AHL - IRP Paragraph

The major theme throughout Great Expectations is simple. Charles Dickens makes it more complex and interesting by tying into the character development of Pip, the main character in this coming of age story. Pip learns that loyalty, affection, and conscience are simply more important than social improvement, wealth and social class. He learns this by navigation his dreams of becoming a gentleman and improving his class and wealth. When Pip sees the Satis House, he decides that he wants to become a gentleman. Pip's values of class, wealth, and appearance are born in the Satis house and are reinforced even more when he receives a large sum of money from a unknown benefactor. Pip's focus and desire for social class and wealth are shattered when the benefactor reveals himself to be the dirty convict that Pip helped to survive in the beginning of the book. Dicken writes, "Look’ee here, Pip. I’m your second father. You’re my son—more to me nor any son. I’ve put away money, only for you to spend. When I was a hired-out shepherd in a solitary hut, not seeing no faces but faces of sheep till I half-forgot wot men’s and women’s faces wos like, I see yourn. . .. I see you there a many times plain as ever I see you on them misty marshes. ‘Lord strike me dead!’ I says each time—and I goes out in the open air to say it under the open heavens—‘but wot, if I gets liberty and money, I’ll make that boy a gentleman!’ And I done it. Why, look at you, dear boy! Look at these here lodgings of yourn, fit for a lord! A lord? Ah! You shall show money with lords for wagers, and beat ’em!” (Dickens 309). This destroys Pip's values because it reveals to him that his own social status and wealth is owed to the loyalty and generosity of a low-class convict. This is a major event in the story because it also introduces Pip to the values that are more important in life. Magwitch's donation had shown Pip the importance of loyalty. Ultimately, through experiences with Joe, Biddy, and Magwitch (all members of the lower class) Pip learns that societal improvements are irrelevant to one's true worth and that loyalty and affection are to be valued above wealth and class.