Storytelling In Lloyd Jones 'Great Expectations'

In Lloyd Jones’ Mister Pip, the significance of storytelling is evident through the interactions, thoughts, and actions of characters. Great Expectations, introduced by Mr. Watts, led Matilda on a path that would later inspire, push, and change her. Storytelling connected people from different backgrounds and cultures, served as a form of escape, and taught them information or lessons.

Storytelling offered an escape to another world for people and let them forget their worries and fears. When Mr. Watts first introduced Great Expectations to the children, Matilda recalled that he “had given us kids another world to spend the night in. We could escape to another place” (23). Amidst the constant fear of the rebels and redskins, the children’s

Matilda was always a quick and curious learner. One example was when the class came across an unknown phrase, a rimy morning, Matilda was the one who asked Mr Watts, “‘What is a rimy morning?’” (33). Great Expectations taught Matilda new vocabulary and English. She improved in reading and learned to think in a different way. Additionally, by immersing herself into the book, Matilda was taught to have hope, even amongst the destruction and darkness of the civil war, “I knew things could change because they had for Pip” (51). By paying attention to Pip’s “rags to riches” life, Matilda was able to recognize the possibility of change. She was able to take Pip’s experiences and merge with her own, to create her own narrative. The children also heard several short stories from the local villagers. Mr. Watts invited their parents to tell stories of the little things they knew. Matilda realized that “Some stories will help you find happiness and truth. Some stories teach you not to make the same mistake twice” (61). While the villagers did not know much, they were good at storytelling. Matilda and her classmates heard stories of every kind. The villagers had a way of communicating and teaching what they wanted to say through stories to their children or others. It was the only way, when everything was torn apart by the war. When Matilda left the island and started a new life in Australia and England, she researched and learned everything she could about Mr. Watts and Dickens. She later tried to write what happened to her on the island beginning with,‘“Everyone called him Pop Eye’” (253). The teachings of Mr. Watts and “Mr. Dickens” influenced Matilda to also go on the path of storytelling. Mr. Watts “... had taught every one of us kids that our voice was special…” (Jones). The teachings of Matilda’s “Mr. Dickens” had taught her to use her voice and that is was something special that