Introduction
As the title suggests, the novel ‘Great Expectations’ is about the expectations of a young man as he moves into the harsh cruel world of reality outside his home. His tryst with destiny, first at the hand of a golden hearted criminal, Magwitch, and then at the hands of his conceited and arrogant lover, Estella, who spurns him, despite his genuine love for her, his stay in London during the course of which he becomes a rich and educated person, but who still pines for Estella, the punishment destiny bestows on Magwitch, all combine to weave a rich tapestry of Victorian romance at its very best.
Miss Havisham and Estella
What is most remarkable about this novel is perhaps the refreshing candor and vividness with which all characterization work is carried out by Dickens and the good tempo of the theme and climax is maintained well into its final pages.
Charles Dickens has drawn heavily from his own experiences of life’s harshness and it would not be wrong to suggest that most of the characterizations penned in this novel have been drawn from his own life. As a young boy, Dickens has faced penury when his father was jailed for being unable to pay his debts. He had undergone a great deal of tribulations and sufferings which finds a place in most of his novels.
Central argument
The central theme of this Dickensian novel is in terms of seeking happiness and contentment not only from materialistic sources but also through interactions with other human beings. It would be indeed fallacious to think that happiness and contentment can be gained from external factors. These states are a product of one’s own mind state over which only oneself has control and absolute mastery. The external world could only provide stimuli that reinforce one’s feelings of happiness or sorrow. But it is for an individual to decide what he wants. But in this novel, the protagonist moves heaven and earth to seek happiness and a better life for himself. Perhaps the central theme is the perennial story of the ultimate triumph of good over evil. Although Estella and her sponsor Miss Havisham inflicted a great deal of hardship and humility upon the protagonist, Pip, he bears all this with equanimity, self control and steadfastness. He was quite sure that eventually Estella would return the love he had for her, which is what actually transpired at the end of the novel.
What does Pip learn over the course of the novel?
Pip learns that the people in this world are very materialistic and self governed. Even noble sentiments like love, sacrifice and compassion are meaningless as long as it is not backed up with materialistic comforts and wealth. This is precisely the reason why he resolves to seek education and fortune in London and through some kind benefactor (criminal Magwitch) he is able to become well educated and rich. But by this time his ladylove was married to another person and leads a very sordid life, which rendered her extremely unhappy. She is repentant for the way she had treated Pip and seeks his pardon. The theme is also in terms of the fact that human beings have to pay for the sins and detriments caused to others in their lives and have to atone for it before leaving this world. It also focuses on the theme that external appearances may sometimes be deceitful and the people who appear well bred and good externally are actually villainous characters internally (Miss Havisham, for instance) and those who are criminals may have a heart of gold.
How does he learn it?
Through Pip’s characterization, Dickens wished to reinforce the fact that goodness, kindliness and altruistic attitude would not go unrewarded. Magwitch’s character has proved that in this novel. Although he appears to be a coarse, rough and villainous character, his sense of duty and gratitude to the people who have helped him, perhaps stands out as one of his redeeming traits. He was instrumental in providing Pip with the fortune that enabled Pip to seek his education and pursuit of wealth in London. Joe was his kindly brother-in-law from whom he sought moral support when he was rebuked by his sister. Joe helped him during his childhood years and takes care of him. “Biddy is a kind, intelligent girl of Pip’s age.” (Dickens).
She develops a good friendship with Pip and gives him good advice. Jagger is a lawyer who is very good at his work. He is portrayed by Dickens as the “rational and seemingly emotionless lawyer for Miss Havisham and for Pip”. (Dickens). He excels in procuring simple sentences for criminals and gives advice to Pip. The readers are in a dilemma whether to like or dislike this character. Although he is a criminal, he has not harmed Pip or his family. On the contrary, he has saved Pip by providing him an anonymous fortune for educating himself, and perhaps unwittingly, also gives his daughter, Estella to Pip. Pip learns to distinguish between good and evil through his own life experiences. As a young boy, he was often confused and skeptical about what course of action to adopt, especially in the aftermath of helping the criminal Magwtich with food, etc. After helping the criminal he is filled with guilt about its repercussions and how his guardians, especially Mrs. Joe would react to it.
