“I had never thought of being ashamed of my hands before; but I began to consider them a very indifferent pair. Her contempt for me was so strong, that it became infectious, and I caught it." (Dickens 64) A child’s journey through adolescence can be affected easily by the words and views of others. At the beginning of the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, we are introduced to a Victorian London era, and more specifically Pip as a child, who eventually experiences a similar situation as he ages. For instance, as a child he has a low social status, is easily convinced, and is ignorant of the meaning of social status in that time period. Additionally, Pip has traits of being caring, humble, and …show more content…
Thus, this allowed Pip to once again establish traits of guilt and care for others. For instance, Pip expresses joy for his new friends around him that all have successful lives despite his personal dilemma. Contrary to his past, Pip isn’t the sensitive and vulnerable child that he once was before, but he is now mature enough to take hold of these traits instead of letting them go so easily. Furthermore, a kindness is regained by Pip that has been visible since the introduction of the novel where he fed a weak convict. In a sense, Pip has regained control of his life in terms of individuality, and the certain traits that make him an individual are finally helping him determine what really matters in his life; his family and loved ones, not wealth or social class. Although Pip experiences mental growth, he is only faced with more challenges of trying to “fix” his life by reconnecting with loved ones including his childhood friends, his guardian Joe, and the old convict who gave him wealth in the first