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Great Expectations: A story of Education, Social Class, and Undying Love

Julian Bell

Dr. Hall
AP Literature and Composition
6 June 2016

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Julian Bell
Dr. Hall
AP Literature and Composition
6 June 2016
Great Expectations: A novel of Enduring Sentiment and Purpose
American and English literature has evolved in a variety of ways, but some concepts
seem to be recycled continuously over the centuries. A protagonist that searches for their true self
despite living in a society that continually rejects them as well as the prevailing power of
friendship, love, and heroism, are all ideas that have survived and continued to manifest through
multiple literary generations. It is then no surprise that Great Expectations is one such novel that
embodies these central themes as well as presents profound societal revelations. For these
reasons, this novel is unlike any other bildungsroman set in Victorian England as it achieves a
perfect blend of what society is and what it should be. More interestingly, Charles Dickens, the
world renowned novelist who authored this revolutionary piece of Victorian literature,
undoubtedly composed his novel in such a way that a direct correlation could be made between
his own life and that of his protagonist, Pip. Moreover, Dickens does not only present societys
innumerable ills to the reader, but provides his audience with a set of solutions which can all be
realized through the individual sentiments found in the human heart. It is through the prevailing
nature of these sentiments that Dickens arrives at the most profound conclusions which are
derived from the circumstances and characterization presented in his novel. What exactly are
these sentiments that Dickens deems so important in his literature and what is meant by his
purpose in constructing Great Expectations?

As mentioned before, Dickenss work is

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especially profound because he does not only criticize society, but in doing so, tells the reader
that which is truly important in life: Sentiments such as love, joy, and contentment. Thus,
Dickens strives to exemplify the persevering qualities of the human heart and in doing so,
conveys that these sentiments are more powerful than any external obstacle. In regards to
Dickenss literary purpose, he seeks to inspire the reader through the introduction of turbulent
situations and then, demonstrates how these circumstances have empowered his protagonist.
Furthermore, Dickens seems to have a purpose for his characters in the novel, that is, a unique
destiny and identity to which they are assigned. Finally, Dickens composed his novel in order to
incite change and therefore, the novels purpose was to move the hearts of those living in
Victorian England at the time (Great Expectations). These purposes and sentiments will be
discussed in more detail later, specifically in how they relate to the meaning of the novel.
In order to properly analyze and address Dickenss novel, a distinction must be made
between British and American 19th century realism. This is particularly crucial in understanding
how Mark Twain, a realist, might have expressed similar ideas to that of Dickenss work in his
satire, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. More interestingly, Dickens undoubtedly shared
some unique literary techniques with James Joyce, who was an experimental writer or modernist.
However, these two writers also exhibited some overt differences, especially in regards to their
narrative styles. Most importantly, Charles Dickens effectively conveyed the power of personal
change in Great Expectations through the intangible sentiments that enabled his protagonist to
mature. In doing so, Dickens provided readers with the tools required in order to spark a
revolution, inevitably empowering future generations to shape a brighter future.

Before

Dickenss impact on future generations is addressed, his novel must be carefully dissected.
II: Dissecting Dickenss Literature: Understanding the Anatomy of Great Expectations

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Charles Dickens constructed his novel, Great Expectations, in such a way that the reader
could successfully interpret and comprehend core societal criticisms of the Victorian era. In his
literature, Dickens expresses the problematic nature of numerous Victorian traditions including
the mistreatment of the poor as well as the value of education in a society that favors child labor
(Great Expectations). Before these central ideas are explained in detail, it is perhaps necessary
as well as appropriate to provide a brief overview of the novel.

