The Effects Of Poverty In Great Expectations By Charles Dickens

Over 14.5% of Americans are in poverty and affected by what poverty causes. Throughout the novel, Great Expectations is about a boy named Pip coming of age and meeting people along his way of becoming a gentleman and learning life lessons. Charles Dickens looks at the effects of poverty negatively and during the novel it illustrates how many people of poverty struggled, but the rich got to live lavishly and didn't care for the poor. Furthermore, poverty is a big issue of our modern day society and numerous people in the United States are at risk to health issues or other problems due to poverty. Dickens would feel horrible for the people in poverty because there's still the same issues today as there were in the Victorian Era. In light of the
depiction of poverty in Great Expectations, it’s likely Dickens would be critical of the consequences of being born in poverty in the United States.
POVERTY CAUSES CRIME
People who are in poverty are often forced into crime. The convict, also known as Magwitch, speaks to Pip about what his life has been like as a convict. When Magwitch says, “ ‘Dear boy and Pip’s comrade. I am not a-going fur to tell you my life, like a song or a story-book. But to give it you short and handy, I’ll put it at once into a mouthful of English. In jail and out of jail, in jail and out of jail, in jail and out of jail. There, you’ve got it. That’s my life pretty much…’ ” (Dickens 345). The convict has been in jail and out of jail almost his whole life due to growing up in poverty. The author's attitude is shown here because if one is poor, one could keep going in and out of jail and never get out of the cycle because they must survive. Both the novel and article illustrate how when one's poor there likely to go into crime. An article published by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing states, “Poor (and near poor) people account for the bulk of our street crime (homicide, robbery, burglary, etc.), and they also account for the bulk of victims of street crime… Criminal behavior and criminal victimization, then, are other major consequences of poverty” ("Social Problems: Continuity and Change"). Poor people from a young age are involved in crime and it's a big consequence of being in poverty. Poverty causes crime to be created and poor people cause the majority of it in the United States. Dickens would be upset that people are still getting into crime and cause most of the crime due to poverty. Magwitch was poor and became a criminal and in the article it states how more people in poverty are more likely to be in criminal actions. Magwitch was caught up in crime his whole life and the article sides with how poor people are the main perpetrators in crime. Dickens would disapprove of what happens and what a persons forced into due to poverty.

In addition, people who are in poverty have a harder time obtaining a job.
Magwitch is talking to Pip after Pip finds out Magwitch is his benefactor and the reason for his wealth and becoming a gentleman. Magwitch says, “It warn’t easy, Pip, for me to leave them parts, not yet it warn’t safe. But I held to it, and the harder it was, the stronger I held, for I was determined, and my mind firm made up” (Dickens 322-323). The convict explains how difficult the task was to get the money for Pip, and how determined he was to complete the deed and repay Pip for his generosity on the marshes. Dickens would think people of poverty have a hard time finding a job or trying to gain money and has sympathy for them. In the novel, Magwitch had trouble finding and earning money and in the article, it illustrates how people of poverty struggle to make a living and it affects interactions with children. Guo and Harris of the Department of Sociology University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill proclaim, “ In particular, economic hardship diminishes parents’ ability to interact with and socialize children in ways that are beneficial to their well-being. For example, there is evidence that poverty, income loss, and unemployment reduce parents’ responsiveness…” (431). Having trouble finding a job, making money, or just economic struggles for a poor person can affect a parents’ connection with their child along with their relationship with them. Being poor, unemployed and lack an income can cause parent relationships with a child to break. Dickens would feel heartbroken for poor people not being able to make a living. Not having money and in Magwitch's case trying to get money is a struggle and pushes people away. Dickens would be critical on how poverty causes not finding a
job.
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