Pip's Transitions

In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, the main character Pip transitions into three different settings as he comes of age. Three main settings contribute to his experiences and life aspirations: Pip’s childhood home, Miss Havisham's House, and finally London. All three settings contribute to what Pip desires and wants out of life, and as he physically transitions throughout the three, Pip discovers who he truly wants to be. As Pip embarks on his journey, he learns of himself and matures through the truths of life. Pip gains knowledge of his surroundings and constantly alters himself and his attitude through each setting. Beginning in Pip’s childhood home, Pip led an unhappy life of abuse and terror by the hand of his sister. Pip’s only …show more content…
Pips time at Miss Havisham's created a newfound sense of hope in Pip, in which he could get rid of his working class “coarse hands” and “thick boots”. Here, Pip learned of his social class by Miss Havisham's daughter Estella. Pip no longer wanted to work with Joe, and instead aspired to become a gentleman and fall in love with Estella. As Pip learns of his trip to London, Pip believes Miss Havisham will make Estella marry him, allowing him to “restore the desolate house, admit the sunshine into the dark rooms, set the clocks a-going and the cold hearths a-blazing.” This allows Pip a new prospect, and enables Pip to envision a future where he is not subjected to the humiliation of being a blacksmith. In this, Pip states “I am not at all happy as I am. I am disgusted with my calling.” As a result of this, Pip contemplates his future aspirations, and begins his transition into adulthood, with a calling away from the Marsh, and …show more content…
Pip believed he “might have had some doubt whether it was no rather ugly, crooked, narrow, and dirty” and was told “You may get cheated, robbed, and murdered in London”. In this, Pip realizes his fantasies were just so, and what made a “considerable difference” in his general prospect and “brightened it so much that it scarcely seemed the same” crushed his hope of a fulfilling and lavish life. Additionally, while Pip gained a considerable amount of debt, he found out his benefactor had been a prisoner Pip helped in his younger years. Through this, Pip learned not all that seem rich and enticing were worth having, or luxuriously gained. Furthermore, Pip realized he was not destined to be with Estella, and his ungrateful attitude to Joe, pushed away the only true companion he had. In this, London symbolized reality in Pips coming of age, and Pip learned of his ungrateful attitude and dangerously unnecessary lifestyle. While Pips dreams of a lavish lifestyle with Estella had been crushed, he found that where he once was, was where he wanted to