Pip, a young boy, who lives

with his sister and her husband, Joe, is suddenly met by a convict named Magwitch. Startled and
afraid, Pip loyally follows all of Magwitchs instructions which involve stealing food and helping
the convict obtain freedom. Pip then, inherits great wealth from an unknown benefactor, who
later turns out to be the convict, Magwitch. Pip and Magwitch form an unbreakable bond all the
way up until the convicts death. Meanwhile, Pip is intoxicated by the beautiful Estella, an
orphan girl Pip met years ago while visiting Miss Havisham (Estellas guardian). Interestingly,
prior to Magwitchs death, Pip discovers that Estella is actually Magwitchs daughter
(Shrimpton). Dickens eventually wrote an alternate ending to his novel upon the urging of a
friend. In the original ending, Pip and Estella remain separated despite Pips love for her.
However, the revised ending is much more optimistic, in which Pip and Estella hold hands as
friends and walk together into the unknown future which clearly involves the two of them
together (Topham). Throughout each chapter of the novel, each of which contains a new series
of exciting events, Dickens carefully implements various ideas associated with the Victorian era.
Beginning with the first chapter, Dickens skillfully introduces the reader to societal
normalcies of the 19th century English tradition. The following excerpt from the novel should
prove helpful in substantiating this claim: To five little stone lozenges, each about a foot and a
half long, which were arranged in a neat row beside their grave, and were sacred to the memory

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of five little brothers of mine- who gave up trying to get a living exceedingly early in that
universal struggle- I am indebted for a belief I religiously entertained that they had all been born
on their backs with their hands in their trousers pockets, and had never taken them out in this
state of existence(1). This dialogue spoken by Pip, the protagonist and speaker of the novel, is
reflective of the struggle to survive and the tireless labor that often accompanied the working
class during the Victorian era. Additionally, this excerpt is also a foreshadowing of Pips desire
to become a gentlemen and his struggle to maintain this position, which is the primary focus of
this novel (Topham). As will be discussed later, this excerpt can also relate to Dickenss
childhood, growing up in a household stricken by poverty (Charles Dickens). As the novel
progresses, more profound Victorian ideas begin to surface as indicated by the following excerpt:
I could hardly have imagined dear old Joe looking so unlike himself or so like some
extraordinary bird, standing, as he did, speechless, with his tuft of feathers ruffled, and his mouth
open as if he wanted a worm (93; ch.13). This quote from the novel also relates to the evident
gap that existed between the rich and the poor during the Victorian era. This same barrier in
socialization also existed between the educated and the uneducated (Grossman). Thus, the
previous dialogue perfectly portrays this Victorian phenomenon as Pip recalls one of the first
times in which his guardian and dear friend, Joe, is actually acknowledged by a rich and
inevitably well-educated, wealthy individual. Joe is completely perplexed being the practically
uneducated blacksmith he is. Perhaps, what is most alarming about this interaction in the novel
is the fact that Joe is completely timid distressed after Miss Havisham asks him a simple question
about his relation to Pip. Thus, this distress is presents a perfect depiction of what life was like
for working class members of the Victorian era, like Dickens himself (Charles Dickens 1812). In regards to the overall anatomy of the novel based on personal observation alone, Dickens

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does not make any attempt to separate the chapters into unifying parts. All 59 chapters are
placed one after the other which may shed light on Dickens holistic approach to his own
literature. To speculate, Dickens might have chosen this format for his novel in order to oppose
the Victorian tradition of separating ideas (and people) into different parts.

Perhaps then,

Dickens sought to construct a desegregated novel or better yet, one that had never been
segregated to begin with. Additionally, the novel maintains a fairly consistent first person
subjective viewpoint, that is, until the very end, in which the narrative perspective seems to
gradually shift, much like in Joyces literature (Dickens). However, before these variations
found in the literature of Dickens and other famous writers can be expanded upon, specifically
through the means of literary critique, Dickenss life must be examined in considerable detail.
Born on February 7, 1812 Charles Dickens experienced what might be considered an
uneventful life. His family remained impoverished for the majority of his childhood and he was
taken out of school on more than one occasion in order to provide financial support for his
family. It was especially important for young Dickens to work while his father remained in
prison due to unpaid debts. After working for a local newspaper, Dickens gradually rose to
fame following his successful literary pieces which were often based on Victorian society.
Dickens later married Catherine Hogarth who later bore a total of 10 children, all of which
belonged to Dickens (Charles Dickens). Dickens was an avid traveler and spent much of his
time abroad on tour. In fact, he traveled to America where he denounced the practice of slavery,
a position he shared with Mark Twain. Dickens is best remembered for his detailed literature
which so accurately portrayed Victorian society in exhaustive detail. He achieved this mainly
through his well-publicized novels, Great Expectations being one of them. After being involved
in a train crash, Dickenss health never fully recovered and he eventually died from a stroke on

