Great Expectations Research Paper

People read books to be transported to another world or to experience the life of someone else. Some of the best authors draw on their life in order to create a realistic and personal story. Charles Dickens uses this tactic in Great Expectations in the character of Pip to create a personal connection to Pip’s thoughts, character, and story. Charles Dickens uses the the autobiographical traits of a malicious mother, unsatisfying social rise, and the importance of education in Pip’s character. Both Pip and Charles Dickens experienced malicious mother figures whom they resented. Charles Dickens grew up in a poor household with a financially foolish father. Dickens started to work at the request of his mother when he was 12 and his father was

Dickens spends his childhood dreaming of his future life in a nice house and living a good life. Dickens became one of the most famous writers during his time and on, yet Dickens rise to fame and money doesn’t bring him the great happiness he had hoped to gain (“Charles Dickens: A Tale of Ambition and Genius”). Even as his wealth kept increasing, his discontent with his life also grew. Dickens marriage also ended badly during this time. Put all together, Dickens expectations of his future failed terribly and he died weak and discontent. Dickens’ uses his experience to create the same circumstances for Pip but at the end of the book Pip learns that wealth doesn’t mean happiness. Pip ends up middle class and content with his life. Dicken’s uses Pip’s character to teach his readers the lesson he spent his whole life figuring

The new rich of the time that were created by overseas trade and booming trade began to adopt the manners, fashion, and speech styles of the elite (Umunc). The way to becoming a gentleman was getting an education and learning these characteristics. Public schools were insufficient at this time and both Pip and Dickens turned to self teaching or tutors. Dickens experienced a harsh schoolmaster and learned very little during his time there and instead taught himself by reading and going to plays (Hughes 2). Dickens portrayed his experience in many of his books especially in Great Expectations where public schools are illustrated as inadequate. Education led both Pip and, more directly, Dickens to ascend to a higher class. Education allows Dickens to reach his dreams even if they were not what he thought. In Great Expectations, literacy and manners are emphasized by Pip’s benefactor, Magwitch who requests Pip gets an education when he makes the terms of Pip’s expectations. Magwitch tells Pip “I says each time...I’ll make that boy a gentleman!”(Dickens 340). The importance of education is present throughout Dickens life and in his