Pip As The Narrator Dickens example essay topic

Great Expectations Dickens' gripping novel of 1861, Great Expectations, portrays his distinguishing tendency to exaggerate both plot and characters. Chapter eight enhances his main aim of initiating sympathy for Pip, and this, consequently, lasts for the novel's entirety. We are shown similarities between Dickens' early childhood memories and the protagonist's inability to defend himself against the injustices he discovers throughout the early years of life. Dickens successfully creates a sympathetic mood through a range of techniques, including an exquisite use of emotive dialogue, sophisticated imagery and symbolism. He explores and brings originality to timeless themes such as fear, loneliness, luck, classism, social justice, humiliation, and humor, which is cleverly incorporated into his writing for the first time to bring an uplifting mood to an otherwise dark and disturbing tone. His use of Miss Havisham and Estella as tools to evoke sympathy and casting the central character as the narrative voice increases compassion and creates a dramatic attitude.

In this essay, I will also examine the opening and ending of the chapter, which contribute to its overall effect. Opening and Ending of the chapter After the initial detailed account of Pumblechook and his home, we are immediately endeared to Pip and express sympathy when he begins to depict the low ceiling of his attic space. Our sympathy is again increased and contained throughout the entire chapter - from the humorous torment of Pumblechook's sums to meeting the somewhat frightening Miss Havisham and stepping inside her lonely, dilapidated abode. Pip's already dire situation is once again worsened by Estella and Miss Havisham's cruel and menacing comments about the situation in which he finds himself. They arouse our consideration through the way in which they interact, both with each other and with Pip, making him feel 'much more ignorant' than he had considered himself the previous night. His growing obsession with Estella and her view upon him drags down his self-esteem to an all time low and consequently builds our sympathy towards him.

It is here that his feeling of despair and worthlessness present him with the new target of becoming a gentleman, so far from his status at that present time. Social Class Great Expectations frequently refers us to the present class system of a post-Industrial Revolution Victorian England. The theme of social underlines the book's overall plot and moral theme that loyalty and conscience are worth more than social advancement, wealth and class. During the 19th century, there were vast differences in social class. Although it was incredibly easy to slip down the social ladder, the poor often resorted to begging or stealing in order to survive.

Most children, like Pip, received little or no education, and therefore the working classes were held in low regard to those like Estella, who reacted in a similar way to readers of the book's day. Pip later understands that, despite the esteem to which he holds Estella, one's status in a pretentious and money driven world are in no way connected to one's real character. Estella also realizes this, when instead of marrying kindhearted commoner Pip, she chooses to marry the course and cruel nobleman Drumm le, who, despite his high class, is in no way able to fulfill her happiness. Each aspect of Chapter eight reinforces the socio economic significance, which Dickens explores. For example, when Pip and Estella play the simple card game, 'Beggar my Neighbour', its name and nature seemingly enhance the chief disparity of social class between the two, therefore building sympathy for Pip. His first bitter taste of a 'higher society' leaves him embarrassed and ashamed when Estella declares him a 'common labouring boy'.

She later insults him further, with harsh comments about his " course hands' and 'thick boots'. It is this chapter in which Pip realizes that his attire and mannerisms will only ever be sub-standard if he continues his life as a blacksmith's apprentice. He envies Estella for her social position and when he becomes a gentleman, he begins to act in her same snobbish and cold fashion to both Joe and Biddy. Estella is described as 'very proud' by Pip, but despite his great envy of her, she is in fact even lower born than him as she is discovered to be Magwitch's daughter later in the novel.

Genre GE is part of the 'bildungsroman' category of literature, for novels which show the growth and progression of a character (in this case, Pip) in various ways, whether it be physically, mentally or morally. This spiritual development of the books narrator draws sympathy from the reader. This growth is possibly due to the fact that Pip's advancement was followed n monthly magazine installments, each installment beginning a new chapter of Pip's growth in life. However, the narrator is an older Pip, looking back upon his life, so these thoughts do not show us the characters growth. Magazines must appeal and circulate amongst a large population with varied tastes and opinions. Therefore, the writing had to incorporate a sense of humour, whilst also maintaining the sympathy that had been created.

