Motif of Sexuality in Angela's Ashes and the Great Expectations Essay Example

In the two notable novels, Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, motif of sexuality play a significant role in successfully illustrating the protagonists’ affectionate desire towards characters of the opposite sex – also acting as an indicator of the protagonists’ maturation to adulthood. Furthermore, as the novels progress, through the voyeuristic experiences, the characters gain a deeper sense of sexual consciousness, either covertly or overtly, showing development in both physical and mental growth in characters, which eventually start to act as a galvanizing force that changes their lives. This motif shifts rapidly throughout the novels; briefly mentioned at the beginning as the characters themselves start to mature and develop, until the very end of the novel, which to Frank, sexuality becomes a force that eventually allows him to understand the deaths of immortal souls and learn to confess and relieve his sins and guilt, whereas to Pip, sexuality acts as a force that advances his social status. Nevertheless, the highlight and pinnacle points in these two novels are the engagement of the characters’ sexual desires. In search for this engagement, both McCourt and Dickens convey voyeurism to depict the mental growth and maturation of the protagonists, Frank and Pip from Angela’s Ashes and Great Expectations respectively. In Angela’s Ashes, voyeurism or ‘excitement’ as Frank calls it, plays a significant role in portraying his mental growth and maturation from adolescence to adulthood. “[…] when I see them in my mind I’m tempted and I climb to the very top of the castle where once there was a tower and there in full view of Ireland I interfere with myself and spurt all over Carrigo-gunnel and fields beyond.” This quote which describes Frank’s experience of masturbation on top of the hills was a form of escapism for Frank, illustrating his voyeuristic whims and fancies. The act of masturbation is notable here, because it is