Great Expectation

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In addition, we have some big themes that define the novel, one of them being the idea of ambition and self- improvement which define Pip’s best and worst behaviours. Its function is to show Pip as learning the true values of life, exploring the ideas of ambition and self-improvement.

Another main theme is the social class. The whole conflict revolves around Pip’s desire to reach a higher class in society. Even though it can be argued that Pip’s punishment comes from the simple fact that he desires to reach the state of being a gentleman, actually, as we can see in the case of Miss Havisham, fortune and social status are not exclusive for those born with it. It can be actually be achieved by work. What is punishable is the lack of effort on his social rising, fact that makes susceptible of unworthiness, therefore he can no longer have that state. As a conclusion, we now have the idea of fortune, wealth and social status connected with the idea of work.

Other element that enrich the novel are the doubles. In this novel, doubles bring a sense of balance, pretty helpful in a cavalcade of stunning coincidences; the doubles simplify the already tangled relationship between characters. As examples, we have two convicts (Magwitch and Compeyson), two benefactors (Magwich for Pip, as well as Pip is for Herbert). Connected with these dualities, we also have symmetry (or mirroring): Estella’s development into a heartless woman and Pip’s transformation into a gentleman are both motivated by Compeyson, and we also have the relationship between Estella and Pip, both ending in the suffering of one of the lovers.

Another element that enriches the novel are the places of action. We have, for instance, the Satis house, which is presented in a state of decay, illustrating the decadence of the people living inside (such as Miss Havisham and Estella),completed by the static athmosphere: all the objects are left in the same spot they were when Compeyson left her, the clocks being stopped at twenty minutes to nine, the exact hour she was left. Another example is Kent, the village where Pip was born, and we have in particular the misty marshes, which always accompany unfortunate events, such as Orlick’s attempt to kill Pip and the encounter of the convict.

As a conclusion, Great Expectations is a novel which follows Pip’s adventure in becoming a gentleman, conceived in order to illustrate the moral aspet of the novel: the importance of friendship, loyalty and virtue. This is also accentuated by the way the story is being told, having Pip’s older selfto tell us what he did in his youth; this way of narration gives more credibility and increases the moral note of the novel. However, it is also a sneak peek into the Victorian age, telling us the attitude of people in terms of gender and social status, by emphasizing the negative effects of a behaviour that doesn’t fit the accepted norm.