The Significance of Chapter 1 in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The Significance of Chapter 1 in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations is a riveting book set in Victorian London and

published in 1861. The novel is set in historical context and

illustrates ideas of implication such as how the really interesting

people could often be found in the lower classes, in the time of

social division and where the shift from agriculture to industrial

processes was contemporaneous. Nevertheless the plot contains

significant relevance to modern day life in the subtle message that we

can be happy as we are; we don't need always to aim higher at riches.

This great novel is so successful as it applies to historical and

contemporary issues alike in themes such as: isolation, guilt, greed,

sorrow, forgiveness and social reform. These themes are all elaborated

on in the text which is comprised of complex language structures that

is mostly formal whilst remaining personal with the reader as well;

sentences are structured diversely with short sharp quotes in

juxtaposition to lengthy descriptive and often either first person of

passive language (which is characteristic of Dickens and the time)

"Great Expectations" is one of Charles Dickens more mature and

profound items of literature and is classed by many as "the last of

his great works". Great Expectations is typically characteristic of

his later books which satirize social division and are more radical

that its predecessors and the comedy more savage in that the way the

plot is melodramatic in portraying wealth as boring and the cause of

other's suffering. Also theses points are shown in the construction of

exaggerated attitudes for characters w...

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... son (Pip). Pip loses his parents at the start of the book and

then following on he is arguable unfortunate to lose his parental

figure of his sister as well. Joe loses his wife and leaves his once

unhappy marriage with her to start a new life with Biddy in an

apparently joyous life with a child for the first time.

Great Expectations is in my opinion a marvel of literature that

manages to stand the test of time and remain interesting to modern day

experiences. We can all relate to themes of failure and vulnerability,

of guilt and of secrecy. The book is intensely engraved at every point

with moral issues, surprise and a brilliant contrasting plot that

positions it apart from all other books published at the same time. A

lot of its success is the incessant repetition and development of

themes commenced in chapter one.