Great Expectations Through Multiple Characters - 984 Words

Samantha Marion Mr. Whitmore English Honors 1A 2 December 2014 Many people can prosper, even in the harshest of times. Charles Dickens discusses the many conundrums in society, especially in the Victorian Era, in his novel, Great Expectations through multiple characters. Throughout this novel, Dickens shows how different characters act when they have to face society head on, when put through the social injustices of every day life. Throughout the novel, you see the many personalities of each character develop as they interact with Pip, the novel’s narrator. Dickens uses the character of Abel Magwitch to portray that society places too much value on appearances rather than attitude, this is shown by the mistreatment of Magwitch in the court, Pip having a changing fear of Magwitch throughout the novel, and Dickens showing how Magwitch is truly a good man on the inside, a true gentleman. Magwitch was sentenced to twice the jail time as his accomplice Compeyson. Both Magwitch and Compeyson were sentenced for â€Å"putting stolen notes in circulation†(375). Although Compeyson was the one who started the illegal bidding, Magwitch was sentenced to fourteen years in prison, while Compeyson was sentenced to only seven years in prison. This weighted conviction is based solely on the fact that Compeyson looks and acts like a gentleman, while Magwitch has a lesser education and less money, thus the court treating him harshly. Compeyson himself even states to Magwitch â€Å"to judge fromShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1347 Words   |  6 Pagesor the poor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel isRead MoreA Raisin in the Sun (Movie to the Book) Essay937 Words   |  4 Pagescomparable in multiple ways. After reading the play and watching the movie, there are many things that don’t exactly match up to one another causing the audience to develop a bias about several things that could use some reviewing. With all intentions, Hansberry worked delicately to choose the right actors to fit the parts in the movie production. 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