The Concept Of Being A Gentleman in Charles Dickens Great Expectations :: Great Expectations Essays

'The beautiful young lady at Miss Havisham's, and she's more beautiful than anybody ever was and I admire her dreadfully and I want to be a gentleman on her account' - Pip (page 126) This is the turning point where Dickens advances the not so clear plot of the story. This is where Pip admits to Biddy he is in love with Estella and wants to become a gentleman. He is, at this point, doing it for the wrong reasons. He is doing it to impress Estella. When Pip is at Miss Havisham's he realises how much social classes actually matter. People who were orphans or had other jobs such as blacksmiths were regarded as people who could never become gentlemen. Estella makes it clear to Pip that he is in a lower social class than she is. 'Why, he is a common labouring boy' I thought I overheard Miss Havisham answer - only it seemed so unlikely - 'well? You can break his heart!' - Estella and Miss Havisham (page 57) The reason Miss Havisham says this is because she was hurt so badly by Compeyson she wants to hurt someone else as revenge for what happened to her. Pip at this point thinks a gentleman is someone who is rich and well respected; he does not think about the conduct of a gentleman. Pip thinks that people who are regarded as gentlemen are born into a decent family and have a socially respected occupation such as a lawyer or a clergyman. An example of what a true gentleman is would be Herbert. He sets the example to Pip and Pip looks up to him. Herbert's father knew exactly what Compeyson wanted when he tried to marry Miss Havisham. What Herbert says here was exactly what his father said. 'But that he was not to be, without ignorance or prejudice, mistaken for a gentleman because it is a principle of his that no man who was not a true gentleman at heart, ever was, since the world began, a true gentleman in manner'- Herbert (page 177) The Concept Of Being A Gentleman in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations :: Great Expectations Essays 'The beautiful young lady at Miss Havisham's, and she's more beautiful than anybody ever was and I admire her dreadfully and I want to be a gentleman on her account' - Pip (page 126) This is the turning point where Dickens advances the not so clear plot of the story. This is where Pip admits to Biddy he is in love with Estella and wants to become a gentleman. He is, at this point, doing it for the wrong reasons. He is doing it to impress Estella. When Pip is at Miss Havisham's he realises how much social classes actually matter. People who were orphans or had other jobs such as blacksmiths were regarded as people who could never become gentlemen. Estella makes it clear to Pip that he is in a lower social class than she is. 'Why, he is a common labouring boy' I thought I overheard Miss Havisham answer - only it seemed so unlikely - 'well? You can break his heart!' - Estella and Miss Havisham (page 57) The reason Miss Havisham says this is because she was hurt so badly by Compeyson she wants to hurt someone else as revenge for what happened to her. Pip at this point thinks a gentleman is someone who is rich and well respected; he does not think about the conduct of a gentleman. Pip thinks that people who are regarded as gentlemen are born into a decent family and have a socially respected occupation such as a lawyer or a clergyman. An example of what a true gentleman is would be Herbert. He sets the example to Pip and Pip looks up to him. Herbert's father knew exactly what Compeyson wanted when he tried to marry Miss Havisham. What Herbert says here was exactly what his father said. 'But that he was not to be, without ignorance or prejudice, mistaken for a gentleman because it is a principle of his that no man who was not a true gentleman at heart, ever was, since the world began, a true gentleman in manner'- Herbert (page 177)