After this during his stay at London, he again has to encounter Magwitch and help him to avoid being captured by police. He was in mortal fear of being in danger himself, and yet he bore all this with courage and fortitude, because of his innate good nature and altruistic qualities. However, in the end, all is well, the villains of the story are vanquished or dead, and Pip is able to unite with his long lost lover, wizened by age and life’s experiences.
Whom does he learn it from?
Pip’s main teachers have been the challenging experiences during his lifetime. Besides he learnt a lot from his sister’s husband, Joe during his early life, and then from Jagger, Biddy, Magwitch and of course from Estella.
Herbert informs Pip about the sinister affairs of Miss Havisham who adopts Estella in order to wreck the lives of suitors by making them fall in love with them and later betray them. This is a kind of retribution that Havisham seeks since her own marriage was wrecked by her unscrupulous lover, Compeson, and she bears hatred towards all men and seeks to destroy them through Estella, her adopted daughter, and is bent on extracting revenge from all men. Her disturbed psyche is the cause for her ultimate ruination.
How does it change him?
Pipe changes from a rustic and naïve boy to a well mannered, suave and mature adult, now a well educated and cultured young man. While at home, he was disturbed by even small events, now he is able to face the adult world with aplomb and reassurance.
He realizes that although Estella is formal and aloof towards him, she is being controlled and used by the evil Miss Haversham. The revelations to Pip regarding his actual benefactor, Magwtich, and the evil machinations of Miss Havisham and Estella serves as an eye opener to him. He realizes that what is apparent and obvious may not always be the truth, and it would be indeed fool hardy to take anybody on face value without fully judging and understanding their character and how they could help others. Anybody who has read “Great Expectations” will deduce that wealth, without a sound and honest mind would eventually lead only to doom and misery.
Charles Dickens, the author of the story speaks out in the form of Pip, the teenager and the main character in the story. This material reflects the characteristic traits of humans in every walk of life. The criminal in the story, Magwitch, reveals his true self by bequeathing a fortune to the lad who gives him food. The inmates of the mansion led him on a false trail only to cheat him later. But they all had to atone for their sins and died under most tragic circumstances. Only a repentant and much chastened Estella remained in the end, having lost everything through her own folly and association with the dangerous Miss Havisham.
Conclusions
The elements of feminism are finely etched in this novel. Besides, one of the redeeming aspects about the character of Pip is that through life experiences, he has been able to seek out and find his own identity – along the course of this novel, Pip learns the most important lesson about life- his discovery about himself in relation to his environment and interactions with other associates and detractors. “Through them Pip must learn how to achieve human happiness. Through them Dickens shows how from infancy the individual is oppressed, moulded, and channelled into his adult identity:” (Allingham).The greatest change in Pip’s life is that he has now been able to live on his own terms.
In fairness, it may be concluded that most of characters in this novel have been victims, or preys of their own adverse circumstances. Magwitch was manipulated into crime by the diabolical Compeson who used him for serve his own illegal ends. Even if Magwitch wished he could not reform and become an honest person. Again, Miss Havisham was cheated by Compeson and could not return to normality even until her tragic death. Estella was merely a tool in the hands of Miss Havisham who used her to take her vengeance on men. Pip was a confused young man, who did not have any idea about his ambitions until he was spurned by Estella and goaded into success as he was determined to repay them in their own coin.
Victims of circumstances as each of these characters were, except perhaps Pip, none of them really had the will, or the inclination to come back into the moral mainstream for their own reasons.
Works Cited
Allingham, Phillip V. An Introduction to Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. The Victorian Web. 2004.
Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations Study Guide. GradeSaver. 2010. Web.
Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations Study Guide. GradeSaver. 2010. Web.