When Pip is old enough he is mysteriously sent to London to become a gentleman. He is taught to be a gentleman and appear gentlemanly to everyone else. He learns Latin and joins rowing clubs, so he can become one in the ‘circles’ that is known to belong to the gentlemen, he is now disgusted even by those who were his family, to think he used to be associated with them, he feels fake as he cannot be associated with them anymore as he may lose his reputation.
Views today on being a ‘gentleman’ have changed since the time of Pip. Nowadays although rowing is still a sport for the richer people, and Latin a language of the scholars, drinking in a club may be considered as ‘rough’. In those days men with money could do what they wanted with it, including drinking their money away, or drinking themselves silly, because it showed they had money. In present times being rich and drinking your money is frowned upon as it shows a ‘weakness’, which isn’t a characteristic of a gentleman.
To establish Pips social status even more he hires himself a manservant. This would be an essential to a gentleman as it evidently shows you are wealthy enough to afford one, referring back to the money issue again, where money is the main focus of a gentleman’s reputation. Here the story reveals how being a gentleman is all expense and competitive, and later lands Pip in debt as he advances himself up the social ladder. Today having a manservant is considered to only be an essential to the very rich or famous, but doesn’t belong in the category that is labelled ‘gentleman’, Nowadays a gentleman is considered to be one who opens doors for the ladies, and one who helps himself as well as others around him.
Next important factor of being a gentleman is good hygiene, evidently expensive clothing and footwear. As it is now Pip proves Estella wrong. He no longer has ‘coarse hands’ or ‘thick boots’. Pips clean appearance, thin boots, and expensive tailored clothes advanced him again as appearance was the only other outward factor that affected your status.
Now manners are another important factor, “It is not only the outward appearance that proves you to be a gentleman, but on the inside you must also be considered a gentleman”. Comically stated by Herbert Pocket. Having manners, such as good table manners shows you are a gentleman through and through. You are born in to the world of upper class men and the circles they live in as it shows you are a sociable person who composes himself well in front of others. In today’s society this is still considered important, whether you’re a gentleman or not, as it still shows composure and a civil mannerism important in the lives of people today as they all want to be considered ‘well mannered’.
To conclude Great Expectations reveals the less noticeable gap between social classes of today and being a gentleman many years ago has changed from being ‘all play and no work’ to today’s gentleman where its all ‘work and no play’. This is mainly due to the human race all becoming more civil to one another but money still plays an important part in today’s society. I think Dickens’ main point to get across to the readers is although there is a social ladder, you will always be what you are and no amount of money can change that.
