Great Expectations
Uploaded by joeydaprof on Jun 12, 2006
The novel Great Expectations published in 1860 by Charles Dickens involves the protagonist Pip and his attempts to climb the social hierarchy and become a gentleman. The story is set in countryside London where Pip is part of the working class. Pips’ parents passed away when he was very young and he is to live with his sister Mrs Joe, who is married to a compassionate blacksmith. One day Pip is taken to a very wealthy house owned by Miss Havisham to play with a handsome girl called Estella who Pip falls in love with. The country folks thought Pip may be lucky and gain financial prospects from Miss Havisham as she was a very wealthy elderly woman. But nothing was gained except shame and embarrassment on Pip’s social status. Miss Havisham used Estella coldly to make Pip feel uneducated and unworthy of himself. But yet Pip falls in love with Estella’s appearance and wealth and becomes determined to become a gentleman to impress her. But yet Pip was never was accepted into the 19th century society’s paradigms “I never had one hour's happiness in her society, and yet my mind all round the four-and-twenty hours was harping on the happiness of having her with me unto death.”
- Pip
Sometime later a lawyer appears claiming Pip has a secret benefactor who has given Pip a large sum of money to become a gentleman. Pip takes this offer and leaves the countryside, his cruel sister and honest Joe behind to become a gentleman.
Pip never visits Joe or his sister because of the arrogance which new wealth has brought him. “It is a most miserable thing to feel ashamed of home”
Finally a convict comes back into the story and tells Pip he is Pip’s anonymous benefactor. This spoils all of Pip’s false belief that Miss Havisham is his benefactress who intended him for Estella. Discovering the truth of Pip’s benefactor changed his mentality and perception, and caused him to challenge society’s conventions. Estella becomes unhappily married to a self centered rich man and Pip’s convict was later caught and hung. Pip asked forgiveness from kind Joe for being so pompous, and also learns of his sister’s death. Pip realized the blindness of the higher society and became a well educated and compassionate man challenging society’s paradigms after realizing the convict’s compassion from a working class was greater then a rich wealthy...