Pips Aspirations in Charles Dickens Great Expectations...

Pips Aspirations in Charles Dickens Great Expectations Through Great Expectations, Dickens explores the different notions of gentility in the nineteenth century and the implications of upward mobility on the lower class. One of the most radical aspects of the industrial revolution on the everyday life of nineteenth-century England was the effect on the social structure. Prior to the nineteenth century, social stratification was rigid and did not allow individuals to move from one group to another. The scientific advancement coupled with the rise of mercantile capitalism led to the increase in opportunities available for the lower class resulting in the emergence of a middle class. According to Sally Mitchells†¦show more content†¦Mrs. Joe has brought Pip up by hand (27; ch. 1). Dickens uses the term by hand to mean both that Pip was bottle-fed and that Mrs. Joe often used physical punishment to discipline Pip. Not only is Pip enduring physical abuse, but he is also suffering from emotional abuse. Mrs. Joe tells Pip that Its bad enough to be a blacksmiths wife . . . without being your mother (29; ch. 2). Mrs. Joe views Pip as a burden and offers him no affection. In contrast to Mrs. Joe, her husband Joe, demonstrates an honest affection for Pip. Joe attempts to shield Pip from Mrs. Joes rage and hurtful comments. Joe is the ideal gentleman - compassionate and protective. However, Joe is not a symbol of parental authority; Mrs. Joe dominates the household. Because Joe is not the typical male authoritative figure, Pip does not view him as a father. This characterization of Joe as an emasculated figure allows Pip to behave as a fatherless character. Pip is not bound to becoming a blacksmith like Joe. Also, because of the Industrial Revolution, boys like Pip now had the option, if financially able, of entering a trade different from that of their fathers. In Monsters of Affection: Dickens, Eliot, and Bronte on Fatherhood, Diane Sadoff suggests that during the Industrial Revolution: the father became systematically differentiated from the household. . . . This change allowed sons to compete with fathers, rather than to identity with,Show MoreRelatedGreat Expectations and a Christmas Carol: a True Gentleman Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations and A Christmas Carol: A True Gentleman According to Dictionary.com, a gentleman is a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered man. However, by Victorian definition, a gentleman was, perhaps most importantly, a rich man. â€Å"Charles Dickens†¦was an author of relatively humble origins who desired passionately to be recognized as a gentleman, and insisted, in consequence, upon the essential dignity of his occupation† (Victorian Web). 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