Category: Charles Dickens

Introduction

‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens deals with “the aspirations and ambitions of the protagonist and narrator, Pip, to improve his status in life and create conditions for better living.” (Dickens).

Pip is a seven year old orphan boy who is being reared by his older sister, Mrs. Joe, and her husband, Joe, a blacksmith by occupation. The opening scene depicts the poor boy grieving over the tombstones of his parents and younger siblings. Suddenly, a convict called Magwitch accosts him and threatens to kill him unless he brings food and a file to cut the chain on his legs. The terrified boy steals these items from his home and delivers the food and file to the criminal. In his own words, “I am afraid to think of what I might have done, on requirement, in the secrecy of my terror.” (Dickens, 13 ).

Subsequently, the local police apprehend the convict. However, he saves the boy from punishment at the hands of his sister by saying that he had broken into the house of Joe and stolen these items. Some time later, the boy’s uncle, Pumblechook, takes him to the wealthy Satis House, where he meets Miss Havisham and another young girl named Estelle. Although Estelle behaves coldly and disdainfully with Pip, he falls in love with her. He visits the mansion often, but later on, is given only the work of a laborer in the house, although he “longs to be a wealthy gentleman.” (Dickens).

Miss Havisham’s diabolical plans

Havisham had been jilted by her lover, Compeyson, on the marriage day, and she now nurses a deep hatred for men and yearns revenge. She wears an old faded wedding gown, stops the clocks to the time when she was jilted, and is keeping the wedding banquet ready for years, to wreak vengeance on people. Unknown to Pip, she is actually using Estelle to pretend to woo Pip in order to avenge her own fate. However, to the outside world, especially Mrs. Joe, she is “the immensely rich lady who lives a life of seclusion.” (Dickens and West, 14, Line.11).

He now seeks training in Joe’s blacksmith shop and he dislikes the work but must go on, and is tutored by Biddy, a lady school teacher. In the meantime, Mrs. Joe is viciously attacked by a violent laborer, Orlick, and becomes a mute invalid.

Pip- Beneficiary of large sum of money

Later on, Pip comes to know that he has been made a beneficiary to a large sum of money by some unknown benefactor. Blinded in his infatuation for Estelle, he believes that the money has been offered by Miss Havisham so he could rise to some status, to marry Estelle. He sets out to be a gentleman and moves to London in order to pursue education and better position in life. He meets Herbert, whose father helps him to groom up as a gentleman. Orlick again comes into his life, but is sent away by Herbert and others. Mrs. Joe, his sister, meanwhile dies and a grief stricken Pip attends the funeral. He is now “regretting his desire for a more comfortable lifestyle and his infatuation with Estella.” (Great Expectations).

Pip realizes Estelle’s guiles

One day, a surprise visitor meets Pip who is none other than the convict, Magwitch. Pip, to his astonishment, realizes that his secret benefactor was Magwitch and not anybody else. He seeks protection from Pip against the police and his former accomplice, Compeyson and wishes to flee the country. Pip now also comes to understand that both Havisham and Estelle had been deceiving him. “…. Miss Havisham adopted Estella and raised her to wreak revenge on the male gender by making them fall in love with her, and then breaking their hearts.” (Dickens). Moreover, before Magwitch’s escape, Estelle had married a ‘good for nothing’ upper class hoodlum, Drummie, whose misconduct later caused Estelle a lot of troubles and miseries.

Pip pays a visit to the Satis House, where he finds a remorse-filled Miss Havisham, who seeks his pardon for her misdeeds. Pip pardons her, but accidentally her clothes catch fire and she is severely burnt, and remains a cripple till her death.

Pip loses all the bequeathed wealth

Meanwhile, it is time for seeking Magwitch’s escape. Pip is called to the marshes where he accosts the vindictive Orlicks, who wishes to kill him. Pip is saved by the timely presence of Herbert and others. In the ensuing fight between Compeyson and Magwitch, the former is drowned and the latter is arrested by police. At this stage, Pip also comes to know that Estelle is really Magwitch’s daughter. Magwitch later dies after atoning for his sins, and Pip becomes a pauper, falls sick and Joe comes to nurse him. The old ties are rebuilt and Joe also informs that Miss Havisham is dead and her fortune has been willed to Herbert. Biddy has educated Joe. At this stage, Pip wishes to leave London and settle down after marrying Biddy, but by then, Joe had already married her.

Reunion of Estelle and Pip

Finally, Pip decides to immigrate to some other country. Returning after a long lapse of time, he finds that Satis Estate is in ruins; Estelle has been treated cruelly by her husband, but he is now dead. Estelle’s cold and indifferent attitude is now changed into sad warmth and they are now united, perhaps never to part ways.

