Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Great Expectations Essay Explore Dickens approach to the theme being a gentleman in key extracts of Great Expectations with particular reference to the social, historical and cultural influences of the text. What is a gentleman? A typical gentleman in modern day society is perceived as an alien concept. In 1463, a gentleman was defined as a man of rank but in 1583 a gentleman was said to be as a man of superior position or a man of leisure. However, in 1852 a gentleman was described as a wealthy man with no occupation. Yet, the traditional view of a gentleman was a man of gentle birth, a noble man who was not royalty, and a man of distinction. The first time we see Dickens use an instance of being a gentleman is in Chapter One through Pips attitude towards the convict. As Magwitch orders Pip around, yelling Tell us your name! Quick! Pip surprises us by responding in a much more polite manner than we would expect of someone in this situation. We notice a difference in dialect here; Magwitch is rough and has a very harsh voice, whereas Pips is much more refined. This suggests that Dickens created Pip with an underlying sense of being a gentleman from the start, but Pip believes himself to be more common. At home, Pips sister has brought him up in accordance with the very traditional notion of children should be seen and not heard. This could be a factor that has led to Pips politeness. However, she does not believe him to be as well-behaved and mannerly as he is. This is evident when she calls him naturally vicious. When the convict is found, Joe is called to help catch him. Pip goes along with him, and in this chapter we realize where Pip gets his decency. Joe has a simple dignity and compassion, and by caring for the convict and getting him what he needs, we notice that Pip shares these characteristics. Pip was worried that they would find the convict and his role would be discovered, but we see that Magwitch does not betray Pip when he is caught. This could suggest that there is to be other encounters with him later on, and that the convict does not want to be on unfriendly terms with Pip. In Chapter Seven Pip is invited to play at Miss Havishams, yet he does not understand why. She is a rich lady and before he goes he is thoroughly cleaned. This shows that they are a typical working-class family in Victorian times. At Miss Havishams we again witness Pips gentility. He responds to her using Maam. He is a young boy who could be excused for talking to her as he would to anybody else, but he again shows how he has the potential to be a gentleman. Also, throughout the book he speaks to all his elders in this way. This shows the respect he has, and how he has been brought up well. However, we do not see any politeness from Miss Havisham. We are also introduced to Estella, the young girl who was adopted by Miss Havisham. Her name means star, which is quite ironic. Miss Havisham has trained her to break hearts, and Pip is the boy Estella is to practice on. Pips gentility shows again when, after Estella is cruel towards him, he forgives her. He is so in love with her that her beauty makes him forget her unpleasantness. His love for her develops so much that he wants to ask her out, but he feels he is not good enough for her because he is poor.