Mister Pip Essay Example
Mister Pip Essay Example

Mister Pip Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (1063 words)
  • Published: September 15, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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The setting of Colonialism has affected many civilians of Papua New Guiana and Bougainvillea. The conflict between these two tribes had resorted to violence in which many villagers were tortures, killed and raped. This essay will argue about how the setting Colonialism influenced my understanding of the novel Mister Pip written by Lloyd Jones. I will portray this through the ideas of Brutality, Escapism and Courage. Using these ideas I will illustrate how the setting influenced my understanding of the novel. Lloyd Jones illustrates the idea of brutality throughout the entire novel.

Brutality was seen through many characters such as the villagers, Mantilla, Mr. Watts, The soldiers and Dolores. The villagers live in the state of waiting; hiding and knowing that inevitably they will be found. They are t

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rapped with no physical escape, only the escape into the world of imagination. When Mr. Watts cannot prove that Mister Pip is a character from Great Expectations the redskins retaliate by dragging the villagers possessions on the sand and burning them. They give the village 2 weeks to bring Mister Pip forward or they will face the consequence of life or death.

Once again this leaves the village in the state of waiting. An example from the text is "this is what happens, you wait and wait. Until the redskins would Just come so that the waiting can be over...... The redskins visit affected us in many ways some of us were seen hiding food in the Jungle. Others made escape plans. They thought about where to escape". This example influenced my understanding of brutality in the setting of colonialism. The state of waiting for th

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worst to happen is endless in which they feel a rehearsal of ultimate fear every time the redskins arrive.

Hence the reasons why many villagers are making escape plans and hiding food. Their peaceful and innocent lives are shaken by brutality and fear. This also helps us understand the life these villagers go through every day with no hope of escape, Just the hope of waiting. Brutality is clearly seen through the continuous waiting of the villagers for the redskins return. The effect of the Redskins visits has left them with fear, in which the redskins may determine their fate. The author also uses the idea of Escapism to portray the setting of colonialism.

Escapism was also used throughout the novel. Mr. Watts sees the need to distract the children from an atmosphere of brutality; which he uses the book Great Expectations. The book offered escapism so that children may use their imaginations to escape from a world full of cruelty and fear. The book also helps the children to realizes that there are other people in the world who understand their feelings. An example from the text is "l had been spoken to by Pip. This boy who couldn't see to touch but knew by ear. I had found a new friend in Pip..... T was a relief to return to Great Expectations. It contained a world that was whole and made sense, unlike ours. " Education gives them a hope for a better future and Mantilla states it changed her life around, in a world where there is no existence off fairy tale. Education affected Mantilla deeply and seriously. It made her think

about the other side of life, it provided her with a meaning to life. She was in deep surprise about how the book can affect her life dangerously and seriously. Through Pip she had learnt to enter another time and another place.

She also learns that things can suddenly change as hey did for Pip. This novel helps us understand that escapism played a big part in a world surrounded by colonialism. Escapism influenced the setting of the text positively, which provided hope and perseverance for a better future that lies ahead. Jones also uses the idea of Courage to help influence the setting of colonialism. Courage is seen through all the characters of the novel. When the villagers possessions are burnt by the redskins they found ways to console themselves.

Remembering that they were already surrounded by food such as the sea and the ruts in the trees. They had lost irreplaceable things and the blame for their loss was Mr. Watts, due to the failed communication with the redskin leaders. Weeks later when the redskins return they also lose their houses which contained their memories, privacy and sense of containment. After losing everything they owned still maintain a courageous and positive mind-set. The children also courageously strives to remember fragments from the novel Great Expectations. They would not let the book come to extinct.

Dolores sacrificing her life for her daughter was also seen as rage, not only towards her daughter but also Mr. Watts. An example from the text is "Sir I saw your men chop up the white man. He was a good man. I am gods witness.... 'Her daughter'; now

my mother came to life... My mum pleaded with the soldiers... "Did you hear that your mother has offered her life for you" Dolores has an incredibly courageous personality. The sacrifices Dolores went through involved courage and bravery. Her determination to defend the truth leads her to bravely testify seeing Mr. Watt's brutal death.

Doing so she suffers the same fate as Mr. Watts. Courage played a big part in many of the villager's lives which influenced the setting of colonialism. Living for many years of colonialism, the villagers have adapted to the soldiers brutality and have built courageous characteristics within all of them. The setting of Colonialism has influenced the novel negatively and positively. Using the ideas of Brutality, Escapism and Courage has helped me understand how these ideas influenced the setting of colonialism. Colonialism is one of the most frightening events in human history.

One thing that interested me the most was the idea of Courage. This influenced the setting of the novel positively because they all maintained a positive mind-set when times got rough. The idea of brutality also influenced the setting of colonialism negatively because is caused conflict between Papua New Guiana and Bougainvillea which affected the innocent lives of the villagers. The novel Mister Pip opens out its meaning to the readers in which they learn about the complex situations that civilians live with every day of fear and hope for peace. 1057 words

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