Pride and Prejudice vs Great Expectations - Essay Example

Insert Introduction Pride and prejudice and Great expectations are stories based in London written in the 18s. Pride and prejudice were written by Jane Austen while, on the other hand; Great expectation was prepared by Dickens. The later takes a comical approach while the former takes a logical enunciation of lessons from the content. This piece of work puts down an evidence-based comparison of the two pieces of work based on the nature of society, social classes and mobility. Discussion Nature of society Great expectations is based in a society that has activities involving crime, innocence, and guilt. It illustrates both convicts and lawyers who judge criminals in court hence an insinuation of the enlisted societal traits. In London prisons, Joe minds about their state. Throughout the book, imagery concerning crime with affiliations to justice has been used greatly. The institutions set in the community that the story is based are distinct, and Pip desires to live up to them. Pip decides to find a better way to life in the society out of crime (Dickens). He does this to avoid police traps, jails, and court. The statement insinuates of the extent to which crime and guilt versus innocence has penetrated the community. In addition, Magwitch together with Pip portray criminal character when they help each other to evade police in relation to the case where they both commit a crime. With reference to nature of societies, Pride and prejudice is a collection of a society with stringent norms and the entire episode revolves around love and class (Austen). Not much is said about crime or justice system like the one Dickens’ work put forward. The society here has segmented the class well adhered to and cannot be surpassed without regard to certain criteria and values. Like any society, the love stories in the piece are full of drama about the mistrust from the start proceed to complete trust and eventual marriage (Dickens). Elizabeth is a proud woman, a virtue that makes her characterize Darcy imperfectly from the onset. In addition, the same is replicated by Darcy who is of a different social class from Elizabeth and as such has a different first impression. However, as they tag along, they learn a lot from each other, and the setting enhances their standpoint enabling them to accommodate each other. The family of both steps into a relationship and they try to control their actions threatening with destroying it. The society is tight with its rules. Contrary to the Great expectations view of reputation in society, Austen’s work is all about reputation in society. The main characters endeavor in their activities to preserve it all through (Austen). Social class divisions The classes in the works by Dickens are deeply segmented into rich, middle and poor class of members in the society. Based in Victorian England, Dickens brings out the classes distinctions using characters like the criminal Magwitch, peasant Joe, rich Miss Havisham and the middle class Pumblechook. The narration sends out a clear message about the divisions when Pip realizes that the most imperative of the classes is affection, inner worth, and loyalty. On the contrary, Dickens merges the idea of self-advancement to gaining of wealth and education (Dickens). A unique class of law-abiding citizens versus criminals is also put into perspective in the anthology. Austen takes the audience to a society where the poor are treated as such and the rich only interact with the rich. The social segmentation is entirely based on the amount of wealth, which in the context is obtained from business involvement and return on fortune. Austen put this societal picture in a satirical manner when she introduced Collins, who has a behavior of toadying his upper-class patron (Austen). Darcy is estranged by his believe in the preservation of his lineage, and the entire episode is full of such actions from him. Against the forces of pride, prejudice and social class is love according to Austen. The marriages that took place between Elizabeth and Darcy and Bingley versus Jane completely sinks the title and uplifts love. Courtship in the society was a matter heavily based on one’s social class and breaching that divide was an abomination in the eyes of the social class observers and reputation conscious individuals (Austen). Mobility/ advancement Great Expectations brings out the theme of self-advancement quite vividly. On the other hand, Austen’s work has few incidences of upward mobility. When Pip comes to acknowledge that affection, inner worth and loyalty are better virtues when compared to social classes and wealth; he endeavors to meet them. Pip is brought out as an idealistic character that always goes out to find and get what he desires (Dickens). The inner believe drives him to seek for moral self-improvement. When he acts immorally towards Joe and Biddy, his actions are hard on him. It can be said that Pip sobs when he commits the wrong deeds against his friends and wishes it never happened. The bad feeling helps him make a decision to act better always to serve humanity in a good way. Advancement is evident through the text as exhibited by Pip who desires to develop socially. The class distinction in the society was not very evident, but Pip desire to outweigh being a low class and climb up the ladder (Dickens). Pip loves Estella and desires to belong to her social class. He understands that to become a man; he has to entertains fantasies, which was aided by motivation from Pumblechook and Mrs. Joe. As a blacksmith apprentice, Pip is able to climb and learn a lot from the craft. This art makes him correspond with his social. The book connotes that an educated person is high in society and Pip desires are in that line. Austen’s work has indirect connotation of advancement. However, the thoughts of sticking to the distinctions in the society can be seen to imply the mobility. The episode talks about a society where women are expected to maintain a certain standard failure to which is looked down upon (Austen). Elizabeth grows up to realize that she is expected to live up to those standards. She never achieves this merely by fitting in but through a course full of errors bringing out the theme of advancement. The works studied here have different approaches but at the heart and man themes of the society is the message of coherent co-existence and advancement. Works cited Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. New York: Dover Publications, 2001. Read More