Conclusion

In this novel, Dickens has delved on the emptiness and gloom of Victorian high class society; he wishes to state that material wealth and happiness are two different things. Pip, the protagonist “wished to become a gentleman of the 19th century in order to be the equal of Estella.” (Great Expectations-Novel).

Again, if one were to consider the character of people, the convict Magwtich was a kind person, who was very grateful to Pip for having provided him food when he was desperately seeking to escape from the clutches of the law. He provided money to Pip to become a gentleman.

The hypocrisy of contemporary society is evident in that rich and wealthy people, like the characters of Havisham, Estelle and Drummie, are unhappy and despised and finally have to suffer a lot for their misdeeds. The author postulates the idea that it is not wealth by which one should judge people, nor money makes them happy but their self belief and efforts to better their own lives and seek contentment for themselves and others. “ In the end, Great Expectations is an unforgettable tale about fate, and how a chance encounter between an orphan named Pip and an escaped convict radically and arbitrarily alters the lives of everyone around them.” (Book Clubs / Reading Guides).

Annotated Bibliography

Book Clubs / Reading Guides: Introduction. Penguin.com (USA). 2009. Web.

This source draws parallel between the life of the author (Charles Dickens) and this celebrated novel. It speaks about the maturing of a young innocent boy, his rise from lower rungs of society to gentlemanly and aristocratic levels through his association with people like Herbert, his lover Estelle. This source is important because it explores the relationship of the protagonist with various other people, and the great expectations of Pip, based on grand dreams of a young boy, his ambition to become a gentleman and his amorous adventures which however, finally ended on a happy note.

Dickens, Charles., and West, Keith. Great Expectations. Nelson Thornes. 2001.

This source gives factual account of the play and details the story of Great Expectations right from the time the protagonist visits the grave of his parents and siblings, till the time of his meeting with Estelle. At one level, the story is about the morality and naivety of Pip, as compared with the devilry and wickedness, first of the criminal, next Estelle as a puppet in the hand of fiendish Miss Havilsham. At another level it explores the love-hate relationship of Estelle and finally, what Charles Dickens the author, wishes to state is that good may often be conceived in bad elements, and often what appears good may in fact be destructive.

Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. Kessinger Publishing. 2004.

This source traces the development if the story. This source is important because it gives us the gist of the occurrences of incidents, characters and the plot of the story.

Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. Spark Notes. 2009.

This source provides the reader with the necessary details about the novel and its settings. The hero, Pip is infatuated by Estelle, whose mistress, however wishes to use her for satisfying her own revengeful motives against men. Charles Dickens explores the duplicity in mind of the rich mistress and the apparent innocence of the hero, Pip. The source also reminds of the own struggling childhood days of the author.

Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations Study Guide: Short Summary. Grade Saver. 2009.

The importance of this source is that it underlines the conflicts that rages in the mind of hero in that he is torn between his conscience and his love for Estelle.

Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations:Themes, Motifs & Symbols: Ambition and Self-Improvement. Spark Notes. 2009.

Though born in a working class milieu, Pip wishes to seek self improvement and education to better his lot. This is very much in line with Charles Dickens own life. Pip’s visit to Satis House and sight of its opulence and wealth, and the lovely Estelle reinforces this belief. Although he was not well educated and working in blacksmith’s trade, he longer to be in the company of rich and successful people. This source accounts for the gain and final loss of his wealth which was bequeathed by a criminal.

Great Expectations: Great Expectations Summary: The first stage of Pip’s Expectations. E Notes. 2009.Web.

The moral of the story is well figured in this source. It narrates the incidents and happenings that eventually lead to Pip amassing a fortune provided by the criminal and losing it when the criminal is caught and imprisoned. However, the good traits of the criminal in terms of his gratitude towards Pip, albeit his wickedness stands out as moral message that there is good even in evil people.

Great Expectations-Novel: What are the Paradigms Pip Found Himself Challenging?. E Cheat: “It’s Not Cheating, It’s Collaborating”. 2009. Web.

The apparent paradox of wealth and how it is sought by a poor boy is depicted. He decided to educate and become gentlemanly to win his lady love. Charles Dickens introduces the typical stereo type Victorian male in this novel, complete with false pride ( Miss Havisham) a good hearted criminal (Magwitch), a lover torn between her love and her mistress (Estelle). At another level, it also seeks out the true meaning of happiness and contentment in this novel, whether it is derived by wealth or good, simple living as professed by Pip and his brother- in- law, Joe.

Introduction

The extract of this paper’s focus was taken from Charles Dickens’ work, the ‘Great Expectations’, specifically Chapter 27 (Landow). In this extract we see Joe talking to Pip, it is a one-directional talk in which Joe does all the talking while Pip does the listening. Even without knowing the immediate context of this one-dimensional conversation, as portrayed in this extract, one can already sense that something is wrong. It is not every day that two people having a conversation allows someone to go on for so long talking without any interruption. But more than that, a possible underlying tension is reflected in Joe’s words. These words reveal an internal conflict within him, and as such the conflict between him and the listener, Pip. The talk also exposes a kind of awkwardness and strain between the two, and the way that Joe leaves at the end of his speech promises a no-end to that said conflict. It is of utmost importance to understand the context of this extract. That is, the story and accompanying circumstances that led to this point; this will be our focus in this paper.

