Literature Review Example: Great Expectations: Themes, Symbolism, and Satire

Great Expectations: Themes, Symbolism, and Satire

I. Introduction

A. Hook

People often judge themselves based on what others think, which can lead to feelings of shame and insecurity.

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B. Background Context

In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, the protagonist Pip grows up in a strict society where social class determines one’s opportunities and sense of self-worth. When Pip visits the decaying yet ostentatious Satis House for the first time, he becomes acutely aware of the gulf between the wealthy and the poor. Estella’s condescending laughter and pointed remarks make him feel ashamed of his humble origins. These moments serve to illustrate how strongly Victorian class expectations shape Pip’s early perceptions and desires.

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C. Thesis Statement

In the first part of Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses the theme of shame and the symbol of Satis House to trace Pip’s growing awareness of social class expectations. Through Pip’s repeated humiliations in Miss Havisham’s mansion, Dickens employs satire to criticize the unfair rigidity of Victorian England’s hierarchy and to underscore how the class system defines—and constrains—individual identity.

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II. Body Paragraph One (should align with point one in your thesis statement)

A. Topic sentence: Pip’s feelings of shame begin after he visits Satis House and realizes that others see him as “common.”

This initial sense of humiliation emerges when Pip first steps into Satis House and perceives the disdain in his hostess’s manner. The stark contrast between his own simple upbringing and the mansion’s ostentatious atmosphere makes him intensely self-conscious.

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B. Supporting detail one: Pip becomes embarrassed about his home and family.

1. Text evidence to support: Pip says he becomes “disgusted with home” after Estella laughs at him.

After Estella’s mocking laughter, Pip admits that he feels “disgusted with home,” revealing how her scorn magnifies his shame about his modest background and nurtures his desire to escape poverty.

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C. Supporting detail two: Estella’s insults make Pip feel socially inferior.

1. Text evidence to support: Estella tells Pip that he has “coarse hands and thick boots.”

Estella’s pointed remark about his “coarse hands and thick boots” intensifies Pip’s awareness of his lower-class status, crystallizing the social divide between them.

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D. Supporting detail three: Pip starts wishing he could change himself to fit in.

1. Text evidence to support: Pip says he wants to become a gentleman so he will not feel “common.”

Pip confesses his secret ambition to become a gentleman, believing that such a transformation will free him from the stigma of being “common” and allow him to earn respect in high society.

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E. Bridge sentence: These early feelings of shame connect directly to the symbol of Satis House, where Pip first starts seeing himself differently.

The shame that Pip experiences in Satis House sets the stage for the mansion’s symbolism, linking his inner turmoil to the larger critique of class pretensions.

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III. Body Paragraph Two (should align with point two in your thesis statement)

A. Topic sentence: Satis House symbolizes the emptiness and decay behind the wealthy class that Pip admires.

At first glance, Satis House appears to embody wealth and refinement, yet its dilapidated interior reveals the moral and emotional decay concealed behind social privilege.

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B. Supporting detail one: The house looks rich on the outside but is actually dark and falling apart inside.

1. Text evidence to support: Dickens describes the rooms as dusty, cold, and filled with old wedding items.

Behind its grand façade, Dickens paints a portrait of dusty, cold rooms cluttered with stale wedding decorations, suggesting that wealth often masks emptiness and stagnation.

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C. Supporting detail two: Miss Havisham uses the house to control Pip’s feelings.

1. Text evidence to support: Miss Havisham allows Estella to insult Pip, knowing it will hurt him.

Miss Havisham orchestrates Pip’s humiliation by permitting Estella’s harsh remarks, demonstrating how those in power manipulate appearances and social rituals for personal amusement.

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D. Supporting detail three: The empty life inside Satis House shows that wealth does not equal happiness.

1. Text evidence to support: Miss Havisham is rich but still lives in sadness and anger.

Despite immense wealth, Miss Havisham remains trapped in perpetual mourning and resentment, illustrating that financial privilege cannot guarantee emotional fulfillment.

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E. Bridge sentence: Together, shame and the symbolism of Satis House help Dickens criticize the unfair class system.

By intertwining Pip’s shame with the decaying grandeur of Satis House, Dickens delivers a satirical indictment of Victorian class structures and their dehumanizing effects.

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IV. Conclusion

A. Topic Sentence: Pip’s early experiences show how much social class affects the way people see themselves.

Pip’s journey in the opening stages of Great Expectations underscores the powerful influence of class on personal identity and self-worth.

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B. Rephrased thesis statement: By using the theme of shame and the symbol of Satis House, Dickens shows how Pip becomes aware of society’s judgments and uses satire to point out the problems in Victorian England.

Through the twin lenses of shame and the emblematic Satis House, Dickens exposes the harsh judgments of Victorian society and satirizes the inequalities embedded within its class system.

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C. Final concluding thought: The story reminds readers that true worth comes from who you are, not how much money or status you have.

Ultimately, Great Expectations emphasizes that genuine value arises from one’s character and actions rather than social rank or material wealth.

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Works Cited

No external sources were cited in this paper.