zMarxism and The Great Expectations
In the 1800s Karl Marx, a philosopher and a socialist, first introduced his idea of Marxism that strengthened the ideal society that people strived for: an equal, classless society with no discrimination. This idea was often incorporated in literatures of the time, including The Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens. Although money and luxuries may seem attractive and appealing, through the development of Pip’s life, Charles Dickens sends a message to the audience that self-value and virtues are much more important than extravagant wealth. Marxism consists “a series of struggles between classes--between the oppressed and the oppressing”. (Dr. Delahoyde) This is indeed shown through the different classes that Pip experienced. In…show more content… The thought of escaping from the poor changed Pip’s behaviour. He turned "very conceited and snobbish" (Umunc) and left the ones that truly cared and loved him without a second thought. This dramatic change of his attitude foreshadows a downfall that Pip would encounter and the bitter lessons he would learn. Compared to the first phase of his life, Pip “not only lost his childhood innocence and humility but also failed to embody humanity and loyalty." (Umunc). In this section, the class difference is again emphasized; Mr.Jaggers, the lawyer, wanted Pip to be “immediately removed from this present sphere of life… be brought up as gentleman” (Dickens 138). The diction in his speech implies that Pip’s life as a peasant’s boy is not of a gentleman, and is something that anyone should be eager to escape from. This illustrates the superiority that the upper-class people felt towards the class below them; people should always be “aspiring to be on the move--upwards" (Umunc), which was the exact atmosphere in the Victorian society of the