Nadyah Hussein - News Article

Great Expectations

Major Theme

How the themes relate to contemporary society

The major theme of Great Expectations is simple and evident throughout the whole book: affection, loyalty, and conscience are more important than social development, wealth, and sophistication. In the novel, particularly the last third, Pip learns many lessons through trial and error.

When he goes to London to become a gentleman, he realizes that achieving class is not the main goal of life, and instead plays a very minor role in what he wants to become. He comes to the conclusion that loyalty is needed in every relationship, and if it is lacking, the main support has been lost because everything is doubted.

 Contemporary society is “characterized by at least three fundamental directions: increasing human interconnection through a network of relationships”.

During the time the novel was written, class and respect in society was of high importance. A person’s status relied on what others thought of them and where they stood in society.  Great Expectations, being a "gentleman" is basically equivalent to being part of the popular crowd.

Unlike today, most people do what they please and do not solely base their actions on how others will react. Pip learns that being well-liked is more about how you act than how you look.

 There are three types of ambition and improvement—moral, social, and educational; they are the reason for his varying behaviours throughout the novel.

First, Pip desires moral self-improvement. He is very hard on himself when he acts badly and feels guilty which makes him want to act better in the future. When he leaves for London, for example, he becomes mad at himself about having behaving so unjustly towards Joe and Biddy. Secondly, Pip desires social self-improvement.

In love with Estella, he longs to become a member of her social class, and when encouraged by others, he has dreams of becoming a gentleman in everybody’s eyes.

Another major theme in Great Expectations is wealth. Everyone believed all you need is love, but in Great Expectations love doesn't get far without money.

In Pip’s perspective there is no doubt that Estella will love him as a poor blacksmith's boy: he has to make his fortune. In the grand scheme of things, all that wealth is not very appealing to.

Miss Havisham had a fortune, and appears to have enough of it to make Estella who she was, but she’s depressed—and all the people who want her money are just as sad too. At the end of it all, Pip fails as a fortunate orphan but succeeds as a self-made man.

This theme is all true in modern society . Lots of people work their whole lives , without really living any of those days. On the other hand . many times ,