name Pip becomes Finn and Miss Havisham has been renamed to Nora Dismoor.
The convict, Abel Magwitch is Arther Lustig and Mrs. Joe becomes Maggie.
At the beginning, the setting takes place nearby the beach in Florida, seeing Finn is
drawing pictures while in the novel version, Pip sits in the isolated village church yard,
staring at his parents‟ tombstones in Kent, southeast of England.
The different plot between the film and the novel is the scene when Finn goes back to the
house to get some food and things to help the convict. In the novel, Pip steals pork pie from
Mrs. Joe and gives to the convict which makes Pip feels guilty when he returns home.
In this film version, Finn gives the convict a piece of sandwich, bolt cutters, a bottle of
whisky, Percodan and birth control pills (to make the scene amusing) but not the pork pie.
The Christmas pork pie in the novel version is not suitable in the film because due to the
nineteenth century, in England, many people especially in rural areas were in poverty and
shortage of food even pork pie was very valuable for poor people but the film is set in the
modern time in America, people do not have such scarcity anymore so Finn does not have to
face the problem of stealing things to the convict. Therefore the plot which people join in the

3. table in Christmas is deleted from the film and the police do not come in the Finn‟s house.
But to make it more contemporary, instead Finn sees the convict is arrested in the TV, which
on the news, allows Finn to be informed that the convict will be put in the execution for his
sentence and that makes Finn thinks that is a last time for him to see the convict.
In the film version, Finn follows the convict on the boat and helps him to escape from the
police while in the original one, Pip went home immediately before the police reach Pip‟s
house. In the film version, Finn and the convict spent more time together and the convict feel
more indebted to Finn that he has helped him twice. First, Finn gave food and unchained him.
Later, Finn helped him escapes from the police and secretly gives convict a life jacket before
Finn has gone with the police. The first time, Finn helped the convict because he was forced
to do, but in the second time, Finn really wanted to help the convict. This version is bound
the convict and Finn in term of relationship stronger than the novel.
The wild story in which Estella feeds Pip by placing food on the ground as if he was a dog
and the plot that Estella slaps his face has been deleted in this version. Instead, it is
reinterpreted in the erotic way. A young Estella persuades Finn to drink water from the
fountain and when Finn is drinking Estella immediately gives Finn French kiss. This scene so
powerful and very shocking to the audiences how such a little girl learn to seduce and lure a
boy in extremely erotic way. It shows that Estella has been raised in extremely unusual way
from Nora who wants to train Estella becomes a weapon for her revenge and Finn a victim.
The scene when Estella and Finn have conversation in the taxi is another important one.
This plot has changed in the way that Estella tells Finn that she is raised in the bad way to
Finn while in the original one she said to Miss Havisham. The director wants to focus on the
theme of romantic, so it is must be effective in this way if Estella shows her sensitive feeling
to Finn but not to Nora. In this scene, audiences are allowed to see Estella in the emotional
and very sensitive way which does not happen in the novel version. It helps the audiences
feel sympathy to Estella that the reason she become a cold hearted girl because she was raised
to fear of love and she has never receive any love even from Nora.

4. Great expectations in the film version has several erotic scenes which not occur in the
novel such as the scene that Estella being nude for Finn, French kiss in fountain, fondle
scene in Finn‟s room. The most romantic scene is when Finn walks through the rain to a
Chinese restaurant and asks Estella for a dance in front of her fiancé, they dance for a few
seconds and go out from the restaurant, kiss, run through the rain and goes to Finn place and
makes love. It is very powerful scene shows Finn‟s emotional feeling toward Estella because
this must be the last time for Finn to win Estella‟s heart. The scene shows how Finn put a lot
afford and daring to take Estella out and this is the first time that Estella allows Finn to
dominate her and make love.
In the novel, Miss Havicham died from burning the fireplace. The film version, Nora died
alone in her mansion with agony of guilt that she used Estella and Finn for her revenge. Her
body is undiscovered for a month. Both version, show the different ways the life ended of
Nora and Miss Havicham, one through the pain of fire and another one in the guilt and
loneliness.
In film version, the convict was killed by a gangster in the subway. The novel, the convict
is arrested by the police while fighting on the boats and he died later in the jail after the court
sentenced him to be executed. Even though two different ways of his dead but they are join in
the main point that he believe the death to be the reward of God‟s forgiveness and the sunrise
in the morning when he died is the sign of his redemption in death. He had no fear to die and
it made him so happy when he saw Finn (Pip) in the good life and died in his arms.
At the end of the story, Finn decides to go back to Paradiso Perduto to recall his memory
and found Estella standing by the lake and her little daughter. Estella is very surprised to see
Finn again. Estella says that she has changed now and thinking about Finn so much. Estella
asks Finn to forgive her and Finn accepts. They look out to the sun together. The end of both
versions is quite different as the film version, the time setting is on the day time whereas the
original version is set on the night time and Estella has no children. In the film version, can
be interpreted that now Estella is free from Nora and she not afraid to the daylight anymore,

