Sayat 1

Dilara SAYAT
20901929
Dr. Valerie KENNEDY
19th Century Novel
26 April 2011

SELF-REALIZATION

As Great Expectations is a bildungsroman, the development and the

change of the main character, Pip, is important. Indeed, it can be said that the main

focus of the novel is the improvement of the protagonist. In the novel, we see how Pip

changes through his childhood to his maturity and what kind of experiences and

incidents help him to realize the real priorities and values in life. After all the things

he has experienced, Pip realizes that the wealth and social standing cannot make a

person a true gentleman. His obsession, I think it is not love what he feels, to Estella

beginning from his childhood leads him to be snobbish and ignorant sometimes as

well as acting harsh and bad the best people he knows in life. But from the way of

how he narrates his past and what he does as the years pass, we see how he becomes a

mature person and realizes his mistakes in past.

Body 1: Pip’s youth/ the inexperienced period of life (Childhood)

a) The visit to Miss Havisham’s house which is a real turning point in his life

because this visit changes his thoughts and his perception of life. (The end of

chapter 9-“That was a memorable day to me…”)

b) Looking down on being an apprentice: He begins to realize social positions

and class distinctions in society. And he is not definitely content with his

current situation. And he is aware of the fact that he has to be an apprentice, as

he has no other choice.

c) The mysterious benefactor: This is the chance for Pip to save himself from his
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lower situation and to be a gentleman who is appropriate for a lady like

Estella.

Body 2: Transition period from youth to maturity (Adolescence)

a) His misunderstanding of the benefactor: He thinks the benefactor is Miss

Havisham and this is just a step to a marriage with Estella.

b) Being ashamed of Joe’s coming to London and his thought of using money

against him. (Beginning of chapter 27. Not with pleasure, though I was bound

to him by so many ties….)

c) His sister’s death: A moral change occurs in Pip. He discovers what he really

wants from this life.

Body 3: Arriving maturity

a) His intention to use his wealth for the good of Herbert: This shows that Pip

begins to give up his snobbish manners and he is becoming a kind person. And

also it is clear that he feels guilty towards Herbert.

b) The Convict’s return: This is a disappointment for Pip as he realizes he has

been dreaming all the time about the benefactor and the marriage. And the

benefactor’s becoming a convict disturbs Pip but in the end, he gets closer to

him. Also, this return makes Pip realize that Joe’s preciousness in his life.

c) Junior Pip: Joe and Biddy has given the name to their son Pip. And this shows

that, at the end of the novel, the transition of Pip is completed and he is now

an appropriate person to become an example to little Pip.

Conclusion: Throughout the novel, Pip with all the situations he has been in, changes
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positively. At first we see how he is ambitious and snobbish as well as in a never-

ending self-improvement search. Then we see how he begins to pay attention

friendship ties and moral values. As a bildungsroman, Great Expectations

accomplishes its aim very well.