Pip's Transformations In The Perspective
Pip's Transformations in the Perspective
of Values and Morality
1 Introduction
Charles Dickens, the greatest representative of English critical realism, was born in Victorian age. It was an age of controversy: industrial revolution brought out rapid development on the one hand, but on the other hand, great contrast between the rich and poor emerged; capitalists laid so much emphasis on morality while many things that betrayed morality appeared. Dickens, who was sensitive by nature, gained full understanding of life and society from the various professions he had taken, especially, from the extreme miseries of the poor he experienced. Sub-consciously, Dickens had a desire to purify the world. As a writer, he resorted to his works, instilling his thoughts into them to serve as a beacon to the contemporary people.
There is no exception to Great Expectations, which was written in Dickens¡¯s latter life after he had cultivated penetrating sight into life and society. It is an acute examination of Victorian society and the development of one¡¯s morality. The novel centers on the story of Pip, an orphan boy adopted by a blacksmith¡¯s family, who has good luck and is bestowed a great fortune. But later he loses both his luck and his expectations. Through the ups and downs, he encountered a number of different acquaintances and friends who influence him in his decisions and goals for his life. He changes from a contented and kind child to a snobbish ¡°gentleman¡±, and at last he realizes the true values and the importance of the values in one¡¯s life if he wants to live a happy life.
This paper attempts to analyze the causes of Pip¡¯s transformations at different stages so as to reveal Dickens¡¯ thoughts and morality characterized by humanistic concerns and sympathy towards the common poor.
2 The Critic and Humanist Dickens
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