Great expectations why does pi Essay Example
Great expectations why does pi Essay Example

Great expectations why does pi Essay Example

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  • Pages: 2 (485 words)
  • Published: November 24, 2018
  • Type: Essay
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In Pip's childhood, there are significant incidents that contribute to his transformation from an innocent child to a character consumed by false values and snobbery.

Pip's transformation into snobbery begins when he meets Miss Havisham and Estella. His descent from innocence started even before that, when he stole from his sister to support "his" convict. However, Pip's guilty conscience troubled him as he heard the floorboards creak in an attempt to alert Mrs. Joe. It is evident that Pip was uncomfortable with his actions for the convict, as he hesitated before taking the pork pie that Magwitch greatly appreciated. At Satis House, Estella immediately makes it clear through her words and mannerisms that she considers Pip inferior. This is where he first encounters the girl he later falls in love with, being referred to only as a boy

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. It is also here that he develops his "Great Expectations." Through these experiences, Pip discovers what he perceives as polite society, although Satis House proves to be far from polite. Estella's complete disregard for Pip's feelings exemplifies this, as she points out his faults such as his rough hands and thick boots, and labels him as a common laboring boy. This not only highlights Pip's own shortcomings but also makes him aware of Joe's. Ultimately, Estella becomes the central figure in Pip's life, leading to his future obnoxious and contemptible behavior.Due to his love for her, even after their first meeting, he describes Estella as both "very pretty" and "very insulting". Despite this description, Estella continues to mistreat the young and impressionable boy, treating him like an animal without bothering to learn his name. She confuse

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him further when she allows him to kiss a beautiful girl but then slaps him, leaving him heartbroken. These encounters with Estella and Miss Havisham play a significant role in shaping Pip's "Great Expectations". Each visit to them subjects Pip to belittlement, inferior treatment, and constant disdain. The most striking display of these changes occurs when Joe visits Miss Havisham and Pip considers him an embarrassment. At this point in the story, Pip loses much, if not all, of the reader's sympathy. He is no longer an innocent child and is on a path towards embracing false values and snobbery as the adult Pip, a character who is both disliked by the reader and himself in the future.The text asks what kind of person Pip would be if he had never met Miss Havisham and Estella, but still had Magwitch as his benefactor. While the author believes that Pip may not have been as consumed by snobbery, they also acknowledge that it was Magwitch who caused Pip to lose his innocence by forcing him to steal. However, the author states that the significant events that shaped Pip into a "gentleman" occurred at Miss Havisham's house with Estella present.

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