The Context

The first half of ‘Great Expectations’ is the story of Pip living with his bad-spirited sister, his friendship with Joe (his sister’s husband), and his growing dissatisfaction with his place and plight in that household. Although, as a child, he looked up to Joe, whom he presents as a protector and a friend to him, the relationship as defined by the life around him gradually turns sour, from one of love to that of intolerance.

This context is years down the line; Pip having become wealthy moved to London. Unfortunately, he can’t reconcile his present affluence with the struggles of the working class, his origin. And so when Joe visits him, Pip comes face-to-face with these two sides of him. He fears Joe does not approve of the affluence of his present lifestyle, at the same time he fears Drummle thinks less of him for associating with Joe. Throughout the visit, the meeting between the two is awkward and strained. The way Pip acts and talks makes Joe very uncomfortable. Joe becomes conscious of Pip’s behavior and reads from it that they belong to two different social classes. He understands the discomfort as the conflict involved in attempting to reconcile two different social classes. He accepts his world and the fact that it has no place in Pip’s world, so he leaves prematurely.

This particular context reveals how the relationship between Joe and Pip is growing further apart. Joe admits the reality of their two social classes and accepts the fact that it is the reason for their division which cannot be reconciled.

Critical Analysis

In this context, there are several themes that Dickens explores, but before looking at these themes, it is important to assess and evaluate the characters involved and the vessels through which Dickens speaks of the aspects of the world he creates in ‘Great expectations’.

Pip is the narrator in this context; he is telling the story of his encounter with Joe, an old friend, at a particular point in time (Landow). Pip narrates this story in two different tenses. There’s the present tense of Joe’s words, in other words, he is quoting Joe. Then there’s the past tense of Pip’s narration placing this encounter in the past; in other words, we are interacting with two ‘Pips’. The first Pip is the one being addressed by Joe. He is the one who, after Joe leaves, goes after him only to find Joe gone. The second Pip is telling us about the first Pip, and how he ran after Joe. In other words, Pips is telling us about his past since he acts both roles as the narrator and the character in his own story.

These two ‘Pips’ reveal two sides of him; the first one gets Joe into saying the things he says. The other is the remorseful one who runs after Joe, as in the rest of the story, Pip is two people in one. He is cruel, on one hand, and remorseful and kind, on the other. He is divided between how one in his position (wealthy) ‘should’ act and how he wishes to act; in other words, he is fake, unreal.

Joe, on the other hand, is unpretentious; his words are clear and straight to the point. All along during the visit, he has felt out of place, thanks to Pip’s reception of him and his behavior. Joe has realized how irreconcilable their worlds are and accepts their natural divisions in life. He uses the simple metaphor of metal smiting to explain his understanding and acceptance of such divisions. While some men, he says, are blacksmiths (such as himself), others such as Pip are goldsmiths (Landow). By doing this, Joe is absolving Pip of any blame for the divisions that exist between them now. He is only admitting the fact that such divisions are unalterable.

He does not mince his words to please Pip, but neither is he out to hurt Pip. Instead, Joe feels he must speak of what he has witnessed; he must set Pip free from his conflict by leaving so that Pip only has his wealth and affluent lifestyle to worry about.

Now back to the themes. Through these two characters presented in this context, Dickens addresses certain social issues that this story was based on. Although the story is set in a period much earlier than 1890, when its serialization began, there are traces of it that seem to be influenced by the England of the 1890s. For instance, the story was created against a backdrop of Victorian England, and as such, it contains traces of social realism. Some of this is reflected within the small context of this analysis. These include:

Social Class; the awkwardness and underlying conflict and strain between Pip and Joe, as revealed in the story represent the uncertain or troubled relations between different social classes. Pip is wealthy, Joe is not, but Joe is part of Pip’s past. Unfortunately, Pip cannot reconcile that humble past with his present affluence. Still, he is not willing to admit it; to himself or Joe. Instead, he keeps struggling to make that shaky relation work.

Joe comes to his rescue and likens their social distinction to the different levels of metal smiting. In this likening, Joe is trying to say that these divisions do exist and cannot be escaped. But more importantly, he feels no one is to blame for them as it is just the natural way of things.

Dickens is arguing that different social classes cannot live in peace at the same place and time. But this social barrier, he seems to say, is not real; it is only a creation of the mind. Pip is only uncomfortable with Joe because of Drummer and the fact that he runs after Joe shows that he isn’t against relating with Joe. The different ways in which Pip and Joe respond to the situation reveals yet another theme, freedom.

