Unexpected Influences in Great Expectations Essay -- Great Expectations

When one thinks of a strong, powerful person, they most likely will maiden think of a world leader or president. These are examples of influential leaders, hardly in Charles Dickens Great Expectations, the most influential characters on reach are people who would appear to be minor female characters in the novel. 1 would assume since the time of Great Expectations was set the first half of the 19th Century, which was the time of the Victorian Era, that the men of the novel would have a greater entrance on the women of the novel. However, Pip is impacted greatly by women throughout his life, even more so than men. Pips greatest female influence in life was Estella, but the purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of more minor characters on Pip, such as Mrs. Joe, Miss Havisham, and Biddy. Their influences on him change as he grows and matures.The first real female influence Pip had was his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery. Pips parents had died long before and he had never know n them. Mrs. Joe then stepped up and raised Pip. She is not what one would chit-chat a positive influence. Mrs. Joe was considered a mother figure to Pip and she was always proud to proclaim to neighbors and friends that she brought him up by hand. Pip did not know what that mental synthesis meant. He said Having at that time to find out for myself what the expression meant, and knowing her to have a hard and heavy hand, and to be much in the habit of laying it upon her husband as well as upon me, I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand (Dickens 6). Everyone in townsfolk thought Mrs. Joe was such a kind soul to take in her orphaned brother, but no one really understood how horribly she tough Pip and Joe. In chapter two, one can get an... .... Pip learned from Biddy that money and fame is not everything, and that the best things in life are oftentimes the things one already possesses. She also taught him patience and kindness through her own actions. All three females Mrs. Joe, Miss Havisham, and Biddy, taught Pip many things, both good and bad. Mrs. Joe taught Pip things the wrong way through abuse, but she also unknowingly taught Pip how to care for people. Miss Havisham took advantage of Pip and taught Pip to be wary of bank others, but at the same time, taught Pip how to forgive . Biddy was the wisest of Pips influences and acted as a support to Pip who was always there for him. While Estella was one of the biggest influences in Pips life, the smaller influential female characters also had huge impacts on Pip and helped shape him to the man he became.