Charles Dickens Analysis

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Dickens describes life in early Victorian England as a ‘universal struggle’. How far do you agree with this assessment based on your reading of the opening chapters of the novel?

In the opening chapters of ‘Great Expectations’, Charles Dickens presents life in Victorian times as a ‘universal struggle’. In one way or another, most of his characters are suffering from the harsh ways of these times. Pip, the first character we meet, who has lost both his parents to sickness as well as five of his six siblings. He is now cared for by his elder sister who mistreats him. However, Pip is not the only character suffering, Miss Havisham, a wealthy eccentric women, has locked herself away from the world dwelling on the painful incidents that have occurred in the past. Even though she is from the opposite end of the social spectrum, she is dealing with her own problems, just as Pip is. Also the convict, Magwitch, is suffering from the cold and hunger. He is not a bad person and Dickens makes us feel sympathetic towards him by using descriptive language.

        Charles Dickens dreamed of becoming a gentleman. However, his dreams were shattered when he was just 12 years old as his father was sent to jail for failure to pay his debts. Also, Charles was sent to work in a shoe polish factory. However, when he was aged 16, he decided he wanted to become a reporter and in 1828 Charles found a job as a court reporter in London. This childhood is similar to that of Pip’s. Charles’ father is sent to jail whilst Pip’s father dies. Charles’ dream is to become a gentleman, as is Pip’s. Charles and Pip both move to London and both achieved prosperity. Dickens had been concerned with the lives of those less fortunate than himself and in particular he was concerned about children working at such a young age in factories. He managed to help towards passing a law that prevented children working in dangerous positions across the country.

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        At the very start of the novel, we are introduced to the main character, Pip. The name Pip makes him sound small and vulnerable. Dickens describes him as a ‘small bundle of shivers’ and he is juxtaposed with the vast and expansive landscape. The author also uses the pathetic fallacy to present Pip as a part of the landscape. The mist symbolises Pip’s inability to see and this inability takes place throughout the novel, all the way until Pip’s adulthood.

        At first, the convict is introduced as a fearful character and Dickens makes him shocking by listing his fearful features in ...

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