Escape Literature And Interpretive Literature In Great Expectations By Charles Dickens

Literature varies in many ways. Two ways in which this can happen can be between escape literature and interpretive literature. According to Literature Structure, Sound, and Sense, “Literature of escape is that written purely for entertainment… Literature of interpretive is written to broaden, deepen, and sharpen our awareness of life.” In the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, interpretive literature is more evident than escape in regard to the fact that it was written not only for pleasure, but for a deeper understanding that the reader may grasp. The story begins by profiling a young boy nicknamed Pip. Pip’s parents had passed away and he was living under the care of his sister and her husband. One day while visiting his parent’s graves, an escaped convict confronts Pip. As a result of fear, Pip listens

He expects his happiness to begin, but this is not the case. His new found wealth proves to be more harmful than beneficial as it wrecks his self-confidence and takes away a lot of his happiness. This part of the story gives the reader a deeper view on life and the destructive qualities money can possess. In this sequence of the story, it is not escape because it does possess a quality deeper than just making the reader go into another reality. Instead it can give wisdom and understanding if the reader accepts and listens to the “advice” given. Often in Great Expectations, social class level and its effects on a person are widely explored. Dickens gives the book its main theme through this tactic. He shows that even though being rich and being high in the “social ladder” can be beneficial, having true friends is the real way to win in life. Pip urges himself this entire novel to become an overall better person and it is not until the end that he realizes the true meaning of happiness and prosperity. This is found when he realizes the support he has in his real