Luke Leslie
Mrs. Coughlin
English 10
May 8, 2015
Topic C
In Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, many characters begin developing as the story goes on changing the relationships between many. One relationship especially that oversees change is Pip and Joe.
Pip and Joe were pals back when Pip was younger and hung out all the time they had to. They would relate to each other sharing many similarities and living similar lives. Pip wouldn’t look down on him for being poor and Joe wouldn’t look down on him for being young. Now after Pip has been living life and making money in London, he has different views. Pip looks down on Joe now for having little money and a low social status as if his competitive lifestyle has taken over the way he thinks. When Joe visits Pip, he isn’t visited by Pip who is too busy and more importantly embarrassed to be seen with Joe after his recent success. Pip does not even know that Joe is illiterate on top of his other weaknesses which would just lead to more lost respect for Pip. This change in the relationship between the characters is a sad transition because once childhood friends are separated by the lifestyle that Pip is put in.
Pip and Joe’s relationship are just one of the quite few relationships in the book that change, especially over the course of the five chapters. This change is the most significant because Pip is the main character and the change leaves to old pals separated and distant.
I think that this is a very good blog. The dynamic relationship between Pip and Joe gives us the best picture of what has happened to Pip. Pip goes through a lot of changes throughout the book while Joe remains mostly the same. We see Pip with Joe at the beginning of the book and we see them together later in the book, giving us two contrasting images of Pip. One is clearly kinder and filled with empathy while the other is pompous and rude to those he considers lower. The relationship goes from being two equals, to one acting like he is better than the other.
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