Freedom; Pip is not free with himself, with who he is, which includes his past and present. Joe on the other hand is free from the social constraints from which Pip suffers. Joe possesses within himself great freedom and self-esteem. He is not even afraid to speak his mind to Pip.

Isolation; Pip’s lack of freedom is his Isolation. He is a child of two worlds: poverty and wealth. Unfortunately, he struggles to reconcile both by attempting to please all of them; in the end, he fails, and in that failure lays his isolation. He still has a connection with his past, but the social barrier erected by his present stops him from it. He is guilty for it as much as he feels obliged to act according to his class. Ultimately, deep down he belongs in neither world and therefore remains isolated and lonely in the ground in between. But it’s not only through the characters that Dickens manages to push his story forward and explore his themes. He also does this through other literary devices such as motifs and symbols.

By comparing characters with inanimate objects, Joe likens the social classes to the different types of metals that various metalsmiths use in their businesses: “one man’s a blacksmith, and one’s a whitesmith, and one’s a goldsmith, and one’s a coppersmith; divisions among such must come, and have to be met as they come” (Landow). This is a reflection of Joe’s understanding of the relations of different social classes.

Also, Joe tells Pip “you shall never see me in these clothes” (Landow). ‘Clothes’ here has been used as a symbol of social class. While Pip’s clothes may be grand, reflecting his social class, Joe’s clothes, which also reflect his blacksmithing life, have no place in Pip’s environment. Having differentiated his world against Pip’s, and accepting that those worlds cannot relate, Joe now offers never to be seen in the ‘clothes’ again (Landow). This, as already discussed above, does not mean that he is going to change his dressing; it only means that he is going to stick with his world and leave Pip alone in his other world.

Conclusion

At this point, one is almost bound to feel sorry for Joe. Joe speaks without fear or favor for Pip; he says it as he sees it. He exudes the feeling that he knows what he is talking about, he is decided and does not feel sorry for himself; he has simply made a choice. Between him and Pip, it is the latter that one is likely to feel sorry for because despite all his wealth and high social class he seems confused. He is undecided and seems to be caught in a place he doesn’t want to be. By running after Joe, Pip exposes his sorry position.

In the end, Joe is a proud, smart poor man who knows himself well and doesn’t need anybody’s sympathy. But Pip is a confused rich man who doesn’t understand himself and his relation to others. He keeps slipping from one character to the other and begs for sympathy from whoever can offer it.

Works Cited

Landow, George. “Charles Dickens: Great Expectations.” 2010. Web.

Introduction

This paper will briefly discuss irony as used by Charles Dickens in “A Tale of Two Cities”. Irony can be said to be coincidences which are interesting but surprising at the same time. Ironical instances are contradictory in most cases. Irony as used in this work of art (A Tale of Two Cities) will be discussed in three forms: verbal, dramatic and situational irony.

Verbal Irony

Words can be used to express irony. This happens when words used do not mean the direct meaning but rather the opposite. The author (Dickens) used verbal irony in “A Tale of Two cities” quite well in many instances. In the book we see Mr. Lorry referring to himself as being business minded-he tells Miss Manette that he is one; “Miss Manette, I am a man of business” (Dickens 21). At this point Mr Lorry depicts a very different image of himself from what we see at the end of the story. At the end Mr. Lorry is not a business man as such but a very kind fellow who is very friendly. Another instance of verbal irony appears when the messenger refers to Jerry Cruncher as a honest business man; “it wouldn’t do for you, Jerry. Jerry you honest tradesman, it wouldn’t suit your line of business” (Dickens 12).

Reading further in the book Jerry Cruncher is not portrayed as a honest business man as portrayed in that statement above. He is seen lying to his son by not telling him what he does but just telling him that he goes to fish thus he does not disclose his business to his him. Another verbal irony comes out through Monsieur Marquis who claims that he can take care of his son. This is quite ironical because Monsieur Marquis cannot even take of himself. Monsieur Marquis ends up killing Gaspard’s child and he is killed by Gaspard because of that. Another verbal irony appears in the way Sydney Carton and Stryver are referred to. Stryver who is referred to as a fellow of delicacy is proved to a fellow of no delicacy at the end of the story while Sydney Carton who was referred to as a fellow of no delicacy is proved to be a fellow of delicacy at the end of the story. It should be noted that what Sydney Carton did for Darney proved him a fellow of delicacy.

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is the type which comes out when there is a contradiction between what the reader thinks and the character knows. When the author writes about the French revolution the readers have the feeling that the revolution will bring positive changes. In actual sense the revolution is seen as reign which does not bring any good thing but terror.

