Charles Dickens' Great Expectations Essay examples

I will also be exploring how these instances provide Pip with valuable lessons. My analysis looks toward showing that through Wemmick, Pip learns to redefine the hegemonic idea of a gentleman, he learns to be a hybrid- proud, smart and masculine, yet kind, lovable and caring at the same time. Wemmick also shows Pip that life is not all about being wealthy, that one has to have strong interpersonal relationships as well.

Pip then goes on to address the reader directly and explains that “[t]hat was a memorable day to [him], for it made great changes in [him],” (Dickens 70). After meeting with Estella several times and becoming extremely fond of her, despite her bipolar attitudes towards him, Ms. Havisham suddenly decides to recompense Pip for his time and then tells him that he no longer has to come back to the Satis House. Everyday after this, Pip continuously thinks of Estella and of how he must become a gentleman in order to be at the same level as Estella and eventually marry her. Another character Biddy (whose relationship to Pip is somewhat complicated) begins acting as Pip’s teacher and Pip says “[w]hatever [he] acquired, [he] tried to impart to Joe,” because “[he] wanted to make Joe less ignorant and common.” Pip’s plans to become a well-mannered gentleman to be worthy of high-society and to be worthy of Estella’s affection are two goals or “great expectations” that Pip sets for himself that ultimately carry the plot of the novel along.

Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations chronicles Pip’s struggle to improve his status in English society. He is originally taught that his happiness directly correlates to the amount of wealth he accumulates. Two characters he encounters—Joe Gargery and Miss Havisham—help him realize that this notion is an unfortunate misconception, and their experiences show Pip that he not live his life by such norms.

The evidence that Pip is an insecure, impressionable young boy is that Estella opinions in his coarse hands and thick boots made him break down and cry. He blames his sister for his insecurities because of his sisters’ bringing him up had made him sensitive.

To begin with, Pip shows the danger of only pursuing class, as he realizes that money does not make him happy. To illustrate, Charles Dickens begins Pip’s awareness of social class in his novel, Great

Pips life however is not turning out as he wants and he becomes an apprentice to his brother in-law Joe, until one fateful day, a lawyer named Jagger’s informs him that a secret benefactor has left Pip with a large fortune. Excited with the news Pip agrees to go to London immediately so he can learn the ways of a gentleman. In hope that it is indeed Miss

They are constantly made fun of for their flaws and this brings them to realization that they want change but unlike Pip, for the most part, they want these changes for themselves and not for how they are looked upon by others They are constantly tormented and it makes them see the things they don’t love about themselves. Throughout their lives, the children are tormented by the other kids about things like their wealth and how their father is an alcoholic. The kids don’t let the other’s opinions bother them, but as they get older and more tired of it, they desire change. Ernie Goad, one of the many kids in Welch that constantly harrasses the Walls always tells Jeanette that she is pork-chop ugly. After a million times of being bullied for it, she gives in and wants change; ¨What I needed, I knew, was braces. Every time I looked in the mirror, I longed for what the other kids called a barbed-wire mouth¨ (Walls 201). Of course she knew this was something she couldn’t afford but she sees other with braces and wishes she could have them. They also realize how much better their lives would be if their parents got jobs. They saw how easily everyone else functioned with jobs and let their parents know whenever they had a chance; “‘Fine,’ I said. ‘If we’re not charity cases, then get a job”(Walls 188). In an earlier

When Prospero calls upon Caliban he refers him to as ‘thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself’ (1.2.320) this is significant as poison runs through your veins resulting in the deterioration of your body hence, Caliban’s appearance ‘…not honoured with a human shape’. This suggests to the reader that Prospero has no respect for Caliban. The quote conveys Caliban’s flaws of being vulnerable, due to being a foil character he is the opposite of the protagonist; Prospero, this is because his mother Sycorax was wicked to him and did not teach him moral. This is evident when Caliban attempts to rape Miranda stating ‘Though dist prevent me – I had peopled else this isle with Calibans’ the quote is meaningful, as it is an indication of subliminal

I find myself using the metaphor “don’t judge a book by its covers” very often. The nature of my job requires me to interact with new people every day. Working in luxury retail, although, I treat every customer equally, I must evaluate which customer is worth my time consulting with in order to meet my commission. It is easy to gravitate towards customers dressed in designer but I must remind myself to never reach a conclusion by how the customer is dressed. The metaphor helps me reevaluate which customer I should approach.

Despite his abused helplessness at a young age, Pip is able to recover from this abuse and live a normal life. Much like the seeds lucky enough to survive, Pip’s adulthood starts with an absolute blossoming. He is not a mere functioning adult, he is on track to become a gentleman. While his money is not limitless, Pip spends like it is. This pattern leads to debt and Pip’s eventual fall from grace.

In addition, Pip’s improvement changes the outlook that is perceived by others of him. For example, after Pip learns how to be a gentleman, Biddy began to address Pip as “Mr. Pip”. Also, The Blue Boar, a local inn treats him differently by how when he was affluent, he was accommodated with the best room. On the other hand, when he had lost all his riches, the Blue Boar only provided him with an indifferent room among the pigeons.

Pip’s personality suffers a change when he is anonymously sponsored by a benefactor to become a gentleman. “’Now, Biddy,’ said I, ‘I am very sorry to see this in you. I did not expect to see this in you. You are envious, Biddy, and

Pip’s mindset regarding classes and success in life is drastically altered after his initial visit to the aristocratic Miss Havisham. “She said I was common” (69) spurs the realization in Pip that he is indeed innocent but unfortunately much oppressed. Pip is very distraught with his birth place into society, to the point that he “was discontented” (130) -- he increasingly desires to be a gentleman. He primarily desires this as a means of impressing Estella and winning her over. At this point in the novel, Pip is willing to give away what he loves (Joe – family setting) to obtain a superficial and insulting girl. One day Pip receives word that he now has the ability to grow up to be his ultimate dream, to be a gentleman. Pip awakens to a new world and those he once loved are no longer good enough for Pip. Moving to London, he becomes far more sophisticated, but at the same time loses his natural goodness. (Chesterton 142). Pip is leaving happiness and his real family to attain a life he thinks will make him more content. Before departing, he dreams of “Fantastic failures of journeys occupied me until the day dawned and the birds were singing” (148). This relates the dream that Pip has just before he sets out to London for the first time, with all of his "great expectations" before him. Pip’s dream is permeated with the sadness and guilt caused by his imminent departure from Joe and Biddy and his aspirations for a new social station.

Ambiguity draws across anyone; when they are seeking a coherent meaning in their life. The fabric that weaves together existence can be baffling when one seeks to analyze it. The search for self, as well as knowing and trusting one’s self is echoed through out literature in humanity; it could be haunting and cause great trepidation, to hold on to a vision that could alter their judgement, as well can cause a fierce storm in the supreme realm that is objective truth. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a coming to age story of a young man named Pip, seeking to establish stability, as well find meaning in his life through love and self identification. The purpose of this assignment is to propose that Pip was personally reflecting upon

Since it was first published over 150 years ago, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations has come to be known as a timeless and remarkably moving work of literature. It is considered to be one of Dickens’ most recognizable works, and is celebrated for its meaningful, universally-believed themes. In order for this novel to be properly understood, a thoughtful analysis of its major themes must be given.