For example, at the beginning of the chapter, Mr Pumblechook is quizzing Pip on various sums but to no avail. Although humorous, this continual questioning makes us feel extremely sorry for Pip as we would not endeavor to be in his unfortunate situation. Miss Havisham's lonely, ruined home and frozen lifestyle contribute to an overall gothic aura surrounding not only this chapter, but the entire novel. This, and Pips imaginings of a haunting MissHavisham hanging from Satis House, and the satanic like convict, Magwitch, who secretly escapes with Pip, provide an intense, yet gothic tone.

This tone builds sympathy towards a young and fragile Pip who is in a daunting situationBackgroundBorn in 1812, Dickens was but twelve years old when his father was thrown into a debtor's prison. He was then removed from school and sent to work in a factory, which he describes as a 'most terrible time' in his life This was what many young children experienced during the Industrial revolution, when thousands were exploited. Therefore, one can only assume that Dickens' childhood poverty encouraged him to cast his feelings of social reform upon Pip's life, and portray him as a young neglected boy at the beginning of the novel (to whom we feel great sympathy towards), and as a rich, snobbish gentleman in the latter part. Dickens is widely praised for his unique descriptions of characters, in not only physical appearance, but speech and mannerisms also. This originality is most probably due to his time spent in towns, where he was able to observe and interact with people from various social backgrounds.

When comparing his poor, lonely childhood with that of Pip's, we notice great similarities and its in this that we can begin to believe that his descriptions are both accurate and realistic. He is cautious to introduce lasting, romantic love in 'Great Expectations', perhaps because before it was written, he had just left his wife of twenty-two years. It is through this that we can discover how his personal life affected this story and therefore it is obviously one of great meaning and sound morals. Pip as the narrator Dickens intuitive use of Pip as the narrative voice is a successful way to further create this empathy, which fuels the chapter. The narrator is often either in the perspective of the 'this person', an omniscient observer, or the " first person', who participates in the story itself. Chapter eight has been written in the first person, using an older Pip who is looking back on his youth.

From his insightful dialogue, it seems as though Pip is filling in a report of his life, rather than telling us an epic tale, for example "I regret to state... ". . Through the use of a mature Pip, Dickens successfully enables his readers to feel personally connected with the sorry individual and his intimate thoughts.

Hence one can distinguish the connection between the two voices and understand, whilst feeling sympathetic towards each Pip. We realize he often feels 'very uncomfortable' and 'half afraid' when in a tense situation and this adds a personal touch to the story that can only increase one's already stable compassion. Setting Setting descriptions often encourage vivid mental images, which often further emotional responses. These pictures allow us to imagine that we are participating in the story and therefore feel connected to is characters. Dickens goes to extreme lengths to place his characters in a setting. These settings tell us a great deal about his characters as they are united with their surroundings.

Chapter eight is set in two separate surrounding vicinities -firstly we are found in Mr. Pumblechook's 'peppercorn y and farinaceous abode. ' Farinaceous' is a term very much in the context of the Victorian era, meaning starchy, it is rarely heard of in modern England, yet it was typical of the book's day. The lighthearted description of his residence contrasts to that of Satis House, the second setting in Chapter eight, which has been given a more dismal approach. The crumbling domicile, belonging to a further crumbling MissHavisham, is 'empty' and 'shrill' with 'high, enclosing walls'. The house reflects the emotion felt by Pip and the reader, whilst also the bitter emptiness that is miss Havisham. Pip says 'the wind seemed to blow colder here', which increases our sympathy towards him as we feel a certain sense of this coldness also and feel that it is no place for a young boy.

Dickens' careful vocabulary selection reflects just how effectively mood can be created by clever setting descriptions, which enhance character and culture. Miss Havisham Miss Havisham is certainly the strongest and most defining personality of both the chapter, and entire novel. Her mad, vengeful mannerisms and reflection of inward enigma on outward manifestation make her an obscure yet intriguing character. She is a wealthy dowager, defined by her possessions: the dark, rotting mansion in which she dwells, the tattered wedding dress she wears everyday, the substantial amount of money she possesses and her beautiful ward. Her life is defined by a single tragic event, which shaped the course of her life -the day that on which she was to be married, on which her husband-to-be jilted her. Thus forth, Miss Havisham sees nothing but heartbreak and is determined to seek revenge on all mankind.

