In this post I'm going to summarize the first part of Great Expectations and talk about the themes that relate this book to all Victorian literature. I will post Friday about the rest of the book.
So, here's basically what happens.
The book is about a young boy (who later turns into a young man) named Pip. His real name is Phillip but he has always gone by Pip. Pip is an orphan and is raised by his much older sister Mrs. Joe and her husband, Mr. Joe Gargery. Joe is a blacksmith and a very simple man who knows very little.
Pip is not treated well by his sister. She spends most of her time complaining about having raised Pip by hand. She thinks he is quite a nuisance when he is only being a kid. She often beats him and makes him take medicine when he does not behave. She doesn't treat Joe much better and although Joe doesn't really stand up for Pip, they seem to understand and like each other.
At the beginning of the story Pip is out on the marshes by a graveyard looking at the tombstones of his parents when an escaped criminal comes upon him. The criminal asks Pip to meet him again the next night with some food and a file for his chains. He scares Pip into doing this by telling him he has a scary friend with him that would hurt him, but Pip seemed to be willing to do the task anyway.
Pip brings the criminal the food although he is scared of what his sister might do when she finds he has been stealing from the pantry. The criminal thanks him, eats the food, and then Pip and the criminal part ways...for a while.
Later, the Gargerys are having a dinner with some friends and Pip's uncle Mr. Pumblechook. Right when Mrs. Joe goes to the pantry to find a meat pie (that is missing because Pip took it), the police come to the door needing Joe's assistance with a lock related to finding 2 criminals that have been hiding in the marshes. Joe takes care of the lock and in return, he and Pip get to follow the police as they chase down the criminals. When they come upon Pip's criminal friend, they arrest him as Joe and Pip watch. The criminal then tells the police that he stole from Joe's pantry, letting Pip off the hook for this act. It's strange that the criminal would help him but also very kind.
A while later, Pip is invited to a rich lady uptown's house to play. Her name is Miss Havisham and she is quite famous around town. Pip's sister and uncle Pumblechook are quite excited about this as they think that she will give Pip something (most likely money). When Pip arrives, a young girl named Estella escorts him upstairs to Miss Havisham's dressing room. Miss Havisham is strange. She always wears her old yellowing wedding dress and one shoe; all her clocks are stopped at 9:20 and her house sees no daylight for it is only lit by candles. Miss Havisham makes Pip and Estella play cards and comments often on how pretty Estella is. Estella is very mean to Pip. She teases him and toys with him; lets him kiss her and then calls him names. She makes fun of his hands, which are callous from work and his work shoes.
When Pip goes home, he has changed. For the first time he is ashamed of his house, his family, his hands and his shoes. He hates that he is common and uneducated. He longs to become a gentleman and will never again be satisfied with his simple life.
This brings us to the first example of an abundant theme throughout Victorian literature: Economic status and classes.
Victorian texts often focus on the distinct differences between upper and lower (or working) class and rich versus poor. Pip is completely satisfied with his life until he realizes how good some people have it and then he begins to covet this. The chase for title and money will define the rest of the book and Pip's life. It will cost him friendships and much more. As in many Victorian texts, the quest for a "better" and more esteemed life is evident.
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