Great Expectations Essay

2 Pages 488 Words

One of the most prominent themes in Great Expectations was that a person’s worth lies in the goodness of his heart or the, content of his character, rather than in his wealth or social status. Dickens clearly makes this true throughout each of Pip’s expectations. In Pip’s first great expectation, Dickens makes it evident that the young ignorant Pip was truly happy and was a great person. During Pip’s second expectation, it is easily deduced that even when Pip had money he was still a kind and caring person. Lastly, in Pip’s third expectation, he encounters a truly humbling experience and learns that others too can be kind or cruel regardless of social status.
Henry David Thoreau once said, “Money is not required to buy one necessity of the soul.” This statement is very true in Great Expectations. In the beginning of the story, Pip was not wealthy. However, this young boy was happy (as well as naïve). He had a good heat and was caring. Being naïve was probably the source of his happiness and kindness though. Before Estella and wealth “brainwashed” Pip, he was a happy, carefree boy. Afterwards, he was miserable and cruel to his real “family”, Biddy and Joe. An allusion corresponding to this instance would be “Adam and Eve”. Before they partook of the fruit of knowledge, they were happy living in the Garden of Eden. After they lost their ignorance they became miserable and had to leave their paradise. Pip was truly happy and wealthy (in friends and family) before he had ever considered becoming a gentleman.
Once Pip started to receive money and was considered wealthy, he was still a good person. However, Estella’s influence and his want to “fit-in” with the upper-class made him treat Joe and Biddy as Estella had treated him (like an incoherent moron who didn’t deserve respect). Pip was still sensitive though. He had remorse for how he treated Joe and often wanted to go visit him. Pip also was a very ...