Self Actualization In Great Expectations Essay, Research Paper
Self Actualization in Great ExpectationsThe ideal province of head that a individual can accomplish is called self realization or to go to the full human. Charles Dickens ’ Great Expectations told the narrative of how a male child named Pip worked to accomplish this. More specifically, Dickens wrote how Pip larning from his experiences was able to set external factors, like societal category, aside, and detect his ain potency. Merely after this find did Pip addition true independency and was able to accept himself with all his mistakes, including his societal category. It was Pip ’ s thoughts of societal category seen in his early life that restricts him from accepting himself. Pip as a kid foremost learned of societal category from Estella. Pip ’ s first experience of experiencing lower appeared in the first scene with Estella ; where Estella had insulted him and Pip was profoundly affected: I had ne’er thought of being ashamed of my custodies before ; but I began to see them a really apathetic brace. Her disdain for me was so strong that it became infective, and I caught it. ( p.55 ) . This transition was a good illustration of Pip being ashamed of his societal category and because of this had non been able to wish himself. Pip finally developed a fixed thought of societal category and could non be satisfied as he was. This lead to his great desire of going a gentleman: Well, so, understand one time and for all that I ne’er shall or can be comfy – or anything but suffering – there Biddy! – unless I can take a really different kind of life from the life I lead now. ( p.120 ) This referred to Pip ’ s inability to accept being who he was born as, and because he could non make this he could non be content with himself. Dickens writes that it was through Pip ’ s experiences that he frees himself from the thought of societal category, and it was societal category which caused his opinion of others. Pip ’ s progressive growing of being able to see past societal category was true in his experience with Provis. Pip first idea of Provis with disgust: The abomination in which I held the adult male, the apprehension I had of him, the repulsion with which I shrank from him could non hold been exceeded if he had been some awful beast. ( P. 298 ) This quotation mark shows how much Pip disliked Provis even though he didn ’ Ts know him. Pip subsequently sees Provis vitamin D
ifferently: For now my repulsion to him had all melted off, and in the hunted wounded fettered animal who held my manus in his, I merely saw a adult male who had meant to be my helper, and who had felt dearly, appreciatively, and liberally towards me with great stability through a series of old ages. ( p.415 )
Pip ’ s new feelings of Provis show Pip ’ s learned apprehension of other people. Provis besides was of import because he reminded Pip of how he treated Joe: But, sharpest and deepest hurting of all – it was for the inmate, guilty of I knew non what offenses, and apt to be taken out of those suites where I sat thought, and hanged at the old Bailey door, that I had deserted Joe. ( P. 301 ) . Pip felt guilty for abandoning Joe and therefor acknowledged he had done so. The experience with Joe besides caused Pip to set societal category aside. Pip understood how cruelly he treated Joe and how good a individual Joe was and so Pip apologized: Pray state me, both that you forgive me! Pray let me hear you say the words, that I may transport the sound of them off with me, and so I shall be able to believe that you can swear me, and think better of me, in the clip to come! ( p.446 ) Pip ’ s experience with Joe ’ s and Biddy ’ s kindness caused Pip to eventually recognize how incorrect he was for believing they were lower ; and believing himself lower for being portion of their category. By losing the sense of societal category he could be more accepting of himself. A 3rd portion of Pip accepting his life comes after he becomes an independent individual. He becomes an independent individual after he can no longer depend on Provis to give him money. He gets a occupation working for Herbert and subsequently go his spouse. We were non a expansive manner of concern but we had a good name, and worked for our net incomes, and did really well. ( p.446 ) . Pip learned that even though he had to work it was still respectable. In this manner Pip could esteem himself. This is the regard he needed to accept his position. Dickens ’ narrative told of how Pip could larn to acknowledge people for what they were and non see them in footings of societal position. Pip could so accept himself with his position as working category and go an independent individual. These traits in a individual relates to traits of a ego accepting, self actualized individual ; these are the traits that would be good in all people, even today.