Another instance of dramatic irony is displayed through the life of Carton. The reader is likely to view Carton to be drunk for the rest of his life. “It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known” (Dickens 364). Carton replaced Darney at the guillotine because they took after each other very much. Using the advantage of close resemblance Carton is able to save Darney from the guillotine by appearing in the court and then taking the guillotine.

Another dramatic iron occurred when Dr. Manette was convicted and sent to prison. This took place when the note he sent concerning Evermonde brothers landed on the wrong hands and instead of the brother going to prison for the crime of rape he instead was convicted and imprisoned for eighteen good years.

Situational Irony

Situational irony occurs when the end result is quite different from the expectations of the reader. The situation of Dr. Manette is a good example of situational irony. Dr. Manette brings revolution but dramatic turn of events has him locked up in the prison. At the end we see Dr. Manette being a father in law to a son of one of the Evermonde brothers. This is unexpected as Dr. Manette was imprisoned because of the Evermonde brothers. The desire of madam Defarge to kill Dr. Manette can also be viewed as ironical. Madam Defarge wishes to kill Dr. Manette because he had become a brother in law to one of the Evermonde brother who was involved in the crime of rape. This is quite ironical because in the real sense Dr. Manette was imprisoned wrongly.

Conclusion

Charles Dickens used irony so well to enhance the reading of the book. The author applied all the three forms of iron as discussed above to make the book quite interesting. Iron played an important role in bringing out suspension in the book. It is also used cleverly to keep the reader glued to reading the book. It is obvious that the author tactfully used the iron to make the book quite interesting.

Work Cited

Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. New York: Macmillan, 1989. Print.

It is a very well-known fact that by the time they get to the end of their novel, many writers start to have second thoughts about how to conclude it. The history of literature is filled with examples where critics found alternative endings to famous novels. This essay analyzes the two alternative endings for the novel Great Expectations and argues that the initial one was both more aesthetically appealing and philosophically profound.

The events leading up to the final scene in the film and in the novel with the initial ending are the same. In both cases Pip, or Finn as he is called in the film, ends up without his wealth while Estella is divorced and has lead an unhappy life. However, the very ends of the two versions differ sharply. The ending that Dickens initially intended for the novel is rather gloomy.

The novel was initially supposed to end with the following statement by the narrator, “I was very glad afterwards to have had the interview; for, in her face and in her voice, and in her touch, she gave me the assurance, that suffering had been stronger than Miss Havisham’s teaching, and had given her a heart to understand what my heart used to be” (Dickens and Rosenberg 492). What this sentence reveals is that too much suffering can turn an innocent and loving person into a being incapable of loving in the same way as it can break the arrogance and selfishness of a spoiled one.

The ending in the film is rather different. When the final accidental meeting of Estella and Finn takes place, the dynamics between them is apparently positive. One kind statement by Estella is enough to awaken all the love that Finn has been feeling for years. Estella says, “I think about you … a lot lately” (Great Expectations). After that, when she asks him if he would forgive her for everything, Finn simply replies “Don’t you know me at all” (Great Expectations) thereby signaling that his suffering was completely insignificant when compared to his desire to be with her.

When it comes to giving a value judgment about which of the two endings is better, the answer is bound to come either from the aesthetics of the scene or from the philosophical understanding of the nature of love and emotional suffering of the person who answers the question. It seems that the scene that was initially intended for the novel is much better according to both of these criteria. First, aesthetically, the moment at which Finn answers an apparently difficult question such as whether he is willing to forgive Estella in a statement that is so devoid of emotion and second thoughts, the viewer immediately feels betrayed.

The question that comes to mind is whether the kind of suffering that Finn underwent before was real at all when he could pretend as if it never happened and give it no second thought. Secondly, philosophically, the unofficial ending for the novel gives a much more profound and interesting view about the effects of suffering on human beings. Namely, as it has already been hinted at, it seems to suggest that intense emotional suffering can numb down lively human emotions in a person who is sincere and naïve, but in a spoiled person, it can actually awaken those feelings.

In conclusion, the ending that was initially intended for the novel was better than the one that was finally used and presented in the film. The unofficial ending is aesthetically more appealing as there is no dissonance between what the audience would naturally expect and what actually happens. Also, the unofficial version gives a much more profound statement about the effects of suffering on human beings.

Works Cited

Dickens, Charles, and Edgar Rosenberg. Great expectations: authoritative text, backgrounds, contexts, criticism. New York: Norton, 1999. Print.

Great expectations. Dir. Alfonso Cuaron. Perf. Ethan Hawke, Gwynet Paltrow. Art Linson, 1998. Film.

Pip is a short name for Phillip. The name stuck to him after he was unable to pronounce his name properly. He could say Pip only. He was an orphan brought up by his sister and her husband. Joe, on the other hand, was a blacksmith who married Pip’s sister. He is good looking and mature. “He was an easy going, foolish, sweet tempered, mild, good natured dear fellow…” (Dickens 7), Pip thought. Pip and Joe were similar in characters yet have different personalities. Charles Dickens uses Pip’s and Joe’s differences in character to communicate his message to the reader through their experiences and virtues.

