The Timeless Relatability of Great Expectations

I admit, perhaps too proudly, that I have recently developed a heightened interest in Charles Dickens. Only a month ago, my last blog post provided some insights and observations about the British Romantic's most-beloved--although not mine--novel A Tale of Two Cities (1859). I had convinced myself to slug through the 468 page, 150,000 word (and a few more) novel for the mere sake of at least being able to say, as someone who would like to consider himself a serious reader and writer, I had actually re-read the entire novel. Personal pride aside, I had concluded and suggested in the blog that his "most-beloved" novel was simply not worth the read--particularly for the casual, recreational reader. However, I soundly have arrived at the exact opposite conclusion about his other masterpiece (what novel of his isn't an opus?), Great Expectations (1861). The primary reason I think this book should be read is due to its intractable and timeless relatability. Here are a few reasons why I suggest anyone and everyone should be able to connect with it.

1. The book's carefully woven plot.

If you like adventure books, this is about as "adventurous" as Dickens gets.

Bearing that in mind, it's no The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) or

Robinson Crusoe (Daniel DaFoe)) when it comes to plot, but the well-developed

conflicts between characters that are slowly revealed over the (very long) novel,

are extremely well-done. In traditional Dickensian style, the author leaves the

identity of the antagonist in the shadows for a very long time, and you're left with

wondering whether or not other non-antagonists such as Magwitch, Miss

Havisham, or Estella are our real villains, and how their behavior effects our

protagonist, Pip Gargery. All three of these characters present a dichotomy of

selfish/selflessness, greed vs. charity, and integrity vs. disingenuousness toward

Pip, and subsequently leave him trying to balance his own moral choices like

whether or not to help Magwitch on the marshes, to how he should feel about his arranged lottery "reward" to work for Miss Havisham, his relationship with Biddy, to his eventual elation of the opportunity to pursue his dream of becoming an English gentlemen.

However, with success and fortune, there's always a price to pay, and Pip

is confronted with a vengeful and evil plot to not only end/ruin the life of Pip's

supposed benefactor, but to end his own life too. To that end, the book focuses on how Pip discovers who his friends and enemies are, what they want, and how he goes about saving himself (and his friends) from these terrible people. In typical Dickens fashion, he takes about 350 pages to completely reveal the entire conflict--who's after whom and why--and what Pip's going to do about it, before a relatively satisfying denouement.

2. Dickens's wonderfully-written, quirky, and eccentric characters.

Dickens is the absolute best at characterization in the history of literature. Every

character in the novel is so well-developed and characterized, they are simply unforgettable. From the assertive and hot-tempered sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, who lives her life in the feisty, fend for yourself state of mind from the time she's introduced in chapter two until her death at the end of book one, to the pompous and oppressive Uncle Pumblechook, to the sweet, loving, and compassionate Biddy and Joe, Dickens works magic with the emotional impact they all have on Pip and how his feelings for them impact his lofty endeavors.

Dickens gradually introduces a slew of characters from Pip's meager childhood and upbringing who clash brilliantly between the uppity, "classy" players Pip encounters while becoming a gentleman, including the love of his life, Estella, along with a lengthy list of complex and intriguing friends and foes who have their own "great expectations" such as Herbert Pocket, Bentley Drummle , and the eccentric Ms. Havisham, all of whom have a part to play in Pip's burgeoning social climb (or descent). There is also another set of more wise and mature mentoring characters in the book who, through their shrewd and sometimes dark, direct intervention cause Pip to question and downright disavow their intentions. Some of the more prominent ones that play key roles include the enigmatic Mr. Jaggers, the more principled Mr. Wemmick, Pip's trusted friend, Matthew Pocket, and perhaps most-importantly, his benefactor,

Abel Magwitch, whom he meets in person for the first time at the end of book two. All of these characters are brought cleverly together by Dickens's complex and intriguing plot, making each one's role pivotal, but also likeable and interesting.

3. The timeless themes of desire, hope, and morality in the Bildungsroman novel.

Like any great novel (no pun intended), Dickens makes use of playing on our intellectual, social, and psychological propensities. In this case, he puts them on full display in what the literary fatheads call a "bildungsroman," which means a "coming of age" story. Yes, this book fits that to a letter, following Pirrip (Pip) Gargery from his poor and destitute ways on the marshes to London Gentleman. However, as previously mentioned, what makes this one so likeable is the perfectly and beautifully written character of Pip, and the use of his first-person narration of the novel. Although Pip is very intelligent, driven, conscientiousness, and moral, he still struggles with finding a balance between his desires and his responsibilities (i.e. his expectations of himself and the events in his life.) Dickens is a master at walking the always uneven balance of maturity vs. immaturity, intimacy vs. isolation, success vs. stagnation in Pip's personal and professional endeavors. This balance is illustrated in most of the relationships he has with every character he meets and the conflicts that develop, and so leave us hanging in the balance of how he will address those conflicts. However, it is Pip's hopes and dreams not only for his own personal and professional success, but for those he cares about, such as his brother-in-law, Joe, his best friend, Herbert, and most-importantly for his friendships with Magwitch and Estella that motivates and guides his decisions. It's clear that Pip experiences the most success when he's not thinking about himself, but when he's thinking and acting on the behalf of others. Some of the more poignant examples of this are when he risks trouble with his family when he aids Magwitch by stealing his family's Christmas pie and other food to give the convict on the marshes in the opening chapters, to jumping into the fire to save Ms. Havisham, even though she was trying to make a mess of his love life for selfish reasons. He also displays a sincere kindness for Herbert throughout the book, most-notably when he pays off Herbert's entire debt in book three. It is those redeeming moral qualities of Pip, that make this such an endearing book, and leaves readers wanting to read it again just to see if old Pip can make everything work in the end.

Ultimately, then, the reason why this book is so popular is because we find a bit (if not a lot) of ourselves in the young boy from the poor family on the marshes, fighting against the social forces of the times, trying to find his way in life, acting on the desire for wanting the best for not only himself but for others as well. In so doing, Dickens ultimately illustrates a truthful ideal for us: a sincere and honest young man, pursuing his dreams, struggling with the moral implications of the choices he makes, hoping that his choices will not only sustain him, but bring peace and happiness not only to himself, but more-importantly to others. .