Uncle Pumblechook of Charles Dickens's Great
Expectations is the stereotype of the shallow class-obsessed and envious man
who is also a hypocrite and one who exploits others; he is comical in his pompous
fatuity. In fact, he has no redeeming characteristics. For one thing, he never displays
any affection for his relatives; during Pip's lifetime, there is no love or kindness or
real concern for him ever shown by Pumblechook.
When, for
instance, Pip is taken to Satis House on his first visit, Pumblechook tries to sidle
through the entrance gate with him, but Estella prevents his doing so. While Pip stays
at Pumblechook's prior to this visit, the corn chandler spends his time enviously
watching the other merchants and feeds Pip a most meager supper. In the morning
Pumblechook, whom Pip considers "wretched company," gives Pip "as much crumb and as
little butter" as he can for a breakfast.
After Pip is
visited by Mr. Jaggers and informed that he has "great expectations," Pumblechook fawns
over him, saying, "I wish you the joy of money," thus demonstrating his value of wealth
over any joy for Pip himself. Indeed, Pumblechook is, as Pip describes, "the basest of
swindlers" for, unlike Joe, who has a strong sense of the virtue of industry,"
Pumblechook seeks only monetary gain and elevation of his social position. For example,
in Chapter XXVIII, Pumblechook "swindles" and exploits Pip by claiming the credit for
Pip's wealth as being the one ("the patron") who introduced him to his supposed
benefactor, Miss Havisham.
Having read the newspaper that
lauds Uncle Pumblechook, Pip realizes that he has been exploited for Pumblechook's
social gain. With wry humor, he remarks,
I entertain a conviction that...in the days of my
prosperity if I had gone to the North Pole, I should have met somebody there...who would
have told me that Pumblechook was my earliest patron and the founder of my
fortunes.
No comments:
Post a Comment