She is a symbol of heartbreak, bestowed with a passion, even when wrapped in cotton wool on her table, kissed, but insensible to kisses, forgetting how somebody broke her heart and repenting how she broke it herself. Her life is a parody. From her wedding day, she stopped all the clocks so they read the exact moment at which her love died, twenty minutes to nine, when she first discovered Compeyson had gone. She wears but one shoe, as before she learnt of his severe betrayal, she had not yet managed to don the other.

Her cake remains untouched, but is now moldy and stale, she still wears her once beautiful, yet now decrepit and yellowing gown, she moves by wheelchair, never venturing to enjoy the light of day - nothing has changed from the precise moment that her wedding plans disintegrated other than the manic, obsessive cruelty which she now retains. She adopts Estella as a means to achieve revenge upon the male race, her single-minded vengeance pursued destructively, causing great suffering to those around her and to herself. Yet she is unable to see how her actions are hurtful to Pip and Estella. Pip makes frequent visits to and forms a familial relationship with Miss Havisham, which Dickens emphasizes strongly. Pip's expectations rise when he is invited to enjoy a game of 'Beggar my neighbor' with Miss Havisham. Dickens then paints MissHavisham's relatives as a collection of greedy, money grabbing relatives, waiting for her demise so as to inherit her large fortune.

Miss Havisham is most probably Dickens's most potent tool to evoke sympathy for Pip in chapter eight as she uses Estella to break Pip's heart and belittle him at every opportunity for being coarse, unworthy and generally indefensible. She makes him feel as though he 'were a dog in disgrace', enhancing the disparity between social class and encouraging Estella to treat him with extreme disgust. However, she is redeemed at the end of the novel when she realizes that she has caused Pip " she art to be broken in the same manner in which her own was, rather than achieving revenge. Estella Estella plays a major role in 'Great Expectations' and her significance in the novel far outweighs her appearance to the reader. Beautiful but contemptuous, Estella is a girl in possession of an extremely cold heart, almost as cold and bitter as her adoptive home at 'Satis House'.

She is the incarnation of MissHavisham's hatred of men and it is through her that Miss Havisham is able to cause severe heartache to the innocent Pip. She has been raised to wreak revenge on the male sex and to 'break their hearts' on behalf of Miss Havisham. Dickens uses the character of Estella to evoke a feeling of sympathy for Pip throughout the novel. The seeds for this pity are laid in chapter eight. When Pip is so obviously attracted to Estella but she responds to him with an utmost disgust and dist ain. She uses many derogatory terms towards him, and continually refers to him as 'boy'.

She does not even deem him important enough to talk too directly, which in effect arouses our sympathy for Pip. To her he is beneath respect and is nothing more than 'a common laboring boy'. She ridicules everything about him even his boots, and seems to enjoy making him seem inferior. "What coarse hands he has! And what thick boots!" Her brutal treatment of him leaves him feeling heartbroken, and encourages his snobbish behaviour when he becomes the gentleman he has always strive d to become. In spite of his age Pip is left feeling not only socially but also academically diminished.

Conclusion Through this analysis I have begun to understand Dickens' array of sympathy building devices, such as language, characters, theme and narrator use. It is clear that Dickens' background was a crucial device in stimulating the audience's sympathy, as it would seem that a part of Dickens has been expressed in his writing. His use of social class has been extremely effective as this young fragile boy seems to have had an awful start in life through no fault of his own, just simply cursed for his class, yet it is true what they say, we die in the class we were born. The subtle yet effectual plot techniques, language devices and underlying themes intensify Pip's dire situation and would have been of particular success in the Victorian era.

Overall I would say Dickens has most definitely created a superb display of the methods to which sympathy can be created for his central, lonesome character, Phillip Pir rip..