Charles Dickens is known as one of the greatest novelists from the Victorian Era, who has written many famous works including Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and much more. Great Expectations narrates the life story of Pip, a blacksmith's apprentice in a village, from his childhood to adulthood. His visits to Miss Havisham, a wealthy lady, make him aspire to become a gentleman of high class when he grows up, just like them. After discovering that Pip's secret benefactor is a convict he helped when he was a child, Pip makes a failed attempt to help the convict escape from authorities. Although the plan fails, Pip learns much from his previous experiences and later marries Estella. Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, narrates the story of a young boy, Oliver, who gets sent to an abusive workhouse after both his parents’ death. After running away from his cruel owner, Oliver is kidnapped by Fagin and his criminal gang, who attempt to teach him to pickpocket and steal. When Oliver is saved by Mr. Brownlow and the Maylies, the party works together to discover the truth behind Oliver’s identity: Monks, a member of Fagin’s gang and Oliver’s half-brother, tries to make Oliver a criminal in order to steal his part of an inheritance. David Copperfield tells of the life of a fatherless child, David, narrated by his grown, older self. After running away from his abusive stepfather, David is helped by his Aunt Betsey, who gives him a good education and supports him in multiple ways. David later becomes an author and after figuring that he and Dora weren’t suitable, marries Agnes Wickfield, the Victorian woman-figure, and lives a full life with her.
People’s family members greatly influence the course of their future lives in different ways, both positive and negative. In Great Expectations, Pip is influenced by his family background and family members in different ways during his adulthood. In London Pip is notified that Joe is coming, Pip is nervous about Joe’s low social class: “I had little objection to his being seen by Herbert or his father, for both of whom I had a respect; but I had the sharpest sensitiveness as to his being seen by Drummle, whom I held in contempt.” (Dickens 27). However, near the novel’s end, after Pip reflects on Joe’s support for him despite the fact that Joe knew Pip was ashamed of him, Pip finally feels exceptionally grateful for everything Joe has done for him, including paying off his debts and supporting him as a father figure. In Oliver Twist, Oliver’s birth as an orphan and his parent’s social status affect him in opposite ways. His being an orphan when he was born made him to be sent to a workhouse where he was treated cruelly: “... a parish child—the orphan of a workhouse—the humble, half-starved drudge—to be cuffed and buffeted through the world—despised by all, and pitied by none.” (Dickens 1) However, his actual position as the son of a nobleman later offered him a large inheritance, which he shared with Monks. In David Copperfield, the lack of good parental figures and role models caused David to experience a miserable childhood. Later, it was when he met Aunt Betsey that he finally was able to be supported both financially and in parental roles. The family and social class that people are born in affect their lives and career later on, in aspects of both relationship and social position.
In many cases, people are positively influenced by their surroundings, especially by their friends and supportive family members. In Great Expectations, Pip’s career as an adult wouldn’t have gone so well without help and support from people such as his brother-in-law Joe Gargery, Herbert Pocket, Miss Havisham and Estella, and Abel Magwitch (Provis). For instance, Magwitch is the convict Pip helped when he was young and Pip’s secret benefactor: “I have been informed by a person named Abel Magwitch, that he is the benefactor so long unknown to me.” Meanwhile, Miss Havisham had supported Pip’s education and Herbert’s career financially, and Joe had secretly paid Pip’s debts. In Oliver Twist, Oliver was supported, befriended, and adopted respectably by the Maylies, Nancy, and Mr. Brownlow. When Oliver was still kidnapped by Fagin’s gang, the Maylies were kind enough to help him heal his wounds and befriend him, similar to how Mr. Brownlow adopted Oliver and helped him discover his true identity. Nancy, although part of Fagin’s criminal gang, pitied Oliver and in many cases, she saved him from Sikes and Monks: “Keep back the dog, Bill!” cried Nancy, springing before the door, and closing it. “Keep back the dog; he’ll tear the boy to pieces.” (Dickens 16). In David Copperfield, although his parents, especially his step-father, didn’t help him much, Aunt Betsey and his later wife, Agnes Wickfield, both supported him in many ways. Aunt Betsey supported David’s education and career financially and was also a loving family member compared to David’s stepfather. Agnes always was only like a sister to David, and her love for him was never repaid: “My duty to Agnes, who loved me with a love, which, if I disquieted, I wronged most selfishly and poorly, and could never restore.” (Dickens, 62). Later, when the two married, Agnes continued helping him as a wife and supported his career and household. People’s lives are mostly influenced positively by their friends and family who support them at all times.
Besides being influenced positively by surrounding friends and family, enemies often influence people in a bad way. The main protagonists of all three of Charles Dickens’s novels mentioned above have several enemies who negatively affect their lives. For instance, in Great Expectations, Miss Havisham somehow also badly influences Pip, even though she supports his education financially. Miss Havisham tricks Pip into falling in love with Estella and later gets heartbroken by her, since Miss Havisham wants to have revenge on all of the male gender, just because her fiance abandoned her for her money and wealth. When Pip later visits Miss Havisham after discovering her true intentions, he mentions: “If you mean, Miss Havisham, what have you done to injure me, let me answer.” (Dickens 49). In Oliver Twist, Oliver’s worst enemy and rival in the novel, his evil half-brother Monks, was the main reason why Oliver was kidnapped by Fagin’s gang multiple times. Monks had paid Fagin to help him make Oliver a criminal so that Monks wouldn’t need to share the inheritance their father left them. In David Copperfield, David’s life is mainly influenced negatively by James Steerforth and his stepfather, Mr. Murdstone. During his childhood, David was abused and treated cruelly by Mr. Murdstone, and his mother was no help at all. Later, when his mother died from illness, David was sent to work at a very young age. James Steerforth acted like David’s friend, being friendly and nice to him, but manipulated him and his money without David ever knowing. Steerforth would often make David buy him things and use him to an advantage: “‘Very good,’ said Steerforth. ‘You’ll be glad to spend another shilling or so, in almond cakes, I dare say?’” People are often influenced negatively by their enemies and rivals, or even abusive family members.
In Charles Dickens’s novels including Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and David Copperfield, the main protagonists’ lives are influenced by many key factors such as their family backgrounds, friends, and enemies. People’s family backgrounds, including social class and family members, can affect their future careers and lives; their social position affects how they are treated, and their parents’ love for them influences the amount of experience they have during childhood. In addition, friends influence people majorly with both financial support and emotional support. For instance, Pip is influenced positively by Joe Gargery, Provis, and Estella; Oliver by Mr. Brownlow, the Maylies, and Nancy; David by his Aunt Betsey and Agnes Wickfield. On the other hand, people’s lives are also often influenced in a negative way by their enemies: Pip’s love life is disrupted and manipulated by Miss Havisham, Oliver is kidnapped multiple times by Monks and Fagin’s gang, and David is secretly manipulated and abused by James Steerforth and Mr. Murdstone.
reference:
Dickens, Charles. “Great Expectations,” Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1400/1400-h/1400-h.htm
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