The Role Of Social Class In Great Expectations

In the time when silanization was just truly forming, there were only really four places in life and most people stayed in they were born into place. In Great Expectations Pip, the main character was one of the Fortunate few that changed there place in life. When the term place is used it is referring to social class Specifically in England from 1812-1840. The social classes at that time were very different and simple than the social classes of now.

In order to understand the impact social classes had on Pip and is a key role in the novel you first have to understand the four main classes. Starting at the top of the class is the ruling class which would be the Monarchs and their immediate ruling family and in England, it would all so be the church. The next class is more relevant to the novel, which is the genital men class or the elites. This class has very successful people who don’t need to work anymore. Then there are the craftsmen and traders. Pip was in the Craftsmen class Because he was a blacksmith or learning to be a Blacksmith. The final and last class is the farming class which doesn’t really play a role in this story. The next thing that needs to be understood is that the lower classes were all ways looked down on and the other classes looked up to the upper classes. this made the rules, and following the rules glorified, unlike today. This being understood anyone that broke these rules were outcast and were seen as the lowest of the low.

In this novel, the classes are used to show that lawbreakers are not evil and to begin the glorification of breaking the law which is glorified into days Society. The classes were most necessary in this novel to show the stark differences or lack thereof. When Pip is Brout out of his class and lifted tho the next class there are only two main differences, Money and Morales. The lack of respect and all around civilians was shown in The finches of the grove. The novel was trying to put emphasis on how the upper class believed that the more money they had the fewer rules applied to them as if money was the cure-all.

When the writer moves pip from the stations of life it is to show the effect money has on people and the lack of difference between the class or more so, the rich and poor. It all so shows; by teaching Pip, that money doesn’t equal happiness. Pip gets his dream of being a gentleman and ends up less happy in the end.

In the time when silanization was just truly forming, there were only really four places in life and most people stayed in they were born into place. In Great Expectations Pip, the main character was one of the Fortunate few that changed there place in life and found out that being in a different class didn’t mean anything.