Self-Esteem In Charles Dickens Great Expectations

After gaining his wealth, Pip becomes snobby and lets everything go to his head. Now, after losing his wealth, we, as readers see a new change in Pip's personality. As for himself, Pip appears to feel ashamed of himself and his new class. In ​Great Expectations​, explaining Pip's feelings, Pip thinks, "Next day, I had the meanness to feign that I was under a binding promise to go down to Joe; but I was capable of almost any meanness towards Joe or his name." (Dickens, 391) Pips thoughts here, represent how he starts to realize how he has changed since moving to London. In his childhood, Pip was practically best friends with Joe, then becoming a gentleman, he has this sense that he is above Joe and essentially wanted nothing to do with

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.

During his visit to Miss Havisham’s house, Estella convinced him that he identified himself as a “common” person by exclaiming “With this boy! Why, he is a common laboring-boy!”(60). Estella clearly shows her discontent of the need to play with Pip because she feels superior over Pip. This also implies he feels that Estella has authority over him due to their differences in social status and negative emotions fusses within when he realizes that Estella looks down on him. He also continues this thought by thinking, “how common Estella would consider Joe, a mere blacksmith.”(72). It may seem like Estella enlightened and intensified this thought that Pip considers, but in reality Estella has very little to do with it. After all Pip penetrates himself into this undesirable thought, as he stands as his own worst enemy. He thinks deep into where he happens to be now, and compares himself to Estella, who happens to possess a higher social status than Pip. When someone besets and discredits my life status and me, I can either take it seriously and make changes accordingly and fulfill their ideals or choose otherwise. I can deuce that connotations and attitude does matters when someone responds to your life by giving you a hard time. Joe serves as a reminder to Pip that he should not behave the way he did and take notice of what Estella has said to him. He also

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

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

This all begins when he is at Miss Havisham’s and her daughter Estella comments on his lifestyle. As soon as he sees her, Pip immediately adores Estella, he thinks she is so beautiful. When Miss havisham tells Estella to play cards with Pip, she responds in a way that is crushing to Pip; “With this boy! Why, he is a common labouring-boy!” (Dickens 61). They also comment on Pip’s hands and how they are so course from labouring. Pip never before thought of himself as common and he finds this very insulting. He knows he doesn't want to be classified like this again, especially by the one he admires. From then on, Pip desires to impress Estella. He doesn't live in the biggest house and he doesn't come from the wealthiest family and this upsets him. However, he doesn’t even see how good he has it living the life that he lives in the home that he lives in. This makes him ungrateful and unseeing to the things that once made him happy. Pip is ashamed of what he has: “ It is a most miserable thing to feel ashamed of home” (Dickens Ch 14). Pip is so blinded by how he wants to be higher class for Estella that he doesn't see how good he does have it because he is so focused on what more he wants. Because of the way he wants to be seen by Estella, he dreams much of being a gentleman but he

Pip’s journey reinforced towards self- discovery by saying “As I had grown accustomed to my expectations, I had insensibly begun to notice their effect upon myself and those around me. Their influence I disguised from my recognition as much as possible, but I knew very well that it was not all good. I lived in a state of chronic uneasiness respecting my behaviour to Joe.” (P.243 chapter 34) Pip discovered his rudeness and snobbishness towards Joe. Pip was influenced by the wealthy Miss Havisham because she is on the top of the societal hierarchy and Pip trusted her fully. This is an affair nowadays that people are mistreating their love when they are being on top of the social class. “Great Expectations, is a story about how pride separates a young man from the people who love him best, and from his own best instincts. Pip, who rejects the honest and simple man who raises him, and then the even less lofty man who turns out to be his benefactor, calls up every conflict we’ve ever felt between yearning for the larger world and wishing to remain loyal to the smaller one we came from.” A quote stated by a reviewer. He thinks that Pip is separating himself from true love that was offered by Joe. This quote can effectively shows the attitude of people towards their love when it comes to money issue. Another book reviewer commented that “The lesson that Pip learns comes in his

