Ellie365

Head of Class By-Ellisa Rohlf

Back in the days of Charles Dickens and when his book "Great Expectations" was published, class played a huge role in human society. Class was determined by how much money you had what clothes you wore and so forth. Class helped sculpt who you were and how people looked at you. People caught the "High class fever" which is when people want to be ranked higher and would do just about anything to get there. Unfortunately Pip caught the bug; he became ashamed of his home life and would do anything to become a gentleman. He wished to be a part of a higher ranking class.

In the book “Great Expectations” Social class plays a huge role. Charles Dickens stresses the differences between the higher and lower levels of society. He shows how its fine being part of the common folk, but once you get a taste of the good life, it’s hard not to get addicted. He showed how social class and birthright made a difference in how much opportunity you had in life such as how much access you had to a good education. It gave you an opportunity to marry people of a higher status and gave you a wider choice in career path opportunities. Instead of working for someone, have someone work for you.

I feel that Dickens is trying to say that social status is more important than it seems affecting both our inner and outer lives. People thought that if they improved their social status they would happier. It also affected what friends they had and their connections to certain people. It also altered your opinion; if you are someone of a higher status then people wouldn’t think twice about trusting your opinion. As shown in “Great Expectations” - “That’s true, mum,” said Mr. Pumblechook, with a grave nod. “That’s the state of the case, for that much I’ve seen myself.” (Chapter 9 pg 62) this quote shows how, because Mr. Pumblechook is a member of a higher class, his opinion is trusted and wanted by his lower-class family and friends.

In Pip's eyes the change in social class from lower to gentleman is only going to affect him, make his own life better. It's all he wants, to be respected and to have money. In his quest he loses sight of the people around him, and ends up leaving them behind. Becoming a gentlemen will forever change his life.

So either way social class was very importent to the people of Dickens' time, playing a huge role in his books. For Pip the desire for social class was so important, it had the power to change everything, but without it society in it's own wouldn't exist. Dickens shows how social status is the backbone of society, and without it life would be chaos.