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Essay about Dickens' Great Expectations

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Dickens' Great Expectations

The novel Great Expectations uses the central character, Pip, to depict the ups and downs of a young child on a quest to become not only a man, but a gentleman. Dickens uses a variety of different techniques to create mood, setting, and atmosphere.

Charles Dickens grew up in the nineteenth century, when times were hard and punishments were extremely harsh. So harsh you could be imprisoned or even hanged for stealing a loaf of bread. Dickens's father was in debt and as a result he was imprisoned and Charles went to a workhouse. The miniscule amount of money he earned supported his family. As a result of this punishment, Dickens grew to detest the law and everyone …show more content…

Based on what the driver said we immediately think that Jaggers is not only powerful, but also a fearful man. He plays God to the criminals, who depend upon him to survive.

In chapter one dickens uses imagery such as the gibbet to show punishment: No matter how small, pip still committed a crime and could still be punished severely, even hanged. Another image, used to portray punishment is the hulks. They were huge prison ships out on the marshes and were there to represent the punishment pip could face. Dickens uses chains to show that pip and magwitch are connected, by the crime they committed together.

But on the other hand, in chapter twenty the images used to represent punishment are: Jagger's office (because he represents the law), Newgate prison and the court rooms.

In chapter one, Dickens uses the river to illustrate the journey pip is about to embark upon. He uses the fog to represent pips uncertainty in life however the fog is also used to create mood & atmosphere.

In chapter twenty Dickens describes Jaggers chair like a coffin

"Rows of brass nails in it, like a coffin"

And as chapter one is set in a graveyard there are quite a few similarities.

Dickens writes a whole page of description on Mr Jagger's room. It is all negative, which such comparisons as:

"A most dismal place"

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