Pip's Aspirations in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations Essay

Pip expresses that he "...loved Joe perhaps for no better reason than because the dear fellow let me love him" implying that Pip may have a problem expressing the way he feels about those in his life (Dickens 41). This lack of expression remains present in Pip’s character throughout the novel, especially with frustration for the way he feels about Estella. Pip earning his expectations put a strain on the already limited relationship that he had with Joe, once Pip began to realize that Joe’s occupation was meager and unfit for someone with Pip’s means.

Joe brought a moral side to the novel and gave the readers relief from tough characters in the novel. To show a contrast between Joe and the other characters in the novel, Dicken made Joe a simple, content guy, who does not focus on money nor society’s standards during his time. No matter how Pip treats Joe, he is always there and continues to show Pip how much he cares and loves him. After Pip has grown up, Joe still listens to him and he still confides in Joe. As the theme of social class continues to rise in the novel, Joe excluded himself, by being true to himself and doing good, despite having little money. To demonstrate, in the novel, Joe states, “But if you think as Money can make compensation to me for the loss of the little child—what come to the forge—and ever the best of friends.” Here Joe lets Jagger know how much Pip meant to him and how little he cares about money.

Joe’s personality is the opposite of his wife’s, including the presence of a moral code which is in turn passed on to Pip. When Joe learned Pip had told everyone lies about what he saw at Miss Havisham’s home, instead of yelling at him he told him that he’d never get to be a gentleman by “going crooked” and simply advised him to never do so again. Pip was also influenced by listening to Joe talk about the good in people, including how he was married to Mrs. Joe because he saw the good in Pip as a baby, and this makes Pip “look up to Joe in his heart.” Even though Joe was Pip’s brother-in-law he was more like a father figure/friend who taught Pip almost all of his admirable

In the novel, “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, the main character Philip Pirrip, who is known as “Pip” throughout the novel, has a series of great expectations that he goes through. The title of the novel, as many other great book titles, comes with various meanings that are present in the story. In the literal sense Pip’s “great expectations” refer to the 19th century meaning, which involve receiving a large inheritance. Meanwhile, on a deeper level Pip sets goals that he hopes to accomplish in the future which could also be referred to as his “great expectations”. The title, with these multiple meanings that are attached to it, ends up being ironic after all is said and done at the end of the novel.

As Pip is growing into a young man, home is more of a place than an emotion. Pip never really feels completely welcome in the place where he is brought up. Mrs. Joe’s constant and repeating reminder of how Pip is more of a burden to her is made known as she says "I didn’t bring you up by hand to bagger peoples lives out. It would be a blame on to me, and not praise, if I had.", than a reward to her is evidence to Pip that to her he is somewhat worthless. (12) Pip doesn’t know of any other home besides the one with Mrs. Joe. Every person image of home has its differences, and the one Pip has at the moment isn’t a real pleasant one. Which in the long run could be a factor contributing to why Pip did not really know what home felt like to begin with. In the beginning of the novel, Pips definition of home is very unwelcoming and dark considering who he is surrounded by. Pip explains how Mrs. Joe is abusive to him "My sister made a dive at me and fished me up by the hair saying nothing more than awful words" and how her appearance isn’t

Joe armed with wrath and “Tickler” (Dickens 7). Joe wishes that Pip would not have to bear the brunt of “Tickler”; he wishes that he could “‘take it all’” himself (Dickens 51). Joe takes a kindly, brotherly interest in Pip; he and Pip share a “good-natured companionship” (Dickens 9). When Pip refrains from eating his bread and butter, which he intends to save for the convict, Joe believes that Pip has lost his appetite. Joe becomes “uncomfortable” and does not “enjoy” his food (Dickens 9). Joe often encourages and motivates Pip. When Pip presents Joe with his first specimen of writing, Joe declares that Pip is a “‘scholar’” (Dickens 73). When Pip complains about his commonness, Joe says that Pip is “‘oncommon’”. He wisely observes that “‘you must be a common scholar afore you can be a oncommon one’” (Dickens 73). Joe’s kindness and generosity also extends beyond his family. When the convict confesses that he stole some food from the blacksmith, Joe says that he is “‘welcome to it’”; he would not want even a convict to be “‘starved to death’” (Dickens 40).