5. another word, she now ready for love. Estella has a daughter who is the key point that helps
Estella learns to give love and to be a good mother.
Characterization
Finnegan “Finn” Bell (pip)
Finn‟s character is complicated: Obsession, desire, greed, guilt, ambition, dreamer, good
and evil. On the bright side, he is very generous and sympathetic especially when he was
young. On his dark side, he is deeply suffers from his inferior status. His naïve and dreamy
attitude let him believe that Nora is his secret benefactor and wants him to be equal as Estella
and get married with her even knowing Nora repeatedly warning him that Estella will break
him heart cruelly but Finn chooses to ignore.
Finn‟s life depends on others. Finn is controlled by Nora to be used as a victim for Estella
to break his heart who as well empowered him. He is transported anonymously by the convict
taking Finn to New York to become a famous artist as the convict wants to redeem his own
feeling to his inferior status by supporting Finn.
Finn has self-improvement and he is a quick learner. When Finn lives in New York and
becomes a famous artist, he starts to learn how to act and behave like a famous artist. He
learns to take all opportunity that offered to him. Finn realizes that while he become a famous
artist and has accepted by upper class, is not make him true hapiness. It does not mean
anything for him because he did not receive the love from Estella. Finn learns that money and
fame is illusion that all set-up by the convict. At the end, he has learned these lessons, he
goes back to visit Joe which represent his origin and become the Finn narrator whose voice
tells the whole story.
Estella Havisham
In the novel, Estella is adopted Nora's daughter. Also she is unknown as the convict‟s
daughter and Molly who is Mr. Jagger lawer maid. It is an ironic metaphor that Estella who is

6. so proud and snobbish is lower status than Pip, in fact, very lowest level of society. In the
film version, there is very little of Estella‟s background, only informed that she is adopted
Nora‟s daughter. The issue of social class about Estella is minimized into the film version to
maintain the major theme of romantic theme.
Despite her cold behavior, Estella is still a sympathetic character. In the film, her inner
struggle feeling is shown which helps to explain what Finn loves about her. Deep in her
mind, Estella does not want to hurt Finn, but she does not seem able to stop herself from
hurting Finn. In fact, she has repeatedly warned him that she has “no heart” but Finn chose
not to listen.
Estella has self- knowledge and aware about how she behaves the way she is. She tells
Finn that Nora is responsible for her attitude to making her cruel and has no emotion in heart.
The relationship between Estella and Nora is estranged because she has never been taught to
give or received love from anyone even from Nora. As a result, Estella treats to Nora as cold
as she has been taught in the way she is.
Finally, Estella has learned to believe her inner feeling and asked Finn to forgive her.
Estella turns from cold and snobbish to be mature and ready to be a good woman. In this
films, Estella has a little daughter as it is an important for Estella to redeem herself and it a
wake-up-call to her that if she still the way that used to be, it will effect to the daughter to
become like her, so she has to transform to be a good mother who learn to give love for her
daughter.
Nora Dinsmoor (Miss Havisham)
The character of Nora Dinmoor in film is slightly different from the novel. She does not wear
the wedding dress every day as does Miss Havisham. The director changes the way of her
insanity by her acting and her facial make-up. Nora is determined never to move beyond her
heartbreak, time stops, the wedding party and mansion abandoned, frozen in time.
Nora adopts Estella and raises her as a weapon, to achieve her own revenge on men. She is
an example of single-minded struggle on holding her grudge. At first, Nora is completely
unaware the result that effects Finn and Estella. Later, she learns that her revenge is failed

