Great Expectations Pip's Self Esteem

In the modern day world Pip would be diagnosed with low self esteem. Pip is suffering throughout the book from low self esteem. As stated on getesteem.com “Fear and anxiety are the conerstones of low self esteem” (Symptoms of Low Self-Esteem). Pips problem is proven as soon as chapter five here “ My convict looked round him for the first time, and saw me … I looked at him eagerly when he looked when he looked at me, and slightly moved my hands and shook my head. I had been waiting for him to see me, that I might try to assure him of my innocence” (Dickens 30). As shown in text Pip is suffering from low self esteem, he seeks acceptance from everyone including this random convict who is threatening him. Pips illness only progresses to get worse

throughout the book. Simplypsychology.org tells us that this illness isn’t a straight line but more like an analog signal “Self-esteem should be viewed as a continuum, and can be high, medium or low, and is often quantified as a number in empirical research” (McLeod). Pips illness worsen to the point of bluntness where even his closest friends begin to notice “Told me! you have never told me when you have got your haircut, but I have had senses to perceive it. You have always adored her, ever since I have known you. You brought your adoration and your port manteau here, together. Told me!

why, you have always told me all day long. When you told me your own story, you have always told me all day long. When you told me your own story, you told me plainly that you began adoring her the first time you saw her, when you were very young indeed” (Dickens 194). Nothing exactly is as bad as loving someone your whole life when you’re doomed never to be together, even his friend notices it damages him and only makes him plunge further into the pit of his own self esteem. Later in the book, you can see Estella hurting Pip. Here, nhs.uk tells where most cases of low self esteem begin “Low self-esteem often begins in childhood. Teachers, friends, siblings, parents, and even the media give us lots of messages – both positive and negative. But for some reason, the message that you are not good enough sticks” (Raising low self-esteem). Now we see Estella’s true colors “I have not bestowed my tenderness anywhere. I have never had any such thing” (Dickens 187). Pip has done nothing but love Estella then she turns around and says that she has never loved anything at all. So, as you can see once it gets down to it the facts and reasons to why Pip has low self esteem are blunt and right in front of us,

Estella.\

Without a doubt, today Pip would be diagnosed with OCD. OCD is an extreme illness that can sometimes control you more than you realize. OCD could even control your thoughts to the point of recognition “Can't control his or her thoughts or behaviors, even when those thoughts or behaviors are recognized as excessive” (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Pip has a casual conversation with his friend Biddy “If I could only get myself to fall in love with you - you don’t mind my speaking so openly to such an old acquaintance?” (Dickens 101). Pip has no control over his emotions he wants to stop loving Estella but he can’t because he is obsessed. OCD is a serious illness in which a person can in turn lose themselves. Nimh.nih.gov states “Spends at least 1 hour a day on these thoughts of behaviors” (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Even pip admits to find Estella irresistible “The unqualified truth is that when I loved Estella with the love of a man, I loved her simply because I found her irresistible” (Dickens 181). When you find something or someone irresistible you don’t think about them for a mere hour of the day, but the full 24. When someone is obsessed with someone or something they lose all control of their vocals. Medicinenet.com agrees with me “Obsessively talking about their loved object” (Dryden-Edwards). Even Pips best friend notices “Told me! you have never told me when you have got your haircut, but I have had senses to perceive it. You have always adored her, ever since I have known you. You brought your adoration and your port manteau here, together. Told me! why, you have always told me all day long. When you told me your own story, you have always told me all day long. When you told me your own story, you told me plainly that you began adoring her the first time you saw her, when you were very young indeed” (Dickens 194). Pip couldn’t stop talking about Estella to the point where even his friends began to notice his obsession. Pip is suffering throughout the book because of his OCD, this alone forces him to make some of his most important choices.

Pip in modern medicine would be diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD is an extremely dangerous illness. Stated on nimh.nih.gov “PTSD is a disorder that develops in some people who have seen or lived through a shocking, scary, or dangerous event” (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Pips Traumatic event was living with his sister for a few obvious reasons “I supposed that both Joe Gargery and I were brought up by hand” (Dickens 8). This is a blatant way of Pip’s sister come out and say that she beats his to make him behave. PTSD not only affects you but can damage your relationship with others. “Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event” (Diseases and Conditions Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)). Pip’s sister never really treated him like a proper human “I was always treated as if I had insisted on being born” (Dickens 17). Pip’s sister didn’t treat him like a son or even a little brother he never did anything wrong, nothing except being born. PTSD can even affect your relationship with your families. Relationships are a hard thing to keep especially with PTSD “Trauma survivors who have PTSD may have trouble with their close family relationships or friendships” (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Pip’s relationship with his sister does end up changing “And so she presently said ‘Joe’ again, and once ‘Pardon’ and once ‘Pip.’And so she never lifted her head up anymore, and it was just an hour later when we laid it down on her own bed, because we found she was gone” (Dickens 222). Pip’s relationship with his sister finally resolves itself but none too soon as she immediately dies after. So, not only has his parents died but his abusive sister ( his only motherly figure) is dead now but he just found out she actually loves him and is sorry for everything. PTSD is a serious disease that Pip suffers from and throughout the book the main source of his traumatic event is his parents deaths, but mainly his sister’s abusive nature then her death.

Some may say Charles Dickens didn’t suffer from severe depression, but, they are wrong.

People of his time would have said to buck up, or it's just a phase. As stated on mhahc.com “But of course he was not always in such control of himself. He had strange fits of depression from time to time” (Mental Health America of Hendricks County “People with Mental Illness Enrich Our Lives”). The man had no control over his life until his older years, imagine having no control over what you do depressing right? Some may say that Charles Dickens’ life wasn’t that hard. But, Biography.com and I disagree “Following his father’s imprisonment, Charles Dickens was forced to leave school to work at a boot-blacking factory alongside the River Thames. At the rundown, rodent-ridden factory, Dickens earned six shillings a week labeling pots of “blacking,” (Charles Dickens Biography). At the age of twelve your father is imprisoned because he couldn’t pay the bills, immediately after you must quit school and get a job basically working for nothing. Dickens’ life never really fixed itself it got better but never fully recovered. AS shown here “During the 1850s, Dickens suffered two devastating losses: the deaths of his daughter and father. He also separated from his wife during that decade, with Dickens slandering Kate publicly” (Charles DIckens Biography). His daughter and father dies then a few years later he gets a divorce that could drive anyone to depression. So, if anyone things that Charles

Dickens didn’t suffer from depression or he had an easy life they are wrong.