You get a really good idea of the setting for this book, and you don't need to use much imagination. Charles Dickens uses a lot of detail and one of the most obvious ways is the long sentences. "...the dark flat wilderness beyond the churchyard, intersected with dykes and mounds and gates, with scattered cattle feeding on it, was the marshes; and that the low leaden line beyond was the river; and that the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing, was the sea; and that the small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to shy, was Pip. "(Chapter 1, Page 5-6) Long sentences are a good way to really get description into the story. They also help get a point across quicker, and the reader is more likely to take it in. Alliteration is another repeated technique. He uses it in long sentences with sometimes 4 or 5 words, and in shorter phrases, using 1 or 2 words. "...ragged rough... drop down and die of deadly cold...glared and growled.” Rhythm in this book is significant because it helps to give the long sentences more interest, "...soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled...”(Chapter 1, Page 6). Dickens also uses metaphors in the first chapter, “the distant savage lair…” (Chapter 1, Page 6). This suggests that there is a dangerous world beyond what the eye can see.
There are many characters in this book and all of them have completely different personalities. The main character, Pip, is a small shivering boy from the start of the book; you get the idea that he is quite weak. He also shows the characteristics of being a lonely child. When he speaks you can tell he hasn't had much communication on his part, and that he has spent his life just doing what he is told; never arguing back or standing up for himself. "Pip sir"... "Pip, Pip sir"... "Yes sir". (Chapter 1, Page 6). He over uses the
word Sir which shows he has been brought up to be polite to adults, whoever they are. The next character we meet is Magwitch. On first impressions he is a violent man who is out for all he can get, regardless of anybody else's feelings. We also get the impression he is quite rough ‘n’ ready. “…Pint out the place…” (Chapter 1, Page 6). This shows quite a common accent. However at the end of chapter one there is one line that makes you feel this is a cover. "...he hugged his shuddering body in both his arms - clasping himself, as if to hold himself together...” (Chapter 1, Page 8). Miss Havisham is a tired, withered old lady, who hasn't left her house in 20 years or more. She is heartbroken, so much so, that she still has all of her wedding set up outside and inside the house. She is also incredibly bossy, "...I am tired, and I have done with men and women. Play...” (Chapter 8, Page 56). On first impressions Estella is a very confident girl; however during the chapter it shows that she is arrogant and bossy. She likes everything done her way, and she like to control people, especially Pip. She gets certain thrills out of making him do what she wants, and she tries to get away with murder. “-tears started to my eyes. The moment they sprang there, the girl looked at me with quick delight in having been the cause of them.” (Chapter 8, Page 59).
During the nineteenth century life there was a clear divide between rich and poor. If you were poor and ended up in debt, you would have to work in the workhouses, until you had enough to pay them off. These chapters show how children were expected to do exactly what their parents or guardians told them to. In Victorian times families were much larger than today. That was partly because infant mortality was high. People had many children and accepted that not all of them would survive. Many children did not go to school, because they could not afford it. If they wanted to have a job when they were older, they would have to be an apprentice. In the 19th century Britain women were expected to marry and have children, however, there was in fact a shortage of available men. The census figures showed there were more women than men. There were 2 main reasons for this; many men served for the armed forces in foreign countries, and for some reason it was considered that more men emigrated. The laws in Britain were based on the idea that women would get married and that their husbands would take care of them. Before the passing of the ’, when a woman got married her wealth was passed to her husband and if a woman worked after marriage, her earnings also belonged to her husband. Poor people lived in small houses in cramped streets that would share toilets, have open sewers and would be full of damp and disease. Some conditions did improve during the 19th century as a number of public health acts were introduced. These covered things like sewage, sanitation and they imposed some restrictions on the way homes were built.
Great Expectations is a long winded book, but by some great use of rhythm, repetition, and vivid setting descriptions, it makes a good read. The metaphors and similes add detail that helps with imagination, and his books will continue to delight people for many years. For somebody to create a book that makes you feel like you are actually present in the 19th century, it is a great achievement. I think the fist paragraph of the first chapter makes you feel un-easy about reading on, but as soon as you get past the full explanation of his family, things really start to get interesting. It doesn’t take 3 chapters for the story to start; you are introduced to two of the main characters on the second page. I like the way that the book gradually goes through his life, and without a “3 years later” in the chapter title. It leaves it up to your imagination to picture what age he is. Overall I think Charles Dickens deserves his reputation as a great period writer, as you can tell a lot of thought and time has gone
into his work. There are no chapters, or paragraphs for that matter, that have detail missing because of a moment of no focus, or tiredness. No part of this book suffers with lack of interest, and anybody, who comes up with this length book and doesn’t lose the audience, deserves a great reputation, and deserves their books on the shelves for a very long time.