Joe enjoyed great freedom and inner self-worth that Pip had never experienced up to the closing stages of the novel. For instance, when Joe paid a visit to Pip in London, Pip set up a dismal situation. Joe declared with dignity, “Pip, dear chap, life entails so many things combined which calls for people’s attention in an appropriate manner.” Joe was not similar to Pip since he lacked false constraints of social barriers.

Pip ‘s character is significant in the novel; he also plays a leading role and his actions craft the plot of the novel. His thoughts and attitudes shape the mind of the reader. Developing and understanding Pip’s character was the most profound step in Great expectation. Joe was honest and simple blacksmith who lived in the marshes.

Pip’s principal traits of character were a result if his undeveloped, romantic idealism and his intrinsically first-class scruples. Pip’s focus was to perk up and realize any encroachment in ethics, education, and social matters. Joe was a blacksmith; and they thus differed in thinking which made Pip leave for London to become a gentleman.

Joe was always kind and trusted person. Pip admired Joe’s character as a boy. They stayed apart for a long time before seeing each other. This may be associated with their differences in characters. When Pip fell ill, Joe nursed him and covered all his debts. While, on the other hand, Pip left Joe in the rear in quest for Estella, totally ignoring the last.

Joe was concerned and caring. When Joe saw that Pip was not participating in their normal competition, he got worried and exclaimed loudly. Joe told Pip to hide behind the door when he realized that Mrs. Joe was coming to punish him. Pip went out to the churchyard making his sister worried about him. She then went out to look for her with a cane, Tickle. He also passes Pip to the chimney in an attempt to cover him with his leg so he would not receive more beatings from Mrs. Joe. Most times when there was gravy, Joe would add some pints to Pip’s plate.

They began to see each other as equals due to the sufferings they experienced together as cited from the book, where it is said “Joe and I being fellow sufferers and having confidences as such, Joe imparted a confidence to me…” (Dickens 9). Mrs. Joe gave them similar shares of loaves showing that she took them as equals. Later, they competed biting for their slices (Dickens 9). Pip “always treated Joe as a huge species of child and no more than my equal” (Dickens 8). He also referred to Mr. Pumblechook, Joe’s uncle, as his own uncle. This shows how people in similar circumstances may end up uniting despite their differences in characters.

Pip was reserved. He feared the old convict. He got threatened that if he did not take food, his heart and liver would be eaten. He ate his loaf and stole more food and kept it to give it to the old man. He got uneasy after stealing foodstuffs from the sister’s house (Dickens 13). He thought everyone knew about his theft. He even said to an ox, “I could not help it, sir! It was not for myself I took it!” (Dickens 12). Joe, on the other hand, was the husband to Mrs. Joe, yet he received her intimidation. Joe was not able to hide his fears; he even asked if he could take Pip with him as they accompanied the soldiers in pursuit of the convicts.

Pip and Joe shared a deep friendship and helped each other where they could. However, their friendship could be one of the outcomes of their differences. Pip felt guilty that he stole Joe’s food from the house. However, he was afraid to tell the truth since he feared losing Joe as his friend and companion. He admitted that he had acted as a coward for not doing the right thing (Dickens 32). Despite getting tired, Joe carried Pip on his back most the time when they were pursuing the convict. Pip was also willing to help Joe in his own way to improve his reading after he had realized that Joe’s reading was at the infant stage (Dickens 35). These show their special bond and comfort they felt while being around each other.

Joe and Pip had different experiences in life. Joe had parents who were constantly arguing during his childhood. He missed school due to these problems, started blacksmith work and married Mrs. Joe, who attacked and treated him harshly. Pip, on the other hand, was an orphan who stayed in his sister’s house, received good opportunities for education but failed in wooing Estella. When he repented and decided to marry Biddy, he found her already married to Joe.

Joe was faithful to Pip while Pip stole from him and neglected him as he strived to win Estella’s love. Joe, on the other hand, covered Pip’s debts although he left for London to be a gentleman forsaking him. He went to London to nurse Pip who was ill and eventually forgave him. This shows his good nature and true friendship towards Pip.

Their views and reasoning are different from each other. Joe shared with Pip the reasons why he had not acquired education when he had been young. He told him how his dad got drunk and then caused their mother’s fight. Their mother escaped with them to another place and worked hard to take them to school. Their dad followed them and caused a scandal in public. That made the owners of the place where they were living in give them up to their father. (Dickens 36) This disrupted Joe’s learning process. When Joe thought that his father had done such things out of love for them, Pip differed in opinion. He did not express his opposite opinion to Joe.

