In many ways, Pip's anticipation, or expectation, of
events and acquisitions has been disappointing. Having been influenced by the reactions
of his covetous Uncle Pumblechook and sister, Mrs. Joe, Pip comes to believe that
somehow the wealthy are superior. For instance, when he is invited to go to the house
of Miss Havisham, much ceremony in his home takes place and he is virtually baptized
with water as his sister bathes him excessively at the pump. With ceremony his clothes
are laid out and Uncle Pumblechook coaches him on his math before Pip makes his
appearance at Satis House.
Of course, the contrast between
what Pip has expected of this house and what he sees is marked. Satis House is in
ruins, the interior is dark with no sunshine allowed to peep through the heavy curtains,
the clocks have all been stopped at the same time, his escort is curt and impolite,
ridiculing his appearance: "Why, he's a common laboring boy!" Rather than being
received graciously as a guest, Pip is made to feel like a servant who must follow
Estella and be the butt of her despairing remarks about his coarseness. Nevertheless,
Pip is taken with Estella's beauty and, as for many, that which seems unattainable to
him becomes most desirable. Thus, he leaves Satis House as the occupants
are--dissastified. He is most disappointed in his expectations as he has been ridiculed
for his coarse boots and common [meaning low-class] way of calling knaves in cards
jacks. Pip's return home is miserable, but he dissembles to Pumblechook and Mrs. Joe
because he knows that they have somehow elevated Miss Havisham to almost royalty,
telling them of velvet coaches and games with flags as though he were, indeed, with a
queen and a princess.
Pip's disappointment illustrates the
theme of Appearance vs. Reality in Great Expectations, a theme that
serves to elucidate the lesson that false values lead to falsity with oneself. For,
later in the novel as Pip has pursued his false values, he berates
himself:
All other swindlers upon earth are
nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretenses did I cheat
myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment