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How Does Dickens Present The Mists Throughout The Novel

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Throughout Great Expectations, author Charles Dickens portrays the symbolism of mist in a variety of ways. Ranging from the first few pages to the last sentence of the novel, Dickens’ deplores the symbol of mist over thirty times throughout the book. Specifically, Dickens portrays the lingering of the mists to represent Pip’s pessimism, and th absence of mists to represent Pip’s optimism. Throughout the novel, Dickens utilizes the imagery of the mists to symbolize Pip’s pessimistic view when the mists are present, and Pip’s optimistic outlook when the mists rise.

Pessimism is a lack of hope or confidence in the future, which is often characterized by a hyperfocus on the most negative aspects of a situation. On the contrary, Dickens reveals …show more content…

The novel begins in a graveyard, where Magwitch threatens Pip and demands that Pip bring him some basic necessities for survival. The next morning, Pip sneaks downstairs to the kitchen and steals bread, cheese, a pork pie, and a file from Joe’s forge to bring to Magwitch. As Pip is running to meet Magwitch, he describes the engulfing mist as being “so thick that the wooden finger on the post directing people to the village … was invisible to [him] until [he] was quite close under it” (p. 12). The mist is described as “thick” to demonstrate overwhelming lack of hope Pip has going forward. As Pip is robbing the pantry, he imagines that “every crack in every board was calling after [him] ‘Stop thief!’ and ‘Get up, Mrs. Joe!’”(p. 11). Pip thinks with certainty that his theft will be discovered, and even hallucinates the banks burst at Pip to exclaim, ‘“A boy with Someone else’s pork pie! Stop him’” (p. 12). Due to Mrs. Joe’s extensive history of abusing Pip, Pip knows that, if he is discovered of stealing from his own house, Mrs. Joe’s physical rage will reach a maximum. Yet, Pip also realizes that due to his “mortal terror of the young man who wanted [his] heart and liver” (p. 11), he must obey the request of Magwitch. Pip’s predicament between his “awful promise” (p. 11) to Magwitch and the potential wrath of his “all powerful sister” (p. 11) leads to his pessimism. …show more content…

As a young man, Pip receives an immense sum of money in the form of an anonymous donation. Due to his new-found wealth, Pip plans to move to London in hopes of becoming a proper gentleman that warrants Estella’s attention. Estella is very important to Pip, and Pip is infatuated with the prospect of being with her. As Pip is preparing to leave the village, he explains that, “the light mists were solemnly rising” (p. 109). The rising of the mists portrays Pip’s hope for his future, as he believes that becoming a gentleman will result in Estella’s approval. While walking away from his house, Pip reveals that “all beyond [is] so unknown and great”(p. 109). Pip’s depiction of the future as “great” further demonstrates his confidence in what lies ahead of him. Once Pip is miles away from home, he says that the “mists had all solemnly risen now” (p. 109) and that “the world lay spread before [him]” (p. 109). The evaporation of the mists depicts the evaporation of Pip’s pessimistic outlook, and Pip believes his future is very promising. Similarly, Pip’s declaration that the world is “spread before him” reveals that he believes that his possibilities are endless in

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