Great Expectations

Question: I just finished reading Great Expectations, what does the last line mean when it says, "I saw no shadow of another parting from her"... does this mean Estella had not changed? ...and as Estella told Pip, they shall remain friends apart?

A figurative shadow, a hint, a soupçon...They would not part again, he feels.

I think it was supposed to be the optimistic ending. A sort of kowtowing to the public. But still, it's unclear if they get together romatically or not.

Thanks, DanMat :)

Here's the two endings:

http://literaturemusings.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/the-two-endings-of-great-expec...

You know it's interesting. As it was presented to us by our prescriptive middle school english teacher, this (the printed ending) was a sort of weakened, artistic compromise. But Dickens' hasn't written a happy ending either. It's less ambiguous than the first but overall isn't very clear what will happen. Even the "friends apart" line presents multiple readings. What a master!

So, he left it to us to decide the ending? My instincts tell me Estella and Pip will not end up together. It's only after being married to that brute, that Estella can, by contrast, understand Pip’s gentle emotion for her. Estella considers their future together and knows the right thing is to let Pip go. She knows she can not love him the way he deserves to be loved. Their fate is to remain friends from afar. Pip understands, he did not see Estella's cold, emotionless shadow depart from her.
My little opinion, no matter how wrong it may be.

Thanks for the link...I didn't know there were two endings.

I think so. And I think your instincts were the same as Dickens. But it's interesting to see how he was able to introduce a sense of doubt so that people might have a happy ending if they wanted. Apparently there are a couple versions of that last line as well.