Charles dickens great expectat
Charles dickens great expectat"Dickens, in Great Expectations, presents us with a range of ideas, but the most powerful is that the individual is shaped by the worlds they live in and the experiences they have." To what extent did you find this to be true?
To what extent one's environment and life experiences shape the individual is an often debated topic that can be pursued to many different levels. I agree with the statement that the most powerful idea presented by Dickens in his novel Great Expectations is that the individual is shaped by the worlds they live in and the experiences they have. However, I must add that these worlds and experiences consist of other people, and it is this interaction with different characters that plays an important role in the shaping of the individual. I believe Dickens displays each character's personal strength and integrity by revealing how much they allow themselves to be changed by their surroundings. Dickens conveys this shaping of the individual through the main character, Pip, and the different worlds he lives in, the experiences and interaction with other characters he has. Additionally, other characters are shown to have been shaped by their past experiences and the people involved in their lives. Both Miss Havisham and Estella are prime examples of the impact one's environment can have on the individual. While the opposite is shown through Joe and his ability to maintain personal integrity despite his harrowing past.
The shaping of Pip's character begins during his childhood years under the loving care and companionship of his brother-in-law Joe Gargery, and the strict rule of his sister Mrs. Joe. Dickens completely disassociates the world of Joe from the world of Mrs Joe, each having an adverse effect on the young child, Pip. The home is the world of Mrs. Joe, where Pip is 'raised by hand'. Home life was not a pleasant environment with Mrs. Joe constantly 'on the rampage' chasing after Pip with a stick of cane nicknamed 'Tickler'. For the majority of his childhood, Pip was constantly subjected to an array of verbal and sometimes physical abuse, that was quite common in bringing up a child during Dickensian times. However the endless reminders that he was a burden upon his sister and should be thankful that she has wasted her time on him, caused Pip to believe that he was not wanted. Dickens indicates this through Pip as he goes to bed one night:
"I was never allowed a candle to light me to bed." Chp. 2, pg.15.
The reference to the candle is a re-occurring one in Great Expectations and is symbolic of a sense of belonging and common goodness. The fact that Pip is refused a candle indicates to him that he is not really wanted by Mrs Joe. This causes Pip to look for more in his life because he doesn't want to end up like Joe, controlled by his tyrant sister. Pip even admits that if it...
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