Great Expectations – Charles Dickens – English Literature Essay

Charles Dickenn’s Great Expectations is a story about a boy, Philip Pirrip, who reaches a point in his life where his life changes drastically from the way it was as a child. Whenever this change occurs, he does everything possible so that people don’t know about his past life, in which he was just an ordinary child. Throughout the novel, Dickens points out how people sometimes lead two lives that they want to keep apart.

The change in Pip’s life is characterized in several ways. First of all, there is a physical change, when he moves to London. That only accentuates the difference between the two lives. He used to live in a small town that was close to some swamps, which reflect the common side of his life. London is seen by Pip as a great and wonderful city that symbolizes his expectations of what is to come in his future. Another change in his life is that others treat him better. Mr. Trabb, the tailor, confronts Pip after learning that he has acquired a fortune. He sizes up Pip very quickly and gets mad at his son for not showing the same respect for Pip’s wealth. Then, the next time he sees Pumblechook, he repeatedly asks Pip if he can shake his hand, as if it were a great honor. Before the news, he hardly treated Pip any differently than any other common boy. Pip also notes the way his new acquaintances are treated, especially Mr. Jaggers. He is treated with great respect by all and even invokes fear in some. Pip had never seen this level of respect for someone who was a close acquaintance of his before, except for Miss Havisham, who knew he had great wealth.

This dual lifestyle is paralleled by Mr. Wemmick, Mr. Jaggers’ employee. Mr. Wemmick, when at work, thinks only of his work and does not let his personal life affect the way he handles his business. The other side of the coin is also true, since when he gets home, he forgets about everything that happened at work and concentrates on making his deaf father happy. The scene where he takes Pip to work shows the change he undergoes on his way to work: Wemmick gradually got drier and harder as we went on, and his mouth tightened again like a post office. Like Pip, he changes the way he acts depending on the role he’s playing.