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June 9, 1870 (Charles Dickens 1812-). Interestingly, Charles Dickenss literature shared
similar features with that of American realist Mark Twain as well as Irish modernist James Joyce.
However, before these respective similarities (and differences) are discussed in detail, the
essential themes found in Great Expectations must be realized and presented.
III. Growth, Progression, and Maturation: A Trio of Inevitable Themes
As indicated in the title, Dickens seems to present the reader with an array of inevitable
motifs throughout his novel. What exactly does this mean and why should these ideas be
deemed inevitable? Besides, Dickens did not have to introduce these specific themes in his
novel. Actually, he did and had he not included them in Great Expectations, the story would
have no societal or cultural significance. In other words, his novel would exist without a
purpose, which would be problematic considering the thesis of this paper. For instance, the idea
of progression is certainly relevant to the novel. Pip, Dickenss protagonist, is surprised at the
pace in which life seems to take, despite his series of misfortunes. In fact, Pip almost seems to
lose his sense of self in the fast paced life that threatens his ability to maintain his emotional
stability (Shrimpton). One literary expert, seems to capture the essence of this idea perfectly as
he attributes Pips decreased self- awareness to the progressive nature of public transportation.
This literary critic presents the idea in his work entitled, Living the Global Transport Network
in Great Expectations and is further demonstrated in the following excerpt: The narrating Pip
thus goes back in time to present that first chapter restrictively from the point of view of its
happening to little Pip in the first person, withholding that his later selfs selection of this
particular moment follows, by contrast, from his awareness that the scene is not about himself,
but about two people (Grossman). This excerpt not only relates to Dickenss novel, but to the

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realities very much prevalent in the Victorian era in regards to industrialization, especially when
considering the revolutionary methods of transportation (The Norton Anthology). Growth
and maturation are also vital themes expressed in Dickenss literature, at least according to
another literary critic. In his essay entitled, Great Expectations: Dickenss Muscular Novel,
this expert who seems to admire Dickinsons work, discusses a literary, moral, and social
movement that occurred during the Victorian era. In regards to authorship, this movement would
be known as muscular literature. Charles Dickenss Great Expectations is one such novel; a
muscular novel. Characteristics of muscular literature typically include a male protagonist
whose heroism is exceedingly dominant, thus making him incredibly powerful and efficient.
However, as the literary critic of this article points out, Dickenss protagonist Pip, though young
indeed, was not very strong or powerful at all. In fact, Pip often viewed himself as weak and
undersized. In any case, Pip nevertheless achieved some impressive feats throughout the
novel, socially, emotionally, and to a much lesser extent, physically (Shrimpton). The purpose as
well as the various forms of realism must be discussed in order to effectively compare and
contrast Dickenss literature to that of other writers.
Much like other important movements in European society such as modernism,
Victorianism, and romanticism to name a few, realists sought to centralize a different view of the
world from which society had previously understood it to be. Writers, authors, and social
reformers alike, sought to view the world objectively by capturing and providing an account of
what life was truly like. In essence, realists rejected subjective viewpoints and sought to capture
the world as it truly was (The Norton Anthology). American realism which lasted from
1860-1890, was heavily based on the Civil War and societal movements that would determine
the fate of African Americans. Mark Twain was one such realist whose famous satire, The

