Great Expectations

Man vs. Society

Charles Dickens’s novel Great Expectations (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000) is set in the London area of England early in the nineteenth century. Told by Pip, the protagonist, the story, set against the background of the Industrial Revolution, relates his life from age seven to age thirty-five. As Pip encounters various characters and situations, he experiences inner turmoil between the simple village values he has been taught and the upper-class lifestyle he comes to desire. From the time of his first meeting in the graveyard with the convict, Pip sees the world upside down: “The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down” (5). Dickens suggests through Pip’s actions that people are often influenced by social position and wealth.

At the beginning of the novel, Pip is a poor, scared, and starving seven-year-old boy visiting his families’ tombstones on Christmas Eve. He is willing to do whatever anyone says including a convict. Pip has seen Joe, his sister’s husband, be kind to all others: He [Joe] mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going…” (7). While Pip is poor, he does not act snobbishly to anyone.

When Pip has been visiting Miss Havisham for many months he begins to act as if he is better than everyone else in his home because he is hanging around with wealthy people. He has not yet received his great expectations but is becoming arrogant and is starting to change how he looks at the world and is thinking of himself as less common.

But Pip’s attitude changes completely when he is informed of his great expectations. He is to become a gentleman, something that he has long desired. One week before Pip is to leave for London, he goes to get a new suit. Mr. Trabb does not want to make him a suit, but as soon as Mr. Trabb learns that Pip is to become a gentleman, he is more than willing to serve him. On the day that Pip is to leave for London, he does not want Joe to come with him to the coach station...