FREE ESSAY ON GREAT EXPECTATIONS

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
By Anne Gilmour. November 1996.
Of the major themes from Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations to be discussed as to
their importance concerning its structure, I have selected Love in the context of human
relationships, Isolation and finally Redemption. The loneliness isolation brings can only
be redeemed by the loving associate of our fellow man, this is a two way thing.
Had grown diseased, as all minds do and must and will that reverse the appointed order of
their maker.
In isolation the greatest sin we commit against ourselves and others, is to shun human
companionship as Miss Haversham did. After her betrayal in love she hardened her heart
towards her fellow man. By hardening her heart and suppressing her naturally affectionate
nature, she committed a crime against herself. Miss Havershams love for Compeyson is of a
compassionate kind, this blinded her to his true nature, as Herbert remarked, too haughty
and too much in love to be advised by anyone. At Compeysons desertion her anger and
sorrow became extreme and she threw herself and Satis House into perpetual mourning and a
monument to her broken heart, shutting the world out and herself from the world. Her only
concession is in her adoption of Estella.
Miss Haversham has ulterior motives in adopting Estella, this is not a loving action on
her part, but a calculated manoeuvre to turn the child into a haughty, heartless
instrument of revenge against men. Estella is encouraged to practice her disdain on Pip
and to break his heart. Paradoxically, Miss Havershams greatest sin, is against herself.
By hardening her heart she loses her generous, affectionate nature and becomes withered
inside emotionally. Her punishment is that the heartless young woman she has made, uses
her lack of feelings against Miss Haversham.
Estella herself is isolated, as for most of the novel she takes pleasure in her role of
avenger. Her isolation is in part responsible for Pips snobbery and his estrangement from
Joe and Biddy. Like Miss Haversham she becomes a victim of her own machinations. She
enters into a loveless marriage to Drummle, who is cruel to her. This shows that no
matter how heartless one tries to be, there is always someone more heartless. The
instrument of revenge punishes the avenger and is punished in return. 
Pip feels emotionally and geographically isolated on his arrival in London. Jaggers
isolation is his deliberate rejection to human involvement, he substitutes these with the
mechanical process of law. Jaggers uses the legal system to avoid personal responsibility
for the fate of his fellow man. This profession has imprisoned his better instincts,
leaving him isolated within the system. Magwitch, however, is isolated by the system, he
uses Pip as his agent of revenge. Magwitchs' motives are not only revenge, but also
gratitude for the food Pip gave him in his hour of need. He develops a fatherly affection
towards Pip, who in the end returns his affection. It is Magwitch who has the best
reasons for disbelieving in human companionship, that supported it the most.
Love in the context of human relationships is best shown through Pip. The relationship
between Pip and Joe changed as Pip grew up. As a child, Pip regarded Joe as an equal,
though he loved him, I had a new sensation of feeling conscious that I was looking up to
Joe in my heart. 
Though there is love, the snobbish Pip is critical of Joe, not verbally, but in his
thoughts. When Pip attains his Great Expectations, he is embarrassed by what he regards
as Joe's commonness and avoids his company.
Pip's conscience makes him realise, Joe has more gentlemanly qualities than he himself
possesses, his remorse however is short lived. When Pip's fortunes take a fall he is too
ashamed to approach Joe and Biddy, their love is too strong however and are there for Pip
in his hour of need.
In Pip's relationship with Biddy, he is very condescending, and shows disregard for her
feelings,  If I could only get myself to fall in love with you, is a prime example. Pip
compares Biddy to Estella and overlooks her obviously good qualities. After his loss of
fortune, Pip decides to honour Biddy by marrying her. I would go to Biddy. Pip still
snobbishly thought Biddy would be glad to marry him. However, Biddy has married Joe.
Though she was once half in love with Pip, Biddy recognised his obsession for Estella and
wisely sought a partner elsewhere. Biddy and Joe share the same values and are ideal
partners.
Herbert and Clara, Mr Wemmick and Miss Skiffin and Mr and Mrs Pocket have loving steady
relationships.
Pip's sexual attraction towards Estella is more romantic ideology than genuine love. He
envisions Estella as a captive princess and himself as the heroic knight, only he can
awaken love in her heart. Even though Estella tells him, I have no heart, he does not
believe her.
Does Estella believe what she says or is she trying to convince herself? Is she using her
unattainability to perversely keep Pip's interest?
Redemption is attained by Miss Haversham when she humbles herself to ask Pip's
forgiveness. After the cruelty she has endured at the hands of Compeyson, Estella emerges
a more compassionate person. Pip's forgiveness and love from Joe, Biddy and Magwitch.
He endures hardship and triumphantly emerges a mature, thoughtful person.
The themes of Love, Isolation and Redemption are the structure the other themes hang
from. The loneliness of isolation is the beginning; love is the food that staves it off
and redemption is the final cleansing. Love is the backbone of the novel, the thing that
binds the others together, redemption is its conclusion. There has to be love or the
characters would not be able to interact, if there were only isolation each character's
tale would be a separate piece of work. All good novels have a moral to relate and
involve love and redemption.
By Bill Clum.
All comments would be welcome as I am studying for exams.
Bibliography
no author indicated