初中以后就很少读书,直到研究生才慢慢发现读书的必要。最近抱着功利心态读完了远大前程。自己好像并不是天生爱读书的人,读的过程中尤其是睡前,经常就睡着了。
吭哧吭哧总算读完了,也想留下点什么,不总说project-based learning嘛,写篇读后感也算吧。从来表达能力弱不会写,但是想着写点什么也给自己添一个动力。
Pip led a poor childhood, and suffered greatly from the disparaging and taunting of surrounding people except Joe, his uncle, who was almost the only adult showing him warmth and kindness. Fortunately, he child later was sponsored by an unknown patron and got to live in the big city and study there. He became close friend with his teacher’s son, Herbert.
When Pip grew up, he found out his patron was a felon, whom he saved during childhood and now escaped from the prison to see him. However, the prison-breaker was captured again and died during the trialing. On the other hand, Pip was suffering severe illness and in deep debt because of his lavish spending money. Fortunately the kind and righteous Uncle Joe and Pips childhood friend Biddy whom he both felt ashamed of after being sponsored living in the city, helped him pay off the debt. Through this, Pip saw the kindness and unselfishness of his old pal Joe and Biddy. Then Pip went to Egypt to make money to pay back Joe. After coming back, he saw Estella, the woman he had fell in love with since he was a little child. But now he got to see she was still a shallow and selfish woman and the feelings for her finally went away.
Pip是一个孤儿,寄养在姐姐家,受尽旁人冷眼欺辱。唯一给予他温暖的是姐姐的丈夫Joe,让他痛苦时心里有依靠。然而,当他有机会离开姐姐家,去到外面的世界,他却对姐夫Joe产生厌弃,认为他的存在让自己不堪,不愿意在与他接触。他在外的十几年,从未主动联系过Joe。然而,当他深陷病痛和巨债,却是Joe对他悉心照料为他还债。Pip看到Joe的善良无私,为自己的行为产生无尽的愧疚。
读这本书的中间,也读了简易版《大卫科波菲尔》。同样是Dickens 所写,并且都是以第一人称,基调却完全不一样。大卫科波菲尔像是中年的意气风发,《远大前程》更像是回忆录和忏悔录。这让我很好奇从大卫到远大前程这10年,作者经历了什么。可能是在世事变迁之后,更发现人性真善美的可贵,也为自己曾经的一些所做感到愧疚。
人在挣扎中选择,在有意和无意的选择中成就新的自己。Pip无意中不再理会Joe致使他成为忘恩负义之人。Pip并非离开家后就立刻对Joe和Biddy产生厌弃,当他们来看自己的时候,Pip也有欣喜。Pip逃避他们也许是对出身的逃避。当跻身上流社会,或许很多人都不愿承认自己粗陋的原生家庭或生长环境。Pip不愿面对Joe和Biddy也是不愿面对自己的过去。而一个不愿坦然面对自己过去的人可以继续坦然生活吗?我们都希望自己越来越好,看过一些人描述自己的时候会有意无意往高了说。然而一些成功的人却似乎很愿意回顾成长环境的艰难。也许后者已经有足够的安全感,他们不需要家世彰显自己,也不认为家世会拖累自己。相反,普通的家庭更能凸显他的不易进而成就。但无论如何,得先清楚认识自己,这样才能基于现实思考选择。
很少读书,连蒙带猜读完之后的胡言乱语。