Joe Gargery, Pip's brother-in-law and a benevolent blacksmith , is very satisfied with his status as a member of the lower class. He believes that he’s “wrong out of the forge” (224) and well off working in what he senses is his rightful place. In an unqualified, typical lower class setting Joe is contented and able to be himself, but he feels abnormal and tense in a higher-class, environment. He feels out of place in Miss Havisham’s mansion, Satis House, a vast dissimilarity from his own modest home. Joe targets all his answers to Miss Havisham’s queries at Pip, displaying abnormal uneasiness and a “great politeness” (99). Joe, in all his inelegance around rich personalities and having no material wealth himself, is impeccably able to find cheerfulness. Joe Gargery really doesn’t worry if he’s the underprivileged or

Charles Dickens uses his own opinions to develop the larger-than-life characters in Great Expectations. The novel is written from the point of view of the protagonist, Pip. Pip guides the reader through his life, describing the different stages from childhood to manhood. Many judgments are made regarding the other characters, and Pip's views of them are constantly changing according to his place in the social hierarchy. For instance, Pip feels total admiration that, later, turns to total shame for the man who raised him, Joe Gargery. The primary theme in this novel questions whether being in a higher social and economic class helps a person to achieve true happiness. This idea is shown through Pip's innocence at the forge, visits

How society viewed you at the time the novel was set, was very important as typically everyone in a village would know each other in some way and she did not want the reputation she had built up to be ruined. While Pip is asking questions, she tells him how she “didn't bring you up by hand to badger people's lives out. It would be blame to me, and not praise, if I had”. You can argue that she is more concerned about this reputation and how people perceive her than she is about Pip’s happiness. This raises the question of whether Mrs Joe really does love Pip or whether she loves how Pip can provide her with a good reputation. Pip does not turn out like her or act in such a cruel way but you could say that due to being treated in this way growing up, it had made him want to avoid treating others in the same way as he knows first-hand what it is like. However, it can also be argued that Pip, much like Mrs Joe, is concerned with how others perceive him. He wants to appear to be higher in class and also as though he treats others

Pip finds consolation from Joe after Pip angers Mrs.Joe. On page 36, “But I wish it was only me that had to take it Pip. I wish there was no Tickler for you, old chap. I wish I could take it all on myself.” It explains how Joe cares about Pip and feels sorrow when Pip gets hurt by Mrs.Joe. Joe advices Pip in some of the chapters, on page 49, Joe tells Pip “There’s one thing you may be sure of, Pip, namely that lies is lies. Don’t you tell no more of them. That ain’t the way to get over being common, Old chap. As Pip; if you can’t get there by going straight, you’ll never get there by going crooked. So don’t lie any more, Pip, and you’ll live well and die

Mr. Carton seems to be a very troubled man with very low self-esteem. Mr. Carton constantly takes shots at himself saying “I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me” (Dickens) which shows that he clearly looks down on himself. He’s a very depressed character as he tells himself “There is nothing in you to like; you know that.” (Dickens) he is confirming that he has super low self-respect and esteem. He wants to change but doesn’t think he can, he continues to beat himself up by saying “A good reason for taking to a man, that he shows you what you have fallen away from, and what you might have been!” (Dickens) this shows that he wishes he could change, but is unsure if he could do it. He is confused, unsure how to go forward

Great Expectations’ main character, Phillip Pirrip- generally known as Pip- had a rough upbringing as a child. His sister, Mrs. Joe had “brought him up by hand”, after their parents and five brothers had all been laid to rest many years ago. Another character, Herbert Pocket experienced a bizarre childhood, though in a different manner. Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations develops through the novel following Pip, a young “common boy” who grew up in the countryside. As he matured so did his love for a girl of higher class, Estella. However, being a common boy, Pip was not good enough for his Estella, thus once he was given an opportunity to become a gentleman in London he seized it without much hesitation. Charles Dickens’ had his own

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.