Universal Themes In Great Expectations By Charles Dickens

Great Expectations is such a significant novel in English literature that is being studied and praised to this day. Through Pip’s life, Charles Dickens portrays several themes from social standings to suffering which allows the reader to appeal to several of his themes. A theme which stands out from the rest is that one cannot find true happiness from changing who they are. This theme is quite universal considering how many people are influenced to change themselves based upon societal standards. In this case Pip, who did not have a strong sense of individuality changed quite a lot from himself in order to make himself worthy of Estella. This universal theme which many readers can relate to is what makes Great Expectations a novel that truly deserves to be remembered and studied in the future. In Great Expectations, much of the plot is formed when Pip visits Miss. Havisham’s house. Pip begins feeling ashamed of his several things such as his “coarse hands” and his “thick boots” (Dickens 60). Pip allows the insulting remarks from Estella to affect him in such a way that he begins questioning his common life and wishes he was a gentleman such as in the following quote, “I wished Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so …show more content…
One person should not change based upon another person’s criticism or opinions. Pip allowed the opinions of others to affect him which resulted in many decisions that he later deeply regrets. Although at the end of the novel Pip ended with Estella it was not because he became a gentleman but rather because Estella finally understood what it was like to her heart broken. People should find happiness from the people who care about them rather than pursue social status or wealth. Charles Dickens shows us through the life of Pip that happiness is certainly not found by changing who you