Classics Retold

In Chapter 3 of Great Expectations,  "the black ox with white cravat on" is a humorous and imaginative description: The black ox is an ox with black fur.  The white patch of fur around his neck, which looks like a gentleman's cravat ( a neck-cloth worn in the 18th and early 19th centuries, the forerunner of modern neck-tie) Dickens often describes animals as it they were people.  Here Dickens gives the ox a slightly dignified, but comical appearance. The comparison reflects the lively imagination of Pip.  There is a subtle contrast of different moods.  The ox  calmly grazing in the marshes appears respectable and harmless.  Pip is guilty conscience after stealing food from his sister's pantry. 

Goblin is a character in European folklore. A a grotesque dwarf, with large ears and furry body. He plays pranks, steal small items, hide in houses or dark caves.  Mean and mischievous.  The word originated from old French and Greek words 

Rimy means covered in frost.  Thin white layer of ice that forms when the air temperature is below the freezing point of water especially outside at night. 

My sister Mrs Joe Gargery, was more than twenty years older than I, and had established a great reputation that she had brought me up 'by hand.' Having at that time to find out for myself what the expression meant, and knowing her to have a hard heavy hand, and to be much in the habit of laying it upon her husband as well as upon me, I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand.  She was not a good looking woman, my sister; and I had a general impression that she must have made Joe Gargery marry her by hand.  Joe was a fair man, with curls of flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face, and with eyes of such a very undecided blue that they seemed to have somehow got mixed with their own whites.  He was a mild, good natured, sweet tempered, easy going, foolish, dear fellow --- a sort of  Hercules in strength, and also in weakness.  My sister Mrs Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin, that I sometimes used to wonde...

In chapter 2 of Great Expectations Mrs Joe is preparing bread and butter.  After spreading the butter, instead of wiping the knife on a cloth she gave the knife a final wipe on the edge of the plaister. Now, what is a plaister. It is not in the dictionary. Then I searched Google and found that plaister is the old spelling of plaster. Instead of wiping the knife on a cloth she wipes on the plastered edge of the fireplace. It is a wooden house, but still fireplace and chimney breast must have been brcks or stone and those portions plastered. 

The phrase appears in chapter 2 of Great Expectations when Pip describes how he enters pantry alone and steals wittles to take to the convict.  "Here my back was half turned, winking"  means Pip had his back partly turned as he reached for food. He was winking not at another person, but because of the violent tense situation, caused by fear. He was afraid that Mrs Joe would catch him stealing. 

The word pall has different meanings.  Noun meanings: • Coffin cloth: A heavy cloth or velvet spread over the coffin or tomb.  • A dark covering: A thick, dark cloud of smoke, dust, or fog that blocks out light. • Gloomy mood:  A dark, depressing feeling cast over a situation. Example - A sad news casting a pall over a party. Pall as a verb: • Lose appeal: To become boring, tiring, or less enjoyable. • Loss strength: To fade in power, interest or effectiveness  In Chapter 2 of Great Expectations the word is used as a noun to mean a velvet pall over the window of the garret-bedroom of Pip