Compare, Contrast and Analyse Chapters 1 and 39 of Great Expectations.

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“Great Expectations” Coursework

Compare, Contrast and Analyse Chapters 1 and 39 of “Great Expectations”.

“Great Expectations”, written between December 1860 and August 1861 by Charles Dickens; it was Dickens’ thirteenth novel. Dickens had been a well-recognised figure within the literary world for the good part of twenty five years. He was seen as an author who helped shape literature of the age. His vivid imagery and development of characters had become one of his trademarks; despite this the public did not well receive many of his novels written just before “Great Expectations”, in particular his ‘darker’ novels. As a result of this, sales of his magazine “All Year Round”, which featured novels, released in instalments, were falling. “Great Expectations” was written as an attempt to save “All Year Round”.

To appeal to the literary audience of the time, Dickens incorporated many features of the popular novel genres of the period. There were five main types of novel, which drew in many readers of the Victorian era. The ‘Silver Fork’ novel featured stories about the lives of the upper class citizens; these novels fascinated those of lower class, who were keen to gain an insight into how the upper classes lived their lives. The ‘New Gate’ novel consisted of tales related to crime. People of the time, just as those of today, were captivated by stories about jail, crime, the ‘criminal underworld’ and gruesome murders. The “Gothic” novel featured dark, desolate, bleak settings or frightening mansions, a classic example of the “Gothic” novel is “Frankenstein”. The ‘Romantic’ novel; love stories, particular popular when the story featured mismatched lovers. The ‘Social-Purpose’ novel was a genre written specifically in order to raise social issues to the attention of the general public, a great example being the poor treatment of orphans highlighted in ‘Oliver Twist’. Dickens also wanted to highlight he felt society faced and the attitudes of Victorian society which needed to be addressed. He felt compelled to highlight the problems of the structure in place in Victorian society, due to the events Dickens faced within his own life, having come from a working class background however. Dickens managed to work his way up through the classes.

As a result of this he had experienced first-hand, the attitudes and views between the classes. His father was also imprisoned for debt; a trivial matter which is common in today’s society and seems unworthy of a jail sentence, Dickens also felt the Victorian justice system, as well as the social class system together with the attitudes of society were clearly wrong and harsh, punishing people for the smallest of crimes and people of lower class found it difficult to move up the social class system, the upper classes felt superior to those of lower class, doing everything in their power to ensure they remained above those of lower class, they were also highly judgemental. Dickens addresses these issues in “Great Expectations” through the eyes of the protagonist Pip as an adult, looking back on his life.

We first meet Pip, a small, weak, vulnerable orphan in a bleak, cold, harsh graveyard; in this ‘meeting on the marshes’, Pip is startled by the appearance of Magwitch, who is first portrayed as the villain or antagonist within “Great Expectations”. Magwitch an escaped convict is shown as a threat to Pip; Magwitch threatens and manipulates Pip into stealing a file and food for him. Although this seems insignificant it plays a much deeper role within the complex and well executed plot of “Great Expectations”. As the novel progresses, Pip’s life drastically changes, he is invited to meet Miss Havisham, a heartbroken, hurt, troubled women. Miss Havisham has a sense of mystery and eccentricity about her. The purpose of Pip’s visits to Miss Havisham decaying mansion appear to be innocent as Pip seems to be merely a play mate for Miss Havisham’s adopted daughter Estella. However it is later revealed that Miss Havisham had been left rejected on her wedding day and a result resents all men.

Following the anguish and heartbreak, she now aims to gain revenge on all men through Estella and is ‘training’ her to break men’s hearts. Pip has fallen victim to this wicked plan and begins to fall in love with Estella. The novel progresses further and as Pip and Estella grow older Pip’s love for Estella grows; Pip also grows more socially aware and realises that his class alone would stand in the way of his love for Estella, as a result he wishes to become a gentlemen and move up, through the class system in the hope of him becoming a gentlemen and marrying Estella. To Pip’s relief these hopes of improving his social status are realised just before he is due to start his blacksmiths apprenticeship when he is informed he is to be sponsored by an anonymous benefactor and that he will move to London and begin his life as a gentleman. Pip assumes Miss Havisham is the benefactor and that she has chosen to sponsor him so that he may marry Estella. After living in London for a few years and ‘gaining’ his gentleman status, Pip begins to adopt the selfish and judgmental attitude of the upper classes. Pip grows more curious in regards to his benefactor, yet he still leads a care-free, luxurious and lavish lifestyle and after being appointed Estella’s escort in London begins to believe his assumption that Miss Havisham is his benefactor is indeed correct.

However and unfortunately for Pip, his hopes and dream are shattered in chapter thirty-nine as we are once again introduced to Magwitch; however he is now presented in a different light, showing a softer side. Magwitch then reveals he is in fact Pip’s benefactor, sending Pip’s world into disarray. Pip is informed as to how the ex-convict has made a respectable living farming after being imprisoned in Australia and how Magwitch felt compelled to return the help given to him by a young Pip in chapter one. The plot then grows more convoluted as Magwitch has returned to England illegally and the price for a prisoner who returns to England after imprisonment in Australia is death. Pip and Herbert Pocket fashion a plan to help Magwitch return to Australia, however this fails when Magwitch runs into his old adversary, Compeyson, a fight breaks out and Compeyson dies whilst Magwitch is badly injured and as a result hospitalised. Pip then deduces that Estella is Magwitch’s daughter and reveals this to Magwitch on his death bed. Estella is married to Bentley Drummle although the marriage is not one of happiness. Pip falls ill and Joe Gargery, now married to Biddy, takes care of him. Pip then decides to visit Miss Havisham one last time; she seems to regret her previous, twisted actions however she strays to close to a fire and her dry, decaying wedding dress is set alight. Pip manages to rescue her however dies from her burns. Pip sees Estella wandering alone, her marriage has come to an end and she appears to want a fresh start and a chance of friendship with Pip. The novel ends on a high with Pip and Estella appearing to have a chance with love.

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This essay focuses on chapters one and thirty-nine as they show the greatest contrast between the way the characters are presented and their attitudes towards one another. They also show the characters positions within the settings, Dickens has created.

Dickens creates a harsh and threatening setting and atmosphere in chapter one of “Great Expectations” by describing the sea as “a distant savage lair.” The use of this metaphor creates a vivid image of a rough sea and a bleak, harsh environment, yet Dickens places a small, feeble, young Pip in this dark, dangerous, precarious setting; it allows the atmosphere to ...

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