Relationshipsand Sense of Belonging in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectation

People are unique and therefore discover elements of life in a multitude of complex ways. Charles Dickens 1861 novel ‘Great Expectations’ employs older and younger Pip in a dual perspective novel to display the ways in which he discovers a sense of belonging and acceptance. Gary Ross director of the movie “Pleasantville” uses an adolescent males point of view to show the varying aspects of belonging in quite literally in this instance different ‘worlds’ which displays the destruction of being accepted and the positives of inclusion. Both texts show collectively that a need for a sense of belonging rarely changes over time in which the two texts are set.Relationships can be detrimental to our sense of belonging as they can alienate us from our true friends and ultimately lead to regret. Dickens employs orphan Pip to critique the rigid social hierarchy of Victorian society and explores how our relationships can negatively affect our sense of belonging. Pip’s lack of nurture and support in his early life being brought up ‘by hand’ by his ‘coarse’ sister; Mrs Joe, left pip ‘ashamed of home’ and attempting to find solace in social inclusion of a ‘gentleman’. However, his impressionable time at Satis house encourages Pip to pursue the unattainable ‘star’ Estella and aspire to the social pretensions of the like of Drummle who is ‘idle, proud, niggardly, reserved , suspicious’. Consequently severing ties with Joe and the ‘meshes’ (marshes) leaves him to become the ‘loneliest I (Pip) has ever known’. Pip’s attitude of initial abhorrence on the sudden arrival of Magwitch shifting to a willingness to care for Magwitch after learning he is the benefactor and not Miss Havisham. Magwitch’s arrival sparks in Pip a need for forgiveness, which h…

… have a sense of belonging she doesn’t need to sacrifice ‘smarts’, which is established in the final scenes of the film; by saving a library book about to be burned by the rioting townspeople “This is the only book I have ever read in my entire life, and you’re not going to put it in that fire!” and to choose to remain in Pleasantville to receive an education, an option she had not contemplated prior to entering Pleasantville.‘Great Expectations’ showcases the variety of ways in which Pip discovers a sense of belonging and makes us question our own choices in life and how belonging is not always apparent at the time. Relationships and places are closely intertwined with a person’s sense of acceptance and can make all the difference in being fulfilled mentally in life which is shown in both a negative and positive note in ‘Great Expectations’ and ‘Pleasantville’.

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