7. and it comes back to hurt her when she causes Finn‟s heart to be broken. Nora is
overwhelmed of sadness and guilt because Finn represents of her the past that is loyal and
honest for love. Finn‟s heart is broken is in the same way that Nora had before. At the end,
Nora lives and dies alone in the rotten mansion.
Arther Lustig “the convict” (Abel Magwitch )
Lustig‟s character is represented as another father figure for Finn. They have many things
in common. They are both orphans and they share feeling the bond of powerlessness and
victimization.
The character of the convict, named Lustig in the film is slightly different from Magwitch
in the novel. Magwitch‟s generosity to Pip is great, but is not perfect and not done just for
Pip‟s benefit. Actually, Magwitch wants revenge on society and uses Pip to do it. He wants to
create a wonderful gentleman to show society and wants to feel proud of what he achieved.
Lustig in the film version is a criminal who has done many bad things in his life and wants to
redeem himself by support Finn to be success in his art career and be accepted by society.
Lustig feel that Finn represented the good side that he wishes to have been. Lustig wants Finn
to be suceed to fulfill his felling that at least he does a really does well for a person who
deserves it like Finn.
Lustig is the prime character to develop Finn‟s point of view and in time to mature. He
makes Finn‟s dream come true and also ruins it when Finn finds out that his success is set up
by him. When Lustig dies, Finn‟s dream is over and this makes Finn comes back into the
reality. He comes to visit Joe who represent as Finn‟s origin life.
Maggie (Mrs. Joe)
She is Finn‟s sister and Joe‟s wife. The character of Maggie in the film version is quite
different from novel version in term that she is not as cruel as Mrs. Joe portrayed in the novel,
but she still not a good sister for Finn or good wife for Joe. She neither cares nor looks after
Finn. She has an affair with another man and runs away from Finn and Joe while in the novel
Mrs. Joe dies.
Joe Gargery

8. Joe is Finn brother-in-law. Joe‟s character from the novel and the film version are the
same. Joe‟s quiet goodness makes him one of the few sympathetic characters in Great
Expectations. Although he is uneducated and unrefined, he consistently acts for those he
loves and suffers in silence when Finn treats him coldly.
Themes
Love and victims
Love is the main theme of this Great Expectations version. The other theme such as guilt
and social class are minimized as minor elements.
Sunlight is used as a metaphor for love (an appropriate metaphor, given Nora stay in her
rotten mansion and refusal to go into the sun), Finn is represented like the sunlight trying to
bring Estella out from the darkness. However, Finn‟s ideal about love is unrealistic. Whatever
he might wish, it is impossible to be succeeded in overnight but Finn personality is immature.
When Finn suddenly receives his fortune, he expects that Estella will turn to love him
immediately. Finn does everything to win Estella‟s heart even put Joe aside to raise him to
the upper class.
Parallel relationships
Like Finn, Estella is an orphan and a victim and both are used by their surrogate parents.
Nora raises Estella to be a weapon for her revenge and Lustig secretly put Finn to become a
famous artist to redeem his guilt. Both share a somewhat passive approach to life that unable
to follow their own free path.
Social class
In the novel, Great Expectations explores the class system of Victorian England from
lower class, middle class and high class people. In Great Britain in nineteen century, people
who with wealth and educated were identified as “ladies and gentlemen” They did not need
to do work, just spending time for parties and dancing. These people made rules for correct
behavior and manners. However, most people at this time were still poor and uneducated.

9. They could not aspire to become ladies and gentlemen. They did not know anything about the
lives of the rich people living in London. The class between lower class and upper class was
extremely divergent. The theme of social class in the film is so much different from the novel
due to the place and time setting. In America in 80/90s there was no such comparison of
“gentleman”. In the film version, Finn turns to become a famous artist that is more suitable
to the place setting as New York is one of the art centres in the world and it relates to the idea
of “American‟s dream” as American people want fame and wealth.
The inferior of Finn‟s social class put him to improve himself to be equal to Estella.
Estella repeatedly disparages Finn in his inferior status. As a child, she calls Finn a gardener
and sometimes she speaks French to Finn which he does not understand but this can be
interpreted that Finn is incompatible with her status as French language is used for upper
class and Finn has such a low education. When Finn becomes successful in his career, it
enables Finn to be equal to Estella. However, it is too late he when Estella decided to get
marry with Walter who has superior status to Finn.
Great expectations shows illusion of social class that makes Finn confused. For example,
Finn believes that Nora intends to make him a famous artist but actually the wealthy old
woman has no such intention in mind, only in somehow using him as a victim for Estella to
break his heart. Ironically, instead, the convict has become the secret benefactor for Finn and
it collapses Pip‟s idealistic view of wealth and social class by forcing him to realize that his
success is set up by the convict who has lowest status in society.
Ambition and self-improvement
Ambition and self-improvement take three forms in Great Expectations- moral, social, and
educational; these motivate Finn‟s best and his worst behavior throughout the film.
Finn is idealist, whenever he can conceive of something is better than what he already has,
he immediately desire to obtain the improvement. Finn‟s desire for self-improvement is the
main theme of the title “Great Expectations. Finn learns and absorbs everything quick. When

