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Great Expectations By Charles Dickens

Decent Essays

Today, there are not many demographics that marginalize society as much as socioeconomic status. An individuals social status not only supersedes their apparent values or intellect - characteristics that truly attest to the worth of an individual in the context of social membership - but also seemingly establishes a societal dichotomy, one that divides the population into that of the rich and the poor. Whether it is due to increases in inequality or the poor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel is that of social class. Throughout the novel, the reader examines the protagonist, known as Pip, as he transforms from a poor working boy into a wealthy gentlemen. Similarly, in 1998, Alfonso Cuaron created a film adaptation of Dickens’ novel and - despite being drastically different in some aspects - embraced the theme of social class as well. In doing so, both works were able to promote the Victorian concept of social class through the utilization of plot line and characterization.

Occurring during the 19th century and marking the

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