Connections

When reading Great Expectations  I noticed that in many ways, it was similar to the movie Slumdog Millionaire which is also a story about a very poor boy- Jamal- who has a chance of a lifetime to better himself- to go on the show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". When on the show, he happens to know all the correct answers to the questions and for each question, there is a story behind how he knows it, this gives the story a strong sense of mystery. Jamal tells parts of his childhood, of how his brother, Salim- who like Joe has watched over him from when they were little- and friend Latika have survived on the streets.

Jamal and Pip as orphaned boys.


Ever since Jamal met Latika- like Estella- he was transfixed. You find out as Jamal tells his story, that he and Latika got separated- like Estella leaving to go abroad- and he feels guilty for not being able to keep them together- as Pip feels guilty about many things.


 Jamal and Latika, and Pip and Estella older now

As Jamal and Salim grow older, they also grow apart- they have different interests like Joe and Pip. When Jamal's story finally catches up with where he is now, you know that the main reason that Jamal went on the show was to find Latika, who he has never forgotten- like Pip becomes a gentleman to make himself more worthy of Estella. So in the end, I think that Great Expectations and Slumdog Millionaire are similar in quite a few ways, with both characters and themes.