What Picture Of Childhood Does Charles Dickens Create In The First Section of Great Expectations?
In 1861, when Dickens embarked upon telling the novel Great Expectations, the country was riveted. They’d hasten to read the next weekly instalment which was full of drama and, more importantly, the issues which Dickens urged to convey throughout the novel. Strong feelings were rooted to his childhood where he was forced to work in a blacking factory and even give up his education at one point. When he did receive an education it was poorly taught, like Pip’s own experience. In comparison, our society today and its compulsory education is a striking contrast to Victorian children’s life.
Treatment during childhood is also an important theme and most interestingly how Pip is treated by his sister Mrs Joe and her husband Joe Gargery. Whereas Joe supports and encourages Pip, “Astonishing! You ARE a scholar,” he remarks when Pip writes something on the chalkboard to him, Mrs Joe treats Pip extremely differently. Despite being only a sister to Pip, Mrs Joe acts as his mother as she has raised him “by hand”. Literally this describes how she raised him alone, but also symbolises how Pip seemed to be raised by Mrs Joe’s violence. She is firm and cruel and uses the “tickler”, a whip, on Pip when she sees that he has misbehaved. This sounds childish and fun to our ears, which is ironic seeing as it causes Pip so much pain throughout his childhood. Another severe and strict method of control is force feeding a disgusting dose of “tar water”. This treatment for a naughty child, which is used on Pip, was also used on Joe. This could be a possible reason for why Joe and Pip act brotherly and are on equal terms as seen here: “get behind the door old chap,” as they are united against Mrs Joe’s cruel punishments and severity despite the social rules that your elders are your betters. Therefore, although Joe’s behaviour towards Pip seems more natural to us nowadays, it is in fact Mrs Joe’s treatment of Pip, which Dickens writes to give us a picture of childhood, which was more common in Victorian times.
The classic ‘seen and not heard’ view of children, which was meant quite literally at the dinner table on Christmas day where Pip “was not allowed to speak.”, is also portrayed in the character of Mr Pumblechook. He tells Pip over dinner he should be “grateful to them which brought you up by hand,” because if he had been born a “Squeaker” he would not have received such care. Mr Pumblechook uses every chance, like “testing” his arithmetic, to belittle and insult Pip. However, when Pip gains his fortune Mr Pumblechook hypocritically claims that it was “well deserved” and they have always been “old friends.” We can see that Mr Pumblechook, in seeing that Pip is now of a higher status and so has to respect and try to gain favour of him, whereas before young Pip as a child was of a very low status. Miss Havisham looks down on Pip for another reason as her wealth makes Pip feel even more common. She invites him to play in Satis House, which has been neglected since her failed wedding day. She is blunt with Pip, for example: “I hope you want nothing. You’ll get nothing.” She has a frighteningly manipulative influence on those around her. She teaches Estella to “break men’s hearts” and encourages Pip to think she is his mysterious benefactor. It could be because she spends too much time alone with her bitter thoughts, which allows her to be so cunningly manipulative. She expects people to follow her wishes, especially Pip as he is common. “You are unwilling to play, then are you willing to work?” In contrast, Magwitch’s treatment towards Pip is regardless of class. When he first meets him he is desperate, “shaking”, ill and in pain. We can see that this makes him desperate, and even threatening to Pip. However, later on in the novel we can see that Magwitch treats Pip with great respect in affection in return for his help seeing himself as Pip’s “second-father”, whereas Mr Pumblechook tries to leech of Pip when he’s older. It is difficult to tell whether Pip’s deed or Magwitch’s nature lead Magwitch to treat someone so kindly like Pip, but as he was desperate on the marshes we can assume he isn’t only kind to Pip.
