Two different types of gentleman are presented to the reader throughout Great Expectations. The first is Pip's earlier definition, where he finds a gentleman to be someone with wealth, "breeding", education, and social status.

Authors Avatar
Two different types of gentleman are presented to the reader throughout Great Expectations. The first is Pip's earlier definition, where he finds a gentleman to be someone with wealth, "breeding", education, and social status. This materialistic definition of a gentleman is exactly like the description of Bentley Drummle, who, however is obviously not a gentleman in behaviour or manners - "...he was idle, proud, niggardly, reserved and suspicious. He came of rich people ... who had nursed this combination of qualities until they made the discovery that it was just of age and a blockhead." One of the aspects of being "gentlemanly" to Pip was education. When he originally arrived in London, he was completely ignorant of common etiquette and practise in company, and the way of doing things that was assumed right - "He calls the knaves, Jacks, this boy!" says Estella - Pip immediately begins to regret his background, and assumes that as Estella says the knaves are not Jacks, this is the truth, whereas in reality this is just a socially discriminate term. Herbert helps to teach Pip the right way to do things - he remains very polite, and the "pale young gentleman" goes out of his way not to embarrass Pip whilst he corrects his social misdemeanours - ""...in London it is not the custom to put the knife in the mouth - for fear of accidents - and that while the fork is reserved for that use, it is not put in further than necessary...Also, the spoon is not generally used over-hand, but under..." He offered these friendly suggestions in such a lively way, that we both laughed and I scarcely blushed." Another aspect of ungentlemanly behaviour offered in the novel is bad manners. Mr. Jaggers, a well-to-do gentleman from London, offers Joe, a country blacksmith, money for taking Pip off of his hands. This offends Joe deeply, so much that he almost hits Mr. Jaggers - "Which I meantersay...that if you come into my place bull-baiting and badgering me, come out!". Joe only wishes for Pip's welfare, and cannot believe that money would go any way to compensate for the loss of Pip. Jaggers makes assumptions about Joe and Joe's values just because he is of a poorer and lower class than he. The contrast between the
Join now!
stereotypical view of a gentleman - Mr. Jaggers and Joe is so strong that you can easily see which of them comes out of this situation as more of a gentleman - Joe. The exterior vision of a gentleman becomes very important to Pip in the earlier stages of the novel - the clothes and general appearance of his surroundings obsess him to such a point that he appoints the "Avenger" to serve on him. The Avenger, though expensively dressed, seems to be absolutely ridiculous - dressed in a canary yellow waistcoat. To him, gentlemen deserve respect, and once Pip ...

This is a preview of the whole essay