Pip-Character Analysis

Philip Pirrip is the main character of the classic book: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The name "Pip" is well chosen based on what this character thinks, feels, and does. One definition of the name Pip is "a small seed of a fruit". If this is the definition that Dickens was going by, then he could of had meant that Pip starts out small protected under another's wing. In the novel, Joe looks out for Pip's best interest. For example, Joe has always let Pip know when Mrs. Joe was out on her "rampage". Someday Pip will become someone important and with a beautiful personality and lifestyle, possibly protecting someone of his own. A second feasible interpretation of Pip is "a young bird breaking out of a shell". Assuming that this may be Dickens's chosen terminology, Pip may be shy and "small" now but in the near future he will branch out and succeed and make a big difference. Finally, another practical explanation of Dickens's reasoning of naming the main character Pip could be "to defeat (an opponent)". If so, this could mean that Pip will win a silent battle between himself and another character such as Miss Havisham or Estella. I personally believe that Pip will "break out of his shell" and reach out to achieve personal success.

An Influence in Time

Lasting from about the late 18th century to the early 19th century, the Industrial Revolution was not only a part of the historical timeline but it also left an extraordinary impact on the United States. The Industrial Revolution had positive and negative affects on society because it increased production but made some people poorer. The quote: "You've got to have money to make money" shows that the upper class had better luck. Between 1860 and the 1900s, 2% of the population controlled 1/3 of the country's wealth, creating a new level of living standards for the upper class. Unfortunately, the Industrial Revolution affected the lower classes who provided hard labor for little pay. Children also worked difficult hours for little earnings. Unavailability of education prevented children from preparing for a future outside of the factory. Injuries and deaths at work became all too common. Workers recieved no benefits and went on strike. Strikes created a better inlfuence for the cause because many people participated. In contrast, if one or two people did not report for work, they would be replaced and a point would not be made. The creation of Unionization, which is still used today, occurred as a result of the abuse. Large scale manufacturing became easier and cheaper, therefore making goods available to many people at a time. The Industrial Revolution was also the beginning of the oil industry. All of these changes led to a need for political reform. As businesses grew, rules were required to govern the general structure of the business. Urbanization forced the government to pay greater attention to transportation, paving, water cleanliness, street lighting and cleaning, and policing and fire protection. However, the main reason politicians tended to these issues was to get more money from local communities. Nonetheless, they were still apprectiated because they finished the job even if it was scandalous. In many ways, the Industrial Revolution was a powerful model for today's society.

Charles Dickens

Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 at Portsmouth, England. Dickens possessed the talent of using personal life experiences in his writings. Dickens's greatest influence to his stories was the life-changing event of his father being imprisoned on account of debt. To earn money for his family, Dickens was pulled out of school and sent to work at a boot blackening factory at age twelve. Dickens expresses his feelings for this and several other episodes cleverly in his novels. Some well-known writings such as Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol define his success as a novelist. Dickens later died of a paralytic stroke on June 9, 1870.