Coming Of Age

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Recommended: Analytical essay on part one of great expectations

In the novel Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens, Pip has many male influences that help him in his overall development over his lifetime. This novel is a coming of age story, having many different father like figures that help him through many things in his life. People such as; Joe, Jaggers, Matthew Pocket and Abel Magwitch. The character I believe to have the most influence on Pip is Joe. Joe is the husband of Pip’s sister, and practically raised Pip, knowing him the longest out of the all four male influences. In the beginning of the novel, when Pip was a young boy, Joe was always there for him and helped him. For example, at the moment Pip steals the piece of bread and then lies to Mrs Joe, saying he ate it, Joe gets worried. …show more content…

“ She’s coming! Get behind the door, old chap, and have the jack towel betwixt you” (Dickens 9) Another example, in the middle of the novel, is when Pip gets offered to become a gentlemen in London by a man named Jaggers and Joe gets very defensive. Joe won’t take the money Jaggers has offered for the loss of Pips work. Joe believes that no amount of money would make up for the loss of Pip. This shows how Joe won’t accept any bribery for the loss of his beloved Pip. To Joe, Pip was like a son and his love for him goes way beyond just money and being his apprentice. Lastly, toward the end of the novel Joe and Pip haven’t been communicating as well as they used to. Pip’s nasty attitude towards Joe, when he comes to visit in London, didn’t stop Joe from loving Pip so dearly. When Pip gets into a lot of debt, Joe pays it off. Also, during Pip’s illness, Joe nurses him back to health to get him on his feet again. “Which dear old Pip, old chap,.... You and me was ever friends. And when you’re well enough to go out for a ride-what larks!” (Dickens …show more content…

In the novel Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses imagery of light and dark to show the good and evil throughout the novel. In beginning of the novel, when Pip was a young boy he visited Satis house to play with Estella. This house has a very gothic and dark vibe, which brings in the imagery of darkness to portray evil. Satis house is gloomy and is filled with things from the past. All of the clocks are set to 20 minutes to nine, the entire house is the same as on the day of her wedding day from the table setting to her wearing her wedding dress. Mrs Havisham is filled with revenge, and the imagery of darkness in her house shows the true evil inside of her. All of her anger and revenge is going upon Estella, creating a tone of darkness and gloom throughout the novel. "On this day of the year, long before you were born, this heapof decay, stabbing with her crutched stick at the pile of cobwebs on the table but not touching it, was brought here. It and I have worn away together. The mice have gnawed at it, and sharper teeth than teeth of mice have gnawed at me." (Dickens 11) In the middle of the novel, when Pip goes over to Estella’s house, he finally starts to see the good in her. They talk some more, play cards and she even lets him give her a kiss on the cheek. The lantern Estella carries to be able to move through the house shows how she has good in her, as she is the only one with this illuminating light. She’s just surrounded by a lot of darkness, yet Pip

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