Expectation is a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future. In Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectation, the themes are affection, loyalty and conscience. Pip is a little kid who was raised by his sister, Mrs Joe. Both of his parents are dead. Mrs Joe has a husband, Mr. Joe who is a blacksmith. Mr Joe is one of the most dependable and loyal people to Pip and everyone around him. Pip is in love with Estella. Estella is adopted by Miss Havisham. What are his values and goals? What are the process of growth that Pip undergoes in the novel? What events and experience cause this transformation?
Like most people Pip has a goal and value. One of Pip’s goals was to become a blacksmith like his brother in law, Mr Joe. That was his goal before meeting Estella and Miss Havisham. After meeting Estella, he wanted to be a gentleman. And his value to be a part of Estella’s higher society. The more he visits Miss Havisham house, the more he falls in love with a beautiful young Estella “Her contempt for was so strong that it become infectious and I caught it” (Dickens’ pg 59) And the more he starts looking at his surroundings, how he is a blacksmith and how he doesn’t want to be. “ I had never thought of being ashamed of my hands before but i began to consider them a very indifferent pair” (Dickens’ pg 59).
As Pip grows through the novel the more he develops and becomes a mature young man to understand how to be a gentleman. “…no man who was not a true gentleman at heart ever was since the world began a true gentleman in manner” (Dickens’ pg 179). When Pip was young he didn’t really care about becoming a gentleman because how Mr Joe impacted him to be more nice to people. But the more he grows and the more, he sees Estella the more he wants to become a gentleman. Then he starts realizing how he is in a lower class. And how he doesn’t want to be seen with the people he knows like Mr. Joe and Biddy. He thinks it’s embercement. Biddy is one of the nicest people and is friends with Pip. “It Is a most miserable thing to feel ashamed of home” (Dickens’ pg 106).
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One of the events and experiences that changed Pip was Estella. He became a gentleman for her. Throughout the novel Pip had a lot of changes after meeting Miss Havisham and Estella. “Do you want to be a gentleman to spite her or gain her over.” (dickens pg 129). The more he falls for her the more he wants to change. Even he wants to be adopted by Miss Havisham. When he was adopted by his benefactor, he thought it was Miss Havisham. Jaggers the lawyer took him to London and taught him how to be a gentleman. “I am going to London, Miss Pocket said I and wants to say goodbye to Miss Havisham” (Dickens’ pg 157).
In conclusion, Pip has moved to London and expects to become a gentleman and rich. Even though he feels guilty about leaving his family, he still wants to be a gentleman for Estella. He had never thought of any of this when he was young, he also wanted to be like Joe.
