Small Group Response & Presentation Choose one of the following response topics to address and discuss with your small group.
Discuss the significance of the names Dickens assigns his characters and point out how the double meanings of the names often reveal character traits.
Define irony and point out the irony in the story, including Estella's relationship with Miss Havisham and the title of the story.
Discuss the ways Dickens uses light and dark as symbols for good and evil in the story.
Discuss the importance of the following themes in the novel: (1) the presence of good and evil and how the line between the two is often blurred (2) the relationship of money to happiness (3) the destructive nature of revenge
Relate the significance of the title of the novel to the characters and events in the novel.
Discuss the intricate plot and the intertwined relationships between the characters.
Identify the many coincidences that contribute to the characters' relationships to one another.
Cite incidents from the novel to demonstrate Dickens' point of view on what a gentleman is or is not.
Discuss Dickens' view of the role of proper parenting to help children learn to live moral, happy, productive lives.
Define a coming-of-age novel and discuss the extent to which this story meets that definition.
Infer the fate of the major characters from the story's conclusion.
Discuss how this book, although set in nineteenth century London, possesses a universal appeal.