Pip was drowning in debt despite having much money from Abel Magwitch. Joe had been more rational in managing his finances despite being a simple blacksmith. He even acquired enough money to offset Pip’s huge debts.

Pip was able to travel widely and experience a more liberal lifestyle in an attempt to meet all his ambitions while Joe did not. Joe was comfortable with his life and settled as a blacksmith. Pip was also quick tempered. He knocked the wall in anger after he was unable to reveal his anger. He preferred to keep them to himself and only hit the wall. In contrast to Joe, he was calm, collected and indifferent towards his problems. He accepted them without questioning or seeking redress.

Dickens used Pip and Joe in his novel as a way to relay messages to the readers of the novel. He hoped that, from the virtues of Joe and Pip, readers would understand his intended message.

Being good to all people is a virtue that should be valued. Pip helped the old convict and felt apologetic that he got arrested again. He took him food without knowing him as they were total strangers and had never met before. The old man later named him as a benefactor to a large sum of his money. Pip got rewarded for his selfless action of agreeing to take some food to the old man. Joe was a faithful friend to Pip. Even after being abandoned by Pip, he nursed him and paid his debts off. He displayed a notion that one should be with his/her friends through thick and thin. Pip did not shy away from apologizing to Joe and even set to Egypt to work hard and pay for Joe.

Joe was married to a wife who ruled over him and looked down upon him. However, he was good, patient and always obliged to her instructions without dispute. It was unfortunate that Mrs. Joe was attacked when Joe and Pip were away and far from the house. Joe was eventually able to remarry again and settle down.

Optimism is a virtue. Joe thought his dad cared for them. He thought so because his dad always tracked them down and made a row demanding them to return to him even though he was a drunkard. Optimism helped him to accept his illiteracy without blaming either of his parents. Optimism helps one see the bright side of everything and be at peace with each oneself and the others.

Too much ambition can mislead an individual. Pip was overcome by ambition. He had celebrated expectations. This made him forget his faithful friends in pursuit of his own interests when attracted by Estella. He also began overspending since he did not accept his social class. This eventually accrued to an immense debt. This shows that one should live within one’s means.

Joe and Pip were friends, companions and business partners when Pip worked for Joe as an apprentice. They were from different backgrounds, with different physical characteristics and behavior. They lived through many events, good and bad as described in the novel. These differences made them part for a long time as Pip moved to London while Joe was left in the marshes. They were eventually able to show that helping others, working hard, being ready to apologize and correcting one’s mistakes are real virtues.

Works Cited

Dickens, Charles. Great expectations. London, England: Penguin, 1996. Print.

Introduction

In Sketches by Boz, Charles Dickens takes the reader on a journey through London using language mastery and different literary stylistic devices. The reader can tell that the city’s untidiness inspired Dickens to write this work. On numerous occasions, the author sounds disoriented as he tours the city of London. The story is mostly descriptive and the speaker starts by narrating the “appearance presented by the streets of London an hour before sunrise on a summer’s morning” (Dickens 38). This paper discusses the ways in which the experience of feeling disoriented or claustrophobic in London has been depicted by considering the ways in which London’s untidiness has inspired Sketched by Boz by Charles Dickens.

London’s Untidiness

In the eyes of Dickens, London is a messy place whether in the morning or at night. This disorderliness spreads from the street corners, through business establishments and transport systems to institutions, such as criminal courts. Dickens seems disoriented and lost in the murkiness of the city. During the summer, one would expect the sunrise to bring liveliness and radiate happiness as people wake up to pursue their dreams across the city unless someone is claustrophobic. However, Dickens paints a dull picture of London on a summer’s morning. He states, “There is an air of cold, solitary desolation about the noiseless streets…” (Dickens 38).

A noiseless street is supposed to be calm, but Dickens conjures an image of coldness and desolation. This contrast can only be explained by the fact that the streets are untidy and perhaps the multitudes of people who throng them during the day cover this mess. For instance, if a street is littered, one may not notice the dirt when masses of people are passing by. However, if the same street is deserted, it becomes easy to see the inherent mess and disarray.

Dickens tries to conjure the image of a disordered city throughout the story and this assertion is sufficiently supported by what the author says. He posits, “The last drunken man…has just staggered heavily along…the last houseless vagrant whom penury and police have left in the streets, has coiled up his chilly limbs in some paved comer. The drunken, the dissipated, and the wretched have disappeared…the stillness of death is over the streets” (Dickens 38).

This passage points to different aspects of an untidy city, which can easily evoke a feeling of disorientation. First, a drunkard loiters across the street and a vagrant coils at a paved corner. The vagabond represents street families, which is an indicator of untidiness and disorderliness. If the city of London were orderly, street families would have a place to sleep. The stillness of death that hangs over the streets could be interpreted in several ways.

