Analysis of the Use of Setting in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Analysis of the Use of Setting in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The novel, Great Expectations, starts on the dull lonely marshes of

Pip’s home village. Pip has a lack of identity in this book because it

says, ‘My Father’s family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name

Phillip, my infant tongue could make of both the names nothing longer

or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be

called Pip'. This shows us that his lack of identity is down to the

fact he has not got a proper first name because he could not say it

and that because of that he says he has not got a real identity.

The marshes reflect Pip’s identity and emotions because they include a

graveyard where Pip’s parents are buried and obviously Pip is feeling

very emotional. The book says the marshes are, ‘that dark flat

wilderness beyond the church'. This is what Pip is feeling inside

himself. Dark and bleak feelings. This also gives off the impression

that it is a very depressing and scary place to be but Pip doesn’t

care as it is the only refuge from his dreaded, evil sister, Mrs Joe

Gargery, and to be in the place with the ones he loves, his family.

On these same marshes Pip manages to bump in to an escaped convict,

Magwitch. This man is described as, ‘ a fearful man, all in course

grey, with a great iron on his leg'. you already get the impression

this man is a man not to be crossed with and is obviously very

dangerous. It goes on to say, ‘a man with no hat, and with broken

shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been

soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamped by stones, and cut

by flints, and stung by nettles...

... middle of paper ...

... characters moods and personalities. If there was a dark character

he/she would be situated in a dark sinister place. This is a good use

of setting. Dickens does exactly the same thing with the weather for

Pip. For example when Pip is on the marshes the weather is dark and

gloomy just like how Pip is feeling as he is visiting his parents

graves.

Pip’s whole journey is one big circle; starting off in the Forge,

going to London, India and then back to the Forge again. This shows he

was destined to be there from the start and that he should have maybe

stayed where he was.

This book has had some really good ideas portrayed by the use of

setting, weather, character and moods. All in all it was very cleverly

written and kept you entertained. I didn’t have great expectations for

it but enjoyed it when I read it.