Analysis of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Analysis of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens, the revolutionary 19th century novelist, wrote a

bildungsroman of Phillip Pirrip (Pip) and the reality of his own “Great

Expectations” in his pursuit to become a gentleman. In Chapter 8, the

reader is introduced to Miss Havisham and Estella and this is where

Pip first becomes dissatisfied with the life at the forge.

There were many writers in Dickens’ day whose works are no longer

read; this is possibly because Dickens did something idiosyncratically

different from his contemporaries. The plot of Great Expectations is

quite complex, yet it is the way that Dickens handles the various

elements of the plot that makes the novel appealing. For instance, the

dexterity of one branch of the plot built up to the point where a

major event is about to take place and then the scene modifies to

another plot. This control of tension – making the audience wait – is

a major component of the author’s craft and can be experienced in this

chapter.

The chapter itself is positioned after Pip encounters the convict.

This chapter contrasts with the other and acts as an expositional

stage of the book. This links with the authorial style of Dickens and

how he builds up certain areas of the novel to prepare for other

stages of the book. As Chapter 8 sets up the characters and links them

together, Dickens is preparing for the end of the novel.

This chapter is significant as it introduces the reader to fundamental

characters and themes, which fabricates the intricate web of Pip’s

development. A new storyline, focused on Miss Havisham and Estella, is

now developed. It establishes relationships between Pip, Miss Havisham

and Estella and it prepares the plot f...

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...d as an

aristocratic character and perceived by other characters “as if [she]

were a queen” (Ch. 29 p.193). Dickens did this only to substitute the

absence of a noble character and to strengthen his moral theme.

Nonetheless, the question remains: is Great Expectations still

relevant today? Undoubtedly, yes. What Dickens portrays in Great

Expectations and Chapter 8 is that the moral theme of the book—Pip’s

awareness that wealth and class are less significant than affection,

loyalty, and inner worth. As a society today, we are bombarded with

celebrity, brands and a culture where anyone can be “famous for

fifteen minutes” (Andy Warhol). This introduction of this class and

its stupendous wealth appeals to many people of today. This novel,

this chapter tries to make the reader understand that one’s social

status is in no way linked to one’s real character.