Great Expectations A Boy Name Pip example essay topic

583 words
Sometimes people go through life living a lie. People tend to forget where they come from and forget about those people who helped them get where they are. They become conceited, ambitious, proud and stuck-up. In Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations a boy name Pip had these same issues. The point of this story is to teach us not to act this way because in the end some people do not fulfill their expectations and things begin to go downhill.

Pip had great expectations for himself, but in the end they were not fulfilled. As a young child Pip went through many trials and tribulations. Dickens starts the novel off with the young orphan boy, alone in the cemetery trying to imagine what his parents looked like. At the beginning he sets the tone of sadness, which makes readers feel empathy for Pip. Then, Pip is forced to steal from his own family, which makes him a more pathetic person. Meanwhile, at home Pip's life is not a pretty site at first.

His sister, Mrs. Joe constantly criticizes him and makes him suffer for no reason. In Chapter 4, Mrs. Joe prepares Christmas dinner and serves Pip the worst food and the smallest portions, commenting on what a burden he is. Even though it seems like the odds are against Pip, he has one friend who always showed love and kindness towards him and that was Joe. Joe is a blacksmith who works very hard and wants Pip to work with him. But Pip has greater expectations in mind, which lead him in the wrong direction.

He wants to learn how to be a gentleman and live the high society life, not a blacksmith. Pip is sent to the Satis House to entertain Miss Hav isham a wealthy lady. There he meets the love of his life Estella. Estella is trained to make men love her and then dump them. But Pip sees something else in this woman besides her vindictiveness.

He believes if he is trained as a gentleman he would win the girl of his dreams and live a better life. Nevertheless, Dickens does not end the novel with a happily ever after ending. Pip starts letting his wealth change him and live a dissolute life. He also becomes ashamed of Joe and his past life. All of a sudden Pip thinks he is all of that. On Pip's birthday he learns that Magwitch, the convict is his benefactor and finally realizes Estella is not meant for him.

Now the light finally kicks in his mind and becomes ashamed for mistreating his friend Joe. Pip begins to show compassion towards Magwitch when he tries to help him escape. He also make mends with Joe and his wife Biddy, Pip's other friend. The novel ends with Estella and Pip meeting several years later. They agreed to always be friends no matter what.

Dickens ends the novel this way because he is trying to teach us not to be greedy and arrogant. We should have expectations for ourselves, but do not make them too great that we begin to change and become ambitious. We have to learn to be content with our lives and stay focused on making ourselves a better person on the inside rather on the outside..