Literary Analysis of Great Expectations
Literary Analysis of Great Expectations
Great Expectations is just one of the novels that Charles Dickens wrote in his lifetime. Throughout the novel, many of the younger characters have goals that they would like to achieve in life, but they don’t know how to accomplish them. Estella being adopted at a young age by Ms. Havisham is corrupted to such a state that her objective in life is to break the hearts of all the men with whom she comes in contact. This is where we see the emergence of a cold-hearted, but beautiful young lady. Then there is Magwitch, who is a convict that Pip meets out in the marshes. Secretly, he becomes Pip’s benefactor in appreciation for what Pip has done for him. Pip now has a chance to become gentlemen, something that Magwitch could never become. During Pip’s stay in London where he is slowly immersed into a more glamorous lifestyle, he meets Herbert. Secretly, he then becomes Herbert’s benefactor wanting to help his friend out. All three of these characters are supported with great sums of money and as easily as it was given to them, it can be taken away anytime. Their future lies in the hands of their benefactors. They are merely puppets to achieve vicariously what their parents wanted to have achieved.
In the first part of the book, Ms. Havisham and Estella are introduced. Estella is first seen as a beautiful young girl, with whom Pip falls madly in love. She is adopted at a young age because Ms. Havisham wanted a child to mould in her image. Estella’s one purpose in life is to break the hearts of all men because Ms. Havisham was stood up on her wedding day and since then has had a grudge against the male sex. Sometimes Ms. Havisham would whisper into Estella’s ear, “Break their hearts, my pride and hope, break their hearts and have no mercy!” (Pg. 88) All of this treatment over the years takes a toll on Estella and becomes more evident when she matures into a lady. Ironically, Estella and Pip meet in London where they acquaint themselves again. The only reason that Pip wanted to become a gentleman was to win Estella’s heart. All throughout the novel Estella gives...