Pip in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations

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Pip in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations

"Great Expectations", written by Charles Dickens and set in mid-late

Victorian era; is about a boy named Philip Pirrip, better known as Pip

and his "great expectations". As a child he lived with his sister and

brother in-law Joe. Luck brings him to the aid of a convict, and to

the house of a wealthy society lady. After many encounters with her in

"Satis house", he seeks a life as a gentleman.

A Victorian society gentleman is a man of high social status, and is

expected to be wealthy, well educated, come from a wealthy background,

and have enough money not to work. This is all Pip's perception of

what the precepts of being a gentleman are. Drummle sets a good

example of this for him; he was born into wealth, well educated and

doesn't work for a living. Although Drummle has these qualities, he

embraces an unpleasant personality; he is described, by Pip, as

"sulky", "Heavy in figure, movement and comprehension", "sluggish",

"idle, proud, niggardly, reserved, and suspicious, and has a "large

awkward tongue"." Bentley Drummle doesn't seem very pleasant to Pip,

the only word Pip uses, that maybe a positive quality, is "proud", it

maybe good, but Drummle may only be proud of his wealth and social

status. Drummle is very wealthy, but yet he is very particular with

it, "I wouldn't lend one of you a sixpence. I wouldn't lend anybody a

sixpence." His speech indicates how he treats people and his money; it

implies that he cares more for his money than to have friends, it also

shows how unhelpful and uncaring he is. Drummle gives Pip a negative

impression of high social society.

A moral gentleman would be hard working, you would expect him to have

friends, not be afra...

... middle of paper ...

...life "our

worst weaknesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom

we most despise." So to not look bad in front of others you hide

things, Pip realises what he has done or thought wrong in the past.

In the end Pip is a moral gentleman, he appreciates other people and

their moral. Pip isn't afraid to admit things "it is a miserable thing

to feel ashamed of home"; throughout the book he has demonstrated

this, the way he describes and explains is more against his image than

for it. Pip never was a society gentleman, he lacked a wealthy

background, and he was trying to be something he isn't. Pip has

reached the expectations of a moral gentleman; he is respected and

respectful, hard working, not afraid to admit his wrongs, and he has

friend.

Works Cited:

Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. Ed. Janice Carlisle. Boston: Bedford, 1996.

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