Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - 4170 Words

Task: Discuss how Dickens establishes the identity of young Pip at the start of the Novel. Consider: v How the Novel/ Pip’s journey is a Bildungsroman v What Pip wants/ How he changes v How Dickens matches setting to charater v Victorian society/ penal, Criminal system, Education v Pip as a Narrator/ His description of his Ambitions Great Expectations was written in 1860 by Charles Dickens, and is set in the Early Victorian Ages. In this novel we follow, a main protagonist, Pip, however his legal name is Phillip Pirrip, â€Å"my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip.† Dickens effectively establishes the identity of young Pip at†¦show more content†¦The Criminal System was also just as harsh on convicts as everyday life; criminals were kept on prison ships called â€Å"Hulks†, where again they were treated very poorly. To be a criminal, meant that you were lower than the lowest. Chapter 1 educates the reader about Pip’s identity. Pip is an orphan, all his family are dead except his older sister who is married to the town blacksmith, Joe Gargery, and hence she has adapted the name Mrs Joe Gargery. At the beginning of Chapter 1, we see Pip in the Churchyard, in the marshes of the countryside, looking at his parents’ graves, this is where we infer that Pip is an orphan. We also learn that Pip has never seen his parents because he tries to make out their personalities from the writing on their gravestones. Whilst looking at the gravestones, a convict, Magwitch, confronts Pip. Magwitch has just escaped from the Hulks, prison ships. He is hungry and wants to free himself from his iron imprisonments. He threatens Pip about a young man who will kill him (kill Pip), if Pip did not bring food and a file to the convict. The convict is lucky that he ran into Pip because it would be easy for Pip to get a file because his brother-in-law, Joe is a blacksmith. The convict asks Pip questions about his family, where he lives, after each question the convict tilts Pip a little and leans over to him. Whilst the convict is doing soShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1113 Words   |  5 Pagesadventures that the male cha racters go on. This seems to be relevant in a lot of movies and books like the story Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In Great Expectations there are multiple female characters like Estella, Biddy, and Miss Havisham who all play a large part in the main character, Pip’s life. One of the first that we meet the character Estella in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is when Pip goes to Miss Havisham’s to play with her. The two kids play the game beggar my neighbor when EstellaRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1347 Words   |  6 Pagespoor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel is that ofRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1426 Words   |  6 Pages Twelve-year-old Charles dickens gets ready for bed after a long day at the blacking house. These Victorian-aged memories will provide him with many ideas for his highly acclaimed novel Great Expectations. Set in 1830 England, Great Expectations is a coming-of-age story about a common innocent boy named Pip and his road to becoming a gentleman through the influence of others. Pip is influenced both positively and negatively by Estella, Herbert, and Magwitch. Estella left a huge impression on PipRead MoreGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens984 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringingRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations943 Words   |  4 Pages This is true in many cases but none as much as in Great Expectations. In many ways the narrator/protagonist Pip is Charles Dickens in body and mind. While there are many differences between the story and Charles Dickens life there remains one constant. This constant is the way Pip as the narra tor feels, because these feelings are Dickens s own feelings about the life he lead. Since Great Expectations was written towards end of Charles Dickens life, he was wiser and able to make out the mistakesRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1375 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr Ripley by Anthony Minghella present similar criticisms of society to a large extent. Both of these texts consider the criticisms of rich social contexts (wealth and status), societal morality (whether a society is good or not. Status [can lead to the wrong people being in a high position i.e. making bad decisions affecting the community/society] Appearance [society appears to be moral/good (if you’re from a higher status) {dickens criticisesRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1223 Words   |  5 PagesBeloved author Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Growing up in a life of poverty, his childhood hardshi ps provided the inspiration to write a myriad of classic novels including his 1861 seminole masterpiece, Great Expectations (â€Å"BBC History - Charles Dickens†). Great Expectations follows the life of an orphan named Pip, who’s perspective of the world is altered when he is attacked by an escaped convict in his parents’ graveyard in the town of Kent. Throughout hisRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens924 Words   |  4 Pagesa character driven novel, or a mix of the two. In order for a novel to be character driven, it must revolve more around the characters’ individual thoughts, feelings, and inner struggles, rather than around the quest of the story. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a character driven novel. While the story does have a plot, it is not contingent upon that plot, but rather is reliant upon its characters and their natures. This is evident from the beginning of the novel. From the opening ofRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1344 Words   |  6 Pagessomething that is not what they truly need? Often, they use social class to fill a void in their lives that can not be filled by materialistic possessions. Many people realize this, but it is often too late. Charles Dickens demonstrates the effects of social climbing in his novel, Great Expectations. This novel explores the connections and effects of human nature and society, which are the two most powerful forces that guide people’s decisions. Some may say that social climbing is good, but as will beRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1669 Words   |  7 PagesCharles Dickens He was one of England s greatest authors of the 1800 s, better known as the Victorian era. The various themes and ideas of that time are perfectly showcased in his many novels and short stories, such as Nicholas Nickelby, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol. Much of the inspiration for these works came from the trials and conflicts that he dealt with in his own life. His volumes of fictional writing show the great