Dickens' Social Commentary in Great Expectations
Charles Dickens' Great Expectations stands as one of the most highly revered works in all of English literature. The novel's perennial appeal lies in its penetrating depictions of character, rich panoramas of social milieu, and implicit crusades against social evils.1
Dickens used the growth of his characters in Great Expectations, particularly Pip, in relation to others to write about social reform, and most effectively illustrated this by using the first-person narrative style. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens has written a social commentary using the development of his characters to illustrate his message. In my paper, I will concentrate on three of the main characters, Magwitch, Miss Havisham, Estella, and Joe Gargery.
During the time when he lived, Dickens recognized many evils in society. In Great Expectations he focused on the problem of the whole idea of a class in society. It was a social commentary on society. His way to illustrate the solution to the problem of class in society was "to create characters who can get beyond the limitations and divisions of class identifications and see themselves as responsible humans."2 The people who read Dickens' works were often the kinds of people he was attacking. Dickens lived during the Victorian age which was known as the age of social criticism. Great Expectations was Dickens first attack on class in society.3
Dickens did not come right out and preach about social reform in his novels. He uses his rich characters to illustrate the values and morals he is trying to get across. Great Expectations is a novel of social criticism. In Dickens' opinion the two main social evils were selfishness an...
... middle of paper ...
...ornback, 22.
3. Hornback, 4-5.
4. Hornback, 27-28.
5. Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1942), 3.
6. Dickens, 395.
7. Dickens, 68.
8. Dickens, 71 .
9. Dickens, 72.
10. Dickens, 72.
11. Dickens, 598.
12. Dickens, 57.
13. Hornback, 25-26.
14. Hornback, 60.
Works Cited
Chesterton, G.K. Charles Dickens: A Critical Study. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1906.
Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1942.
Hornback, Bert G. Great Expectations: A Novel of Friendship. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987.
Pearson, Hesketh. Dickens, His Character, Comedy, and Career. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1949.
Priestley, J.B. Charles Dickens and His World. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1961.
legally and to be able to visit their families. Moreover, children of immigrants will not be left
Throughout legends there has always been an old tale that vampires do exist. This myth began with a man known as Dracula, Vlad Tepes, who was brought to popularity by the author Bram Stoker. Another, Elizabeth Bathory, also assisted in the vampire myth.
...er introduction is the main reason why the foreshadowing is necessary for the reader. Therefore, this extract sets the tone for the rest of the book, a constant suspense on what will happen to Lennie and Curley's wife.
Viano, David C., and David Halstead. "Change in Size and Impact Performance of Football Helmets from the 1970s to 2010." Annals of Biomedical Engineering 40.1 (2012): 175-84. Print.
The game of football has become safer over the past few years and is helping cut down the risk of injury. Not only are they safer during they play with the new safety technology they will be healthier after they play as well. Aikman praised the NFL for its recent decision to run baseline tests on all players in training camp so the league can later determine if their brains have been damaged from hits to the head.(“Aikman…”). With the new testing players be better equipped and prepared before and after their football careers. Many football players get brain injuries which is why they need to have better safety equipment. In any given season, about 20% of high school players suffer brain injuries (“Lanham”). The safety equipment is becoming way more advanced as well. Helmets are getting better, but it’s more effective at protecting the skull than the brain inside (“Death of Football…”). The Children’s Sports Athletic Equipment Safety Act comes in light of the fact that there are no federal guidelines for both new and used helmets that formally test against the forces believed to cause concussions (“Lanham”). The new safety equipment can’t protect everything thou...
Merchant, M. Insects in the City. Texas A&M Agrlife, 14 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
... and kill people. Mass school shootings don’t happen because the gun wakes up one day and says, “Hey, I’m going to go shoot up Sandy Hook today.” No. Things like that happen because law enforcement isn’t being as strict as they need to be with gun laws that have already passed.
Friday August 15, 1969. The first day of the festival, it was a little crazy the roads where jammed. People were leaving there cars to run to the festival which caused a huge problem. Only a few of the musicians made it before the traffic jam others had to be brought in by helicopter. Who were some of these people you may ask. Well we have Richie Haven, Ravi Shankar, Tim Hardin, Sweetwater, Bert Sommer, Melanie Safka, Arlo Guthrie, and Joan Baez. (“Woodstock”)
“About the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: The Similarities Between Dickens and Pip.” A Date with Dickens. Oprah’s Book Club. 6 December 2010. Web. 21 March 2014.
The novel, Great Expectations, deals with the concepts of a ‘true gentleman’; where the Victorian idea, which is based upon birth, wealth, social status and apparel, contrasts to Dickens’ portrayal of a gentleman who is a person of kindness, humility and generosity. Dickens upbringing and early life allows him to understand the position of the poor due to their humble upbringing, which keeps them in the lower social class. His didactic message, what it is to be a true gentleman, is reinforced by the bildungsroman style of the novel.
“Charles Dickens: Great Expectations.” (2 Feb, 2006): 2. Online. World Wide Web. 2 Feb, 2006. Available http://www.uned.es/dpto-filologias-extranjeras/cursos/LenguaIglesaIII/TextosYComentarios/dickens.htm.
...ntation of the distinctions between the social classes. Dickens uses Pip’s relationships with Estella, Joe, and Magwitch to show how the lower class is judged by social status or appearances, instead of morals and values. The lower class is looked down upon and taken advantage of the upper class, and this is prevalent in the novel Great Expectations.
Social class played a major role in the society depicted in Charles Dickens's Great Expectations. Social class determined the manner in which a person was treated and their access to education. Yet, social class did not define the character of the individual.
...th us in life. We always choose to see them in a positive way. Focusing on the good they accomplished and their deeds performed. How knowing them has helped us or changed us in some way for the better.
The Following essay will examine how class is represented in the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Both in this novel and many others, which are based around the time of the 1800’s, class is a major part of life which in turn made your life’s path completely dependent on what class or background you were brought up in. This was majorly the case in Great Expectations and especially in the life of Pip. After reading Great Expectations there are many arguments