First, the uncollected garbage may create a breeding ground for different pathogens, which would ultimately cause deadly diseases leading to the loss of life. On the other hand, Dickens could be talking of criminal elements on the streets, which could cause harm or death in a flash. The author could also be talking about poorly constructed buildings and structures that could easily crumble and bury people alive. Regardless of what Dickens sees in London, he is sure that death hangs over the streets, and this feeling evokes claustrophobia.

As the day breaks, the messiness of the city is compounded. Market carts start rolling along and “Rough, sleepy-looking animals of strange appearance, something between ostlers and hackney-coachmen, begin to take down the shutters of early public-houses” (Dickens 39). The Covent-garden market is chaotic with animals, such as donkeys and horses, competing for limited space with human beings. The pavements are strewn with waste. In order to give a clear picture of the untidiness of London, Dickens says,

Men are shouting, carts backing, horses neighing, boys fighting, basket-women talking, piemen expatiating on the excellence of their pastry, and donkeys braying. These and a hundred other sounds form a compound discordant enough to a Londoner’s ears and remarkably disagreeable to those of country gentlemen who are sleeping at the Hummums for the first time (39).

From this passage, the disorderliness of London stands out conspicuously and the reader can understand the experience of feeling disoriented in the city. Similarly, it suffices to argue that this messiness and disarray inspired Dickens to write Sketches by Boz.

Dickens also explores the untidiness caused by buildings and structures across the city of London. For instance, he discusses one building, which he says is a sample of the rest, in detail to highlight one of the many failures of the city. He notes, “The house went to ruin…the paint was all worn off; the windows were broken, the area was green with neglect and the overflowing of the water-butt; the butt itself was without a lid, and the street-door was the very picture of misery…the unfortunate house looked more wretched than ever” (Dickens 47).

This description of a city house paints a picture of an untidy city that London was at the time, which probably inspired Dickens to compile this work. If, as claimed, the house was a representative of hundreds of others, then the city was a wretched place to be, and anyone visiting it would feel disoriented or claustrophobic. The throngs of people and the sight of ruined buildings are enough reasons for any visitor to feel entrapped, hence the claustrophobia.

The public transport in London is in disarray and Dickens chooses omnibuses to discuss this point. He says, “We are not aware that it has ever been precisely ascertained, how many passengers our omnibus will contain. The impression on the cad’s mind evidently is that it is amply sufficient for the accommodation of any number of persons that can be enticed into it” (Dickens 108). In other words, there are no rules governing the number of passengers that an omnibus can carry. If the rules exist, then they are not followed. This aspect introduces another level of disorderliness as it endangers the lives of commuters because, in case of an accident, the casualties of an overloaded bus would be many.

The omnibus men simply disregard any form of moral obligation. From time to time, some passengers confront the omnibus men, and this showdown normally leaves other travelers amused, which encourages Dickens to document such encounters. He confesses, “…and to wish, as we walk away, that we could impart to others any portion of the amusement we have gained for ourselves” (Dickens 110). Well, the author went on to write about these subjects to impart to others his experiences in the city of London.

Finally, the institutionalized messiness seems to have inspired Dickens’ work. First, due to the lack of opportunities, the youth have turned to criminal activities. Dickens recounts a time when he meets a boy having been released from the courts, after spending a long time in prison, for committing some petty theft. One wonders why would a boy spend years in prison for petty theft, but it points to the institutional disorderliness of the courts. Therefore, prodded by curiosity, Dickens enters a criminal court to investigate how matters are handled. Unfortunately, “Every trial seems a mere matter of business. There is a lot of forms, but no compassion, considerable interest, but no sympathy” (Dickens 154).

It suffices to conclude that the criminal courts are messed up, and while complainants go to the system for justice, the convicted are supposed to undergo reformation in jails. One can only imagine the inhumane nature of the prisons if they are an extension of the courtroom that the author has described in the above passage as lacking compassion and sympathy. Dickens continues, “There were other prisoners – boys often, as hardened in vice as men of fifty – a houseless vagrant going joyfully to prison as a place of food and shelter, handcuffed to a man whose prospects were ruined, character lost, and family rendered destitute by his first offense (216). These passages conjure images of a disorderly court system, and Dickens is inspired by such incidences to write his stories.

Conclusion

The untidiness and mess across the city of London inspired Charles Dickens’ work and especially Sketches by Boz. In this book, the author focuses mainly on the chaos and disorderliness that are characteristic of different aspects of the city. The mess of the city causes the author to lament that the stillness of death hangs on the streets. At the market, animals, people, and waste materials compete for space, thus compounding the problem of untidiness. Dickens draws heavily from the messiness of London to compose his chef-d’oeuvre works, such as Sketches by Boz.

Work Cited

Dickens, Charles. Sketches by Boz. Baudry’s European Library, 1839.