Adults and Children of "Great Expectations"

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses a vivid memoir of childhood in the novel "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. The paper specifically discusses the upbringing of the three children in the the book Pip, Estella and Herbert and explains that their characters are greatly influenced by the adults with whom they have frequent interactions. The paper relates that some of the psychological and emotional traits that are instilled in the children are ruthlessness and a lack of compassion.

From the Paper:

" Due to social intermingling with Mrs. Joe, Pip develops consequential behaviors. Pip's self-awareness can be traced to Mrs. Joe's aggressive nature which is directed towards Pip and his father-figure, Joe Gargery. Mrs. Joe serves as a reproachful and disciplined mother-figure who "brought Pip up by hand." Mrs. Joe's rough physical treatment of Pip, made clear when "she pounced on [Pip], squeezed his face into wooden bowls in sinks, soaped, toweled, thumped and rasped" in combination with her lingual abuse of Joe and Pip's being " 'a most ungrateful boy' " develops a habitual self-critical character in Pip (56-58). Pip's extreme self-critical character is shown humorously and brilliantly throughout his recollections of the Christmas dinner. Although he had done a heroic and generous favor to the convict by giving him a pork pie that he had stolen from the kitchen pantry, Pip "[clutches] the leg of the table immediately...and felt that this time [he] really was gone" when Mrs. Joe proposes the absent " 'savory pork pie' " (31). This exemplifies how Mrs. Joe's strict nature against Pip causes him to undergo tense self-conscious moments frequently, even if he had actually done well. Pip's reflection on the hunk of bread down the legs of his trousers serves as another example of "a great punishment" of "Conscience" that he undergoes due to his fear of consequences from Mrs. Joe. Pip experiences several moments of self-guilt later throughout his recollections, primarily due to a second adults influence upon him."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. August 4 - 23, 2008. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003

More papers on Adults and Children of "Great Expectations":

• Analytical Essay # 32773 : "Anticipation and Realization in "Great Expectations"
• Book Review # 103230 : "Poverty and Shame in "Great Expectations"
• Book Review # 93953 : "Symbols of 'Great Expectations'"

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