Ambition and Self-Improvement

All great novels have major themes on which the plot is based on, and Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, is no different. One of the major themes in this novel is ambition and self-improvement. Dickens uses this as a universal idea for his novel, and from this theme he gets his title of Great Expectations. Another major theme in the novel is social class. Dickens uses the theme of social class to feed into his theme of ambition and self-improvement. With both ambition and self-improvement Pip is able to become a gentleman. Pip, from the lower class, has the longing to be with Estella, an upper-class well breed girl. He realizes that he has to become a gentleman if he wants respect and love from Estella. To become rich he needs ambition and to be accepted in the upper-class he needs self-improvement. He is able to accomplish this goal by being persistent. Dickens uses these two themes to make Pip in to a overall better person.

Pip's desire to be with Estella, makes him want to be of the higher social class. Before his meeting with Estella at the Satis House he was perfectly satisfied with who and what he was. After his first visit to the Satis House his opinion totally changes. After his first visit to the Satis house Pip says, "I took the opportunity of being alone in the court-yard, to look at my coarse hands and my common boots. My opinion of these accessories was not favorable. They had never troubled me before, but they troubled me now, as vulgar appendages."(GE, p.62). The humiliation and the horrible treatment of Pip makes Pip realize that he is member of the lower class. Meeting Estella makes him desperate to be her social equal. Estella disrespects him and treats him like he is her servant, which in turn promotes Pip to become more of a gentleman. A gentleman is made by his social status or class: this is measured in terms of his understanding of rules of social etiquette, habits of dress and speech and the standing of his family. When Pip first meets Estella he doesn't know the rules of social etiquette, nor does he have habits of dress and speech, and he definitely does not have a high family standing. Pip says, "I was so humiliated, hurt, spurned, offended, angry, sorry - I cannot hit upon the right name for the smart - God knows what its name was - that tears started to my eyes." (GE, p.62). Estella makes him feel like he is useless and unwanted. Pip as the narrator says, "I misdealt, as was only natural when I know she was lying in wait for me to do wrong; and she denounced me for stupid, clumsy labouring boy." (GE, p.63). He realizes that he is a common boy and that the only way to get respect from Estella is for him to become a gentleman and the only way he can do that is through self-improvement and a lot of ambition. "I kissed her cheek as she turned it to me. I think I would have gone through a great deal to kiss her cheek. But, I felt that the kiss was given to the coarse common boy as a piece of money might have been, and that it was worth nothing." (GE, p.93). After this incident Pip really feels the need to become a member of the upper class.

Pip a lower class individual longs to be a wealthy, and a well respected man. In a way Pip is an idealist, whenever he thinks of anything better than he already has he always wants to obtain the improvement. For example when he cannot read he longs to read, when he sees the Satis house he longs to be rich. This ambition pushes Pip to become a gentleman. His self - realization also makes him more of a gentleman. When he first learns about his fortune he suddenly starts acting very snobby to both Biddy and Joe. Pip says to Biddy, "Now, Biddy. I am very sorry to see this in you. I did not expect to see this in you. You are envious, Biddy, and grudging. You are dissatisfied on account of my rise in fortune, and you can't help showing it." (GE, p.149). This is Pip's blindness. Biddy is trying to look out for Pip, but Pip feels that Biddy is just jealous of Pip now high standing. Because of his self - improvement, he soon realizes that he was wrong as Pip says, "I had become more and more appreciative of the society of Joe and Biddy." (GE, pg. 158). Just before he leaves we can see by his actions that he truly wants to improve himself. He kisses his sister and Biddy and hugs Joe. This is a big step in him becoming a gentleman. Pip also realizes that he needs to keep in touch with his loved ones. When he is leaving for London for the second time he says, "'God-by dear Joe! - No, don't wipe it off - for God's sake, give me your blackened hand! - I shall be down soon, and often.' 'Never too soon, sir,' said Joe, 'and never too often, Pip!'"(GE, p. 285). He keeps in touch with his family. He wishes to be very wealthy and is able to complete this goal by persistence. He becomes a gentleman, "Yes, Pip, dear boy, I've made a gentleman on you! It's me wot has done it! I swore that time, sure as ever earned a guinea, that guinea should go to you!" (GE, p.319). Pip is able to accomplish his goal of becoming a gentleman because of his ambition and self-improvement.

Charles Dickens uses these themes very cleverly and builds the plot of the book around them. Through Pip the protagonist he shows that ambition and self-improvement are not always good. Pip in the end is not truly by the definition a gentleman. He doesn't have very much money. Dickens shows us that having money is not the only thing that makes a person a gentleman. Pip's attitude changes at the end of the book and he realizes that being rich is not the most important thing but having social etiquette and a family is the most important thing.