Oscar Wu

Ms. Franz
PAP English 2/A1
18 September 2013
The Myriad Types of Sufferings within Great Expectations
Society is a plethora of facades, especially during the Victorian Age in 18
th
century England.
Every person ever born has always had a dark side; the side they never portray in public; the
true side that accurately reflects how they really are. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
employs two distinct types of suffering, emotional and physical, to allow the reader to contrast
the effects of each type of suffering.
Dickens uses diction to illustrate that emotional suffering causes a lack of logic in others and
reveal their other, darker, nature. For example, Pips lack of logic is demonstrated when he tells
Biddy in a lunatic confession that he admires and loves Estella despite knowing the madness
in his heart to be so mad and misplaced (17, 219). By using words that signify a severe lack
of reason, the reader can finally see some of Pips stubborn and unmoving nature. This stubborn
nature is important because it symbolizes the one aspect of human nature that, even in the best of
people, can never truly be suppressed. This is important because Pips stubbornness sets up the
chain of major events in the story. Another example of a lack of logic in a character is when Miss
Havisham admits to Pip that she originally wanted to save Estella from misery like her own,
but as Estella grows older she steals her {Estella} heart and puts ice in its place (49, 435).
By using words that signify thievery, the reader can see Miss Havishams vengeful and petty
attitude. This is important because her attitude forced Pip to realize that nobility is not the nave
and glamorous face he once assumed. Dickens uses both Pip and Miss Havisham to signify the
attitudes predominant in high class Victorian society.
Dickens also uses the actions of those of higher class or stature to inflict physical suffering on
those of lower class or stature to demonstrate sympathy towards the naturally disadvantaged. For
example, he uses Drummle who had used her {Estella} with great cruelty, and who had become
quite renowned as a compound of pride, avarice, brutality, and meanness (59, 539). Drummle, a
baron, who causes Estella much suffering in addition to the loneliness she acquires because of
her lack of a heart, allows the reader to become more sympathetic to her. This is important as the
continued abuse forces her to develop a heart and therefore be able to understand Pips emotions
in the end. Another example is Abel Magwitch, who is the most underserving victim of physical
suffering in the book, especially, When the prosecution opened and the evidence was put short,
aforehand, I noticed how heavy it all bore on me, and how light on him I noticed how it was
always me that had come for'ard, and could be swore to, how it was always me that the money
had been paid to, how it was always me that had seemed to work the thing and get the profit (42,
454). Magwitchs kind attitude contrasted with being the victim of countless torments caused by
societal prejudice allows for great sympathy by the reader. Dickens uses this to mock the justice
system that claims to be fair and equal but in reality is completely and utterly biased on societal
rank. Higher class and stature are both very important but not necessarily good ideals in
Victorian society.
Dickens uses emotional suffering and physical suffering to allow the readers to contrast their
corresponding effects. He uses the characters emotional suffering to reveal their true natures,
whereas Dickens uses physical suffering to demonstrate sympathy towards the disadvantaged.
These two types of suffering portray the point of view Dickens had on Victorian society.