The Theme of Social Class Differences and Inequality in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is the author of the novel “Great Expectations”. “He was born on February 7th ,1812 and died June 9th ,1870.” He was a British novelist, Journalist, Editor, and illustrator. He wrote novels that were both promising and traumatic. He was one of the most influential writers of the 19th century Victorian age. The novel is “Great expectations” by Charles Dickens; The protagonist of the novel is Pirrip Phillip or as he would like to call himself “Pip”. Throughout the novel the author depicts the difference in social classes between poor and rich, the theme thus far is about social class differences and inequality. The protagonist pip is a young boy who lives with his sister Mrs. Joe Gargery and husband who is a black smith. Pips parents died when he was young so the only memory he has of them is their tombstones.

He tries to envision what his parents look like based on the shape and lettering styles on their tombstones. This allows for the author to elaborate greater on pip’s childlike mentality. Giving a more real interpretation of what a child protagonist thinks like. Pip’s family is very poor they eat bread and butter for dinner. This signals that the family does not have much money. There’re chapters in the novel that proves there is social class differences and inequality. It was a holiday and the family were having dinner and a sergeant and his troops barge right in looking for the blacksmith Joe. No respect for the family or the holiday at all. They only did so because the king encouraged to do so. If they had money, the sergeant wouldn’t have the audacity to interrupt like he had did. This shows the difference in class and lifestyle. The theme social class differences and inequality is so impactful today because it literally takes place everywhere we go. Whether that be at school, work, home. It has been around for centuries and centuries, it will never change. The value that social classes serve to people who are rich. It is so impactful that people don’t even realize it’s going on half the time. People are often treated different ways based on their social class and not often given the same respect that the richer people have.

As the story goes on readers soon realize that pip is just a poor boy trying to survive and runs into the wrong situations.” The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down and emptied my pockets.” Earlier in the novel pip gets robbed by an older man and must go home and steal food from his own family he’s not very happy about it, but he goes through with it anyways, that way he does not get hurt. The sad part is the man knows that pip is poor but chooses to rob him anyways. This focuses back on the theme social class differences and inequality. Both are poor, but the older man is poorer than pip, so he robs him just to survive another day why the rich stay rich. The cycle of this inequality will never change. Inequality is everywhere, and it isn’t right for people to suffer. Not everyone has an equal opportunity to make something of themselves. Many individuals are cast out because of their social class. Causing Depression, Aggression, and causing people to become less healthy. People are willing to do whatever it takes to break this cycle, but it is nearly impossible. Nothing will change and its sad to watch people in 2018 suffering from poverty and not having a fair chance to overcome day to day obstacles that they will face.

Charles Dickens knew that in the year he wrote this novel and still centuries later nothing has changed. Charles Dickens feels very strongly about this topic because he himself also struggled with being poor. He didn’t just make one book on this theme, he made multiple, one for example is the novel “Tale of Two Cities”. Charles Dickens had a rough childhood with no guidance or support. So, it transitioned into some of his writing. Making strong leads who come from nothing and who are forced with challenges to make something of themselves. Just like he had too. He was never oblivious to the fact of social class Difference and inequality and writing was his way of expressing himself to get the burden off his chest without any punishment. Disguising it in the form of writing. Social class differences and inequality will never change.” Throughout human history, most people live and die in the social class into which they were born. If they were born poor, chances are they will die poor.” It’s the way of life its always has been for centuries and its always worked for the most part. Even though it’s not fair everyone has their role in life and unfortunately some are left with the shorter end of the stick. I never felt that it was write but it was the only way that people can live without complete chaos.

I believe that Charles Dickens felt the same way. People just need to make something of themselves and be able to have the opportunity to succeed. Social classes are better in terms of organization. But it’s worse in terms of the treatment of people. Many people get treated a certain way every single day of their lives due to the fact they aren’t in that next class and it is just very unfair and there’s not going to be a change anytime soon, so we as people just go through the motions and live with it.