Great Expectations Illustrates the danger of seeing status and money as the most worthwhile aims in life

Charles Dickens Great Expectations is not so uncomplicated as to suggest that wealth is a destructive force. Instead it attempts to shine up the app arent dangers associated with becoming preoccupied with money and social status. In Pip, the books chief protagonist, Dickens presents us with a character that misguidedly follows these ideals in a journey of ego delusion. The abandonment of his childhood father figure -Joe and his earlier virtues of decency and compassion are the consequences of his misconception that with wealth will come gentility. Dickens underlying message is that wealth and class are superficial, failing to give any indication of a persons quality or true gentility.This beingness said, it must be understood that Dickens aim is not to chasten wealth and social niceties such as good manners and a formal education, instead it is those who worship these false ideals and become preoccupied with them that are criticized. In characters such as Herbert and Mathew Pock et and, to an extent, Wemmick and Jaggers, we are presented with benevolent and harmless forms of class and privilege. Yet juxtaposed against this we stimulate Pumblechook, Magwitch and Pip. Failing to realize what rightfully counts, these characters delude themselves into accept that by assuming the outward trappings of gentility they will become gentlemen. How eer, by making wealth and status their most worthwhile aims, they succeed lone(prenominal) in becoming grotesque and quite repugnant.The dangers involved with such illusions include pretentiousness, wasteful lifestyles and an inability to appreciate true and noble gentility. These become most unornamented in Pip as his wealth gives him the illusion of greatness without the substance. He changes from the innocent blacksmiths assistant to the humbug gentleman to be. At times his pretentiousness is unbearable, its absurdity highlighted in the quote The (servant) was ordered to be on duty at eight on Tuesday morning in the hall (it was two feet square).He is so lost in his fixation with wealth and class that he treats Joe and Biddy his childhood mentors patronizingly and with contempt If I could have kept (Joe) away by paying him money I certainly would have. This leads him to turn his back on these noble characters, removing their wisdom and decency from his life, leaving him only with his wasteful and highly pretentious lifestyle. At one stage Pip himself admits (the effect of my expectations) influenced my own character, I disguised from my recognition as much as possible, but I knew very advantageously that it was not all good.In highlighting these dangers, Dickens preaches that social status and external appearances are doubtful measures of a persons true quality. Pips journey clearly exemplifies this message, being most repugnant at the hight of his expectations yet being most worthy when he has lost everything. Supposed gentlemen such as Pumblechook, Drummle and Compeyson who mock the false summon of gentility but are really hideous and unworthy characters are further variations on this theme.However, it is Estella, Miss Havisham and the world of Satis domiciliate that are best apply in the attack against the simple-minded notion that money and status are a guide to quality. The lovely Estella charms Pip with her beauty, yet as she herself admits I have no heart and is incapable of love. Miss Havisham and her attractive Satis house have the showings of happiness and glamour. The truth is, however, that she has been eaten away by bitterness in a house that is strange and does not permit love. Therefore, Dickens strongly argues that external appearances fail to count for what lies beneath.Instead Dickens holds up truly noble characters such as Joe, Biddy, Wemmick and Clara, who understand the importance of compassion and fellow feeling, for our admiration. He attempts to show the reader that these are the determine that should be made the most worthwhile aims of lif e. His protagonist finally comes to this realization at the conclusion of the novel, as he appreciates the true gentility of Joe as a good Christian man. By making these characters the righteous centre of the book Dickens is able to highlight the greater importance of such values over wealth in determining the quality of a person.Even the darker characters of the book such as Miss Havisham and Mrs Joe are able to understand this (though it comes far too late), with Miss Havisham asking for Pips forgiveness Prey if you could ever right under my name I forgive her prey do it. and Mrs Joes final words JoePardonPip. Clearly the moral of the novel is based on the importance of love and compassion over wealth and class.Dickens, therefore, argues that money and social status fail to act as indicators of a persons true worth. Instead it is values such as compassion and the ability to love that define their gentility. Although Pip in his journey misguidedly believes that his re-invention would lead to bettering himself, he is eventually able to realize what truly counts are the virtues of love, compassion and decency.