The Great Expectations.
Great Expectations is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip (the book is a bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story).
The novel is set in Kent and London in the early to mid-19th century[5] and contains some ofDickens's most celebrated scenes, starting in a graveyard, where the young Pip is accosted by the escaped convict Abel Magwitch. Great Expectations is full of extreme imagery – poverty, prison ships and chains, and fights to the death – and has a colourful cast of characters who have entered popular culture. These include the eccentric Miss Havisham, the beautiful but cold Estella, and Joe, the unsophisticated and kind blacksmith. Dickens's themes include wealth and poverty, love and rejection, and the eventual triumph of good over evil. Great Expectations, which is popular both with readers and literary critics,[6][7] has been translated into many languages and adapted numerous times into various media.
It was 03 30 in the early morning on 16 June 2021. Was it a dream or thought process ,not clear.A chain of events,thought process from my child hood till date was flooding my mind.Suddenly the Charles Dickens noval,"The Great Expectation "came to my mind as a flash back.
It was early 1958.For the first time I left my home,village back ground and joined Annamalai Polytechnic,Chettinad pursuing three years Diploma in civil Engineering,and was staying in hostel.The student community was a mixed group in age and experience.I was 16 years old,and class mates were 22-23.I came from Tamil medium,village background,uneducated parents and agriculture life style.My classmates were mostly from English medium schooling, Pre university pass/fail,under graduate pass/fail and well educated parenthood.But I Q level of me was far ahead of my class mates.I had started reading great Tamil litratures like Thirumanthiram,Thirukkural,Thiruvasakam and many novals of Dr,Mu.Varadarasan from very young age.So there was a general soft corner for me amongst students.I had no friends.I spent most of the time in Library or at sports ground.
Under these circumstances,the boy seated naxt to me in class by name Arunachalam was guiding me in english education and he was a day scholar. He is from local Nattukottai chettiar community. As a joke he had replaced my engineering instruments box with his,without my knowledge.when I came to know of that,I abused him badly, changed my seat away from him. A few days later I got a cover by post.
It was a letter ,written in English,by that boy,apologizing for the incidence and wishing me great future.It was he,who wanted me to read Charles Dicken's "Great Expectations " .Further he had writen," Ganesh,I want you to be a Gentleman,kind hearted and noble character.You should travel along the length and breadth of this noble land ,establishing a milestone where ever you go.Forget about my mistake.It was just for fun.I am sorry if I had hurt you.
I was not knowing the meaning of that fully.I had never read anything in English other than my subject till then..How ever I could understand the love for me in his heart.But there was no reaction from me.Days rolled over.According to their customs,He went on "Adoptation "to another family. But he certainly lighted a lamp in my heart which was glowing and slowly and steadily enlightened me.
" Expectations" in human life is a great motivating factor.But at the same time great expectations without much effort will lead you to disappointments.Action is only our part;But the reaction or result is governed by many factors.So in the equation of happiness ,the denominator must be expectation and efforts should be numerator.Increase the effort and decrease the expectations, the resulting happiness will be more.
I became an Army Officer,took part in two wars,and certainly traveled along the roads less traveled by many. Human psychology,philosophy of life etc became my pet subjects.A harmonious association of powers,simultaneous and quick concentration of all senses leads to success unknown to history is the dictum I had learnt.
The Army service and my honest and sincere efforts with least expectations gave me the frame of mind to enjoy what ever I get.So life goes on.
I had not met that boy Arunachalam again,after my polytechnic days.I heard that he was working with "Coramandal Engineering company,way back in 1964-65.It is more than 50 years now.The time and tide might have drifted him in public ocean.But Provis,and Pip,the characters of the story "Great Expectations " rmain fresh in my mind.