10. he was in Florida he never asked anything but here in New York, he learns how to negotiate
and uses mass media for his own benefit to bring him success and fame.
His ambition and his fame causes him turn to give cold shoulder to Joe and put him in the
past so that he can be able invent himself to be “a new Finn”. Subconsciously, Finn does not
want Joe exist in his life. He hates himself to be poor and uneducated past like Joe. He set up
the story, telling to the journalist that Joe was a big drug smuggler, overdosed and died on the
couch and makes up his adventurous story to make his life sounds more interesting than his
real life and good enough to be written in Art magazine.
At the end Finn has learned that ambition caused him become an evil man. When his
dream is over Finn comes back to see Joe as he learns that Affection, loyalty and conscience
are more important than social advancement, wealth and class.
Guilt and Innocence
Despite, Finn has many admirable qualities: compassion, loyalty and conscience, he
constantly focuses on his failures and shortcomings. He has strong feelings of guilt but an
inadequate ability by which to judge right from wrong; unable to determine the value of his
own actions, he feels guilty even when he does the right thing. He acts with compassion and
sympathy when he helps the convict, but he nevertheless feels deeply guilty due to the fact
that whom he help is a criminal.
New York changes Finn becomes snobbish and selfish. When Joe comes to see Finn‟s
solo art exhibition, it shows how awkward Finn‟s position toward to Joe‟s manner that makes
Finn feel humiliated in the public. Finn treats Joe coldly and that makes Joe very upset. Later,
Finn feels terribly guilty for his bad treatment of Joe. As the film progresses, Finn comes
closer to trusting his own feelings; when he helps the convict at the end of the film, he feels
no guilt. He simply sees that Lustig has been better to him than he himself has been to Joe.
Finn comes back to visit Joe signaling that Finn has at last learned the greatest moral lesson.
The difference between Finn the character and Finn the narrator becomes clear here.

11. Symbols and messages
Perduto (Satis House)
Paradiso Perduto is the name of Nora‟s Mansion meaning “lost paradise”. The mansion is
the privet world and the shelter of Nora. It is a symbol of death and degeneration that
symbolize Nora‟s past. Nora attempts to freeze time by refusing to change anything in the
mansion from the wedding days for 30 years. The Mansion represents as a darkness where
Nora hides from sunrise as it metaphor as love that hurt her.
The symbol of the clock stopped at twenty minute to nine, the mouldy wedding cake and
Nora‟s wedding dress are not appear in the film in term to make the scene more realistic in
the modern version that the audiences might not believe how rotten wedding cake can be
existed and how Nora has worn wedding dress every single day for 30 years. Still, the film
keep the symbol of the wedding table which is an enough evident to show Nora‟s suffering
life. At the end, Paradiso Perduto has bankrupted, is symbolized the shelter that Nora has
built up in term of freezing time and separated her from the real world has been collapsed and
this allowed Estella get free from the shadow of Nora.
Finn’s Artworks
Finn‟s art works represent his passion, memories and fantasy toward people around him.
Finn is talented in his art. He has never studied in any arts school but being a self- taught
artist. Estella is the most influential to his art passion. When he knows Estella has gone
abroad without saying farewell to him, Finn very upset and stops doing his art. It bring him
back to the reality that his fantasy dream is over until again he has opportunity to show his art
in New York and it a good chance for Finn to meet Estella again. Finn‟s passion of love can
be seen through his arts. From the below picture, is drawing that Finn fantasize himself as a
fish and Estella as a bird, these symbols can be seen throughout the film. He thinks Estella
like a bird because she is upper class and he is lower class. These picture shows ambition of
his love. The picture shows the metamorphosis of fish and bird that become a boy and a girl

12. who kiss each other. Love is no barrier for Finn and he hopes that one day Estella will accept
and loves him.