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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would expose the hypocritical nature of slavery and racism.
Realists relied heavily on facts, but unlike naturalism, emphasized the present as the individual
saw it. In literature, for instance, the individual was often more important than the plot or
external circumstances in which they encountered (Campell). To expand upon this idea, realists
sought to capture reality with no judgement or personal bias. However, the main messages
which could be then extrapolated from the information presented was often quite obvious. For
instance, in writing Huck Finn, Mark Twain skillfully abstains from incorporating his own
personal bias, but in using satirical mean to address slavery, nevertheless allows the reader to see
that racism is clearly hypocritical and factually unsubstantiated (Rahn). Despite much criticism
in regards to the realistic features of Dickenss work, Dickens deeply believed that even though
his work was of a fictitious nature, it was essentially true to reality especially when considering
the ideas and circumstances that Dickens portrayed in his writing. His literary work was heavily
based on his life as well as that of society (Mullan). Similar to American realism, European
realism was a movement that responded to the society and culture at the time. European realism,
which began at the beginning of the 19 th century, addressed the harsh realities of child labor as
well as the right for workers to earn higher wages (Young). The following image appears to be a
painting which captures the essence of American Realism.

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The painting depicts two young boys sitting together in a pasture during a hot summer day. The
title of the work is Boys in the Pasture. The painting also serves to symbolize the theme of
prevailing friendship in Huck Finn and Great Expectations (Boys in the Pasture). Numerous
parallels can be made between Dickenss literature as well as that of other writers. First, it is
only appropriate to introduce two of these authors apart from their literature as we begin to
acknowledge them as Dickenss counterparts.
Mark Twain shares some evident similarities with Charles Dickens that need not be
ignored. Born in 1835 (during the same era as Charles Dickens), Twain rose to prominence after
working as a local newspaper columnist. Twain was born in Florida, Missouri and his family
would later go on to live in other areas of the state. Twain also dealt with feelings of loneliness
and despair considering the deaths that took place in his family, more notably, that of his father.
Similarly, Dickens also struggled with feelings of alienation and abandonment while his father
remained in prison for part of his childhood (Campell). Like their biographies, both Dickenss
and Twains literature share profound themes about society.
Both Dickenss Great Expectations and Twains Huck Finn share common ideas
pertaining to education, social criticism, and economic inequality. Firstly, the novel of Huck

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Finn is set in the antebellum south and is centered on a young boy named Huck, who befriends
Jim, a local runaway slave. The two endure rather treacherous and exciting events that often test
their friendship. At the end of the novel, Tom Sawyer reveals that Jim had already been set free
due to a will written by his former slave master (Gray). Great Expectations and Huck Finn both
overtly criticize some aspect of society. For instance, consider the following excerpt from
Dickenss novel: Somehow, I was not best pleased with Joes being so mightily secure of me.
I should have liked him to have betrayed emotion or to have said, It does you credit, Pip, or
something of that sort (138; ch. 19). This dialogue spoken by Pip is indicative of the evident
rift that has already begun to take place between Pip and Joe. Upon Pips acquisition of his
newfound fortune, Pip is excited. However, his excitement is short- lived since he has to leave
behind his best friend. To make matters worse, Pip is saddened and somewhat offended by Joes
reaction to Pips departure. Through this excerpt, Dickens is criticizing societys (specifically
Victorian societys) gravitation towards wealth and economic prosperity over the pricelessness of
a good friendship (Great Expectations). In Huck Finn, similar scenarios are introduced in
which superficialities such as the skin color, constantly threaten Huck and Jims relationship.
Interestingly, Huck and Jim are unified by their lack of education while Pip and Joe are
somewhat divided by Joes ignorance in Great Expectations (Gray). In essence both Charles
Dickens and Mark Twain value loyalty and friendship over external expectations. Interestingly,
the literature of James Joyce can also be compared to that of Dickens, if one ventures beyond the
confinements of literary time periods.
James Joyce was born on February 2, 1882 and lived until 1941, and like Dickens, Joyce
suffered from issues within his family. Born in Dublin, Joyce excelled in school and eventually
rose to literary prominence. He became known for his experimental or avante-garde approach to

