How To Improve Pip's Life After The Socratic Seminar

I believe I have a more in depth understanding of the novel after the Socratic Seminar, due to hearing other’s opinions. When I first read the book, I was a little lost and had to kept rereading pages to make sure I fully understood the story. I started to understand what was going on and even decipher some of what Dickens is trying to express in this writing. After the circle, I was introduced to other opinions, and learn other things.

One question in the seminar asks if Pip’s life would’ve been better if he had never met Havisham. I had previously thought that Havisham improved Pip’s life, saying that she made his life fuller and worth living. I was surprised to see that almost half the class thought the exact opposite. Their claim was …show more content…
However, It would be better if we only had to prep for the questions that we’ll be asked, and have those questions be strong. Some questions for example, like the question that asked how following characters add to develop Pip’s character, felt weak. It was hard to discuss, since we constantly have to bounce from one character to another. There wasn’t enough to talk about that question too. Some questions, like the previously stated one that asks if “ Pip’s life would be better is he had never met Miss Havisham? “ was strong, and thought provoking. The class had so much to talk about it, since there were two sides. It seemed somewhat like a debate, which is fun!

If we knew the questions that were going to be asked, then we could spend more time thinking about that question, thus being able to discuss more. Another bothersome thing about the seminar was the fact that the outer circle cannot speak at all. Sometimes, when I'm in the outer circle, it is hard not saying anything when you don’t agree with someone else. A possible solution for this could be that at the end of the 7 minutes, the outer circle could have a minute or two to say what they think, and who they agree or disagree