Just as we sometimes turn away from God, Pip turns away from Joe. When Pip meets Estella and the "glittering alternative to life at the forge that she and Satis House represent, he can't ever again enjoy the idea of working with Joe at the forge."4 When he acquires his fortune, Pip totally pushes Joe out of his life. Because Great Expectations is written in first person (and Pip is a very honest storyteller), we can observe that "while Pip the narrator recognizes Joe's goodness..."5 and great love for him, "...Pip the character goes on

Great Expectations was a novel written by Charles Dickens. It was first published in serial form from 1st December 1860 and then further on was released in book form in August 1861, although was previously issued by David Copperfield in 1849. This novel reworks his own childhood as a first-person narrative; Dickens was fortunate and had an advantage of writing Great Expectations due to him living in the Victorian times, and he related his life experiences with the main character of the play, ‘Pip’. Charles opened the play with the character Pip; his name was short for his Christian name Philip. In the Victorian times there were 3 different classes, these were known as the upper class, middle class and lower class. Pip belonged to the

Pip does not tell Joe because he fears he will lose his companionship. In the future, Pip will struggle with telling the truth because of the fear that society will think less of him. Later that same day, the police are engaged in a search party to find the criminal. Joe and Pip accompany them; although, they do not believe that he must be apprehended. Once Magwitch is taken into custody, Joe and Pip both shed a tear. Pip's life at the forge is difficult due to Mrs. Joe's harsh nature, but he is also surrounded by the goodness and love of Joe. He has been taught that humans of all societal levels are important.

The relationship between Pip and Mrs.Joe Gargery is not like a typical brother-sister bond. Mrs.Joe is very hateful towards Pip, she doesn’t appreciate him, Pip is a burden to her; an extra mouth to feed. On page 9, “If it warn’t for me you’d have been to the churchyard long ago and stayed there.” Mrs.Joe continues to say “I’d never do it again! I know that I’ve never had this apron of mine off since you were born. It’s bad enough to be a blacksmith’s wife without being your mother too.” Mrs. Joe makes very snide comments to Pip, such as on page 25, “ If you bring the boy back with his head blown to his bits by a musket, don’t expect me to put it together again.” Pip is scared of Mrs.Joe because of her “hard and heavy hand.” On page 8, Joe tells Pip about how Mrs.Joe went out with her tickler, “Tickler was a stick, worn smooth from hitting my tickled body.” Mrs.Joe was very brutal towards Pip and using the tickler frightened him. Mrs. Joe makes very snide comments to Pip, such as on page 25, “ If you bring the boy back with his head blown to his bits by a musket, don’t expect me to put it together again.

One of the most important and common tools that authors use to illustrate the themes of their works is a character that undergoes several major changes throughout the story. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens introduces the reader to many intriguing and memorable characters, including the eccentric recluse, Miss Havisham, the shrewd and careful lawyer, Mr. Jaggers, and the benevolent convict, Abel Magwitch. However, Great Expectations is the story of Pip and his initial dreams and resulting disappointments that eventually lead to him becoming a genuinely good person. The significant changes in Pip's character are very important to one of the novel's many themes. Dickens uses Pip's

be seen when Joe covers for Pip when he is late home or when he says

The theme of family is shown mainly through Pip’s relationship with his brother-in-law, Joe Gargery. In the beginning of the novel, Pip makes it obvious that he dislikes his sister, and takes more of a liking to her husband Joe because Pip is able to sympathize with him (Dickens 40). Joe becomes his confidant, a fact that becomes apparent when Pip comes home to face a harsh interrogation by Mrs. Joe and Uncle Pumblechook after his first visit to Miss Havisham’s. Pip lies to the both of them about his experience, but feels guilty about doing the same to Joe and confesses his wrongdoing. Joe shows understanding towards Pip, and instead of sternly rebuking him for lying, he simply but seriously Pip about the dangers of lying, saying “if you can’t get to be oncommon (uncommon) through going straight, you’ll never get to do it through going crooked” (Dickens 100). While Pip’s relationship with Joe is being tested by his desire to gain a higher social standing, Pip shows significant guilt over his mistreatment of Joe ( Dickens 296), proving that deep down, Pip never loses his deep love for Joe. It can be safely assumed that the point that Dickens wants to make through Pip and Joe’s relationship is that family is not necessarily determined by biological connections, but by who a person is closest to and feels most comfortable sharing their life with through the best and worst times.

Pip meets Joe in London after not seeing him since he left the marshes; Joe treats Pip like an acquaintance instead of a life-long friend when he says, “And so GOD bless you, dear old Pip, old chap, GOD bless you!” (Dickens 201). The repetition of the word “old” is a metaphor for how old Pip and Joe’s relationship is and how it is losing steam. They are no longer friends, they are barely acquaintances, and the change is reflected in this quote. There is also some nervousness shown. The repetition of “GOD bless you” shows that Joe is nervous to be around his former best pal, Pip, because of their social class difference. Joe recognizes the change in Pip which is why he is nervous. In the first few chapters of Pip’s journey to London, he finds himself in a typical neighborhood in the city and

as time went on, he realised it was for the best as Pip was to become