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literature. A modernist, Joyce embraced uniqueness and change much like Dickens did as a
Victorian. Among his most popular works was, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man which
was published in 1916 (Atherton). Both Dickenss Great Expectations and Joyces A Portrait of
the Artist, showcase the importance self-discovery. Pip learns how to value his inner being apart
from his expectations. Likewise, Stephen Dedalus grows and matures in a variety of ways in
Joyces novel. However, there is a major difference between these two novels. As mentioned
before, Dickens maintains a constant first person viewpoint throughout his novel. Meanwhile, in
Joyces novel, the narrative viewpoint switches from third person subjective to the first person at
the very end. This evident shift in narration was implemented in order to demonstrate how much
Stephen has truly transformed. In other words, he no longer views his existence in association to
those around him, but instead learns who he truly is. Pip overcomes a similar dilemma in Great
Expectations regarding his consciousness which was addressed earlier (Clayton).

After

considering various literary viewpoints and opinions from various sources, it is quite evident that
Dickenss literature along with that of Mark Twain and James Joyce sought to revolutionize
society as they understood it.
IV. Charles Dickens: Not Just a Person, but a Progressive Force
From a personal standpoint, the various forms of literary criticism not only shed light on
the significance of Dickenss work, but also prove that his literature continues to serve a higher
purpose. Perhaps, the most prevailing theme in Dickenss novel is the power of love. From a
romantic viewpoint, Pip never stopped loving Estella. In regards to his friendship with Joe, the
two remained good friends.

Even more significantly, Pip became sentimental towards

Magwitch, a convict (Dickens). Through these examples presented in the novel, one might

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conclude that Dickens understood the values of love and compassion and considered them more
important than any external wealth. Perhaps, Victorians at the time could have benefited from
such a belief. Perhaps future violence and conflict could have been prevented if members of
society would have embraced their differences instead of segregating each other based on them.
This idea holds particular significance to American history and society, hence the development of
realism. But, what does Dickenss writing say about the future? In a world that is becoming
more violent, how can Dickenss philosophy be applied to the 21 st century? The answer is
profound, yet simple: Do not view a person as different from others, but as a unique member that
contributes to a loving whole.

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Works Cited
Atherton, James Stephen. "James Joyce." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia
Britannica, 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 18 May 2016.
Boys in the Pasture. Digital image. Imgarcade.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2016.
Campell, Donna M. "Realism in American Literature, 1860-1890." Literary Movements. Dept. of
English, Washington State University. N.p., 7 Sept. 2015. Web. 16 May 2016.
"Charles Dickens (1812-1870)." BBC. N.p., 2014. Web. 16 May 2016.
"Charles Dickens." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
Clayton, Jay. "Londublin: Dicken's London in Joyce's Dublin." Novel(Providence), vol. 28,
2004.Proquest Learning Literature. Web.19 May.2016
Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations.1860. New York: Bantam, 1981. Print.
Gray, Miranda. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Weebly.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May
2016.
"Great Expectations." DickensLit.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2016.
Grossman, Jonathan H. "Living the Global Transport Network in Great Expectations." Victorian
Studies(Bloomington), vol. 57, 2015. Proquest Learning Literature. Web.19 May.2016
Mullan, John. "Realism." The British Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2016.
Rahn, Josh. "Realism." The Literature Network. Jalic Inc., 2011. Web. 17 May 2016.

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Shrimpton,

Nicholas.

"Great

Expectations:

Dickens's

Muscular

Novel."

Dickens

Quarterly(Louisville), vol. 29, 2012.Proquest Learning Literature. Web. 19 May.2016.

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