Wheatley 2 Pip And Estella example essay topic

Charles Dickens Pip's character's importance to the plot of the novel " Great Expectations" is paramount. Charles Dickens uses an ongoing theme over the course of this novel. Dickens creates Pip to be a possible prototype of his own and his father's life. Pip's qualities are kept under wraps because the changes in him are more important than his general personality. Dickens created Pip to be a normal everyday person that goes through many changes, which allows a normal reader to relate and feel sympathetic towards Pip. Dickens reveals character traits in Pip similar to both himself and his father.

John Dickens, Charles' father, worked as a clerk and was careless with money. John was said to be a good hearted man, however he had a prison record, arrested for debt. All of these characteristics were also shared by Pip in the novel "Great Expectations" (Priestley, 96). A bit of Charles can be seen after Wheatley-2 Pip and Estella met. When Charles met Ellen Tarn an, "He Behaved more like an infatuated youth than a mature man" (Presley, 97). This is also the same way Pip acted toward Estella which may be an intentional characteristic of himself since this novel was written after Charles met Ellen.

Dickens often wrote about his personal life in his novels as with the sense of abandonment he wrote about in "David Copperfield" (par. 12). His sister and blacksmith husband, Joe Garg ery, brought up pip as an orphan. Pip and Joe had a close personal relationship, possibly because they were said to be both "Brought up by hand" (Dickens, 6). Pip's guardians brought him up to know the difference between right and wrong.

After doing wrong Pip often feels guilty and shameful which is a trait of Pip's throughout the novel. Pip first felt shameful after stealing food for Wheatley-3 The escaped convict. While going downstairs Pip's guilty conscience began to get the best of him. Pip began to imagine that every board was yelling "Stop thief" and "Get up Mrs. Joe" (par. 32). Pip's good human qualities came out when he felt sorry for the convict being cold and hungry.

Pip knew he had done wrong by stealing, and once again felt guilty. Pip went to bed that night shameful and had a dream that he too was a criminal for stealing from Mrs. Joe. Pip's attitude begins to change after he visits Miss Havisham's for the first time. This of course is where Pip first meets Estella, his love interest throughout the remainder of the novel. Pip begins to no longer feel proud of where he comes from but instead shameful. Pip decides that he wants to become a gentleman.

Estella was brought up by Miss Havisham to hurt men, due to the fact that a man hurt her herself. Miss Havisham Wheatley-4 molded Estella into a careless girl, "I stole her heart away, and put ice in its place" (85). Pip's desire to become a gentleman was soon given hope as an unknown benefactor sent Pip to London to be tutored. When reaching London Pip was acquainted with Herbert, the pale young gentleman Pip was involved in a fight with at MissHavisham's early on in the novel.

For Pip's reward for winning the fight he received his first kiss from Estella. This shows how Pip began to act like an infatuated youth. Pip experiences guilt, thinking of Joe and Biddy back home, however he never acts on this guilt. Pip makes excuses forwhy he does not treat them well by writing or going home to visit. Pip began mounting debts and was finally arrested like John Dickens (par. 3).

It was obvious that Pip was not going to become a gentleman, however, he still had the snobby attitude of a gentleman. Pip's attitude had changed and although Wheatley-5 he still had guilty thoughts he didn't acton them like the old good hearted Pip would have done. Pip's benefactor was revealed as Mag witch a. k. a. Prov is, the convict Pip helped in the beginning of the novel. The convict was again arrested and the money going towards Pipwas now government property. The old Pip would have been more concerned with the criminal than the money but now he is worried about how to pay off the debts he is mounted.

Old characteristics began to come back as Pip started feeling guilty for taking money from a criminal, and once again thought of himself as being no better than a criminal. Pip soon became a criminal himself as he was arrested like John Dickens for mounted debts. This is the point in the novel where Pip begins to be content with who he really is. Joe paid off Pip's debt, and stayed at his bedside, as Pip was too sick to go to Wheatley-6 jail. Pipwas very sick in jail and wasn't sure who brought him home.

Pip began to be proud of who he is again and felt sorry for his actions while in London (Dickens, 446). Pip rediscovers the value of human relationships compared to the value of money. Pip becomes a clerk (like Charles) and eventually a partner in Herbert's firm. Pip has suffered much and grown in understanding of himself and others (85). Pip finally marries Estella; however, this is only possible because of the change in Pip. Pip's development into a man who can love for natural rather than selfish desires who can give as well as receive.

Estella also changed during the course of the novel. Estella has been through much the same ordeal as Pip. She has learned also that the life she led was a miserable and empty one. As the novel closes, Estella, too, has become capable of love and true human feeling (87). The changes that Estella and Pip experience are changes that allow them to marry. If each character did not go through the cruel activities they experienced it would never be possible that they could be married.

In the end Pip gets what he has wanted his entire life, Estella. Pip married Estella without becoming a gentleman and was happy with the way his life turned out.