Theme of the novel Great expectations

The major theme of this novel is the rise and fall of the great expectation of a child Pip. It means the more emphasize is given to the childhood of the hero. Pip is put before us an orphan who is quite isolated from family protection. Moreover he has no social status which could make him potential enough to lead life with pride. He is rendered harshly by his sister. He is presented before us at the churchyard where he is lost in the memory of his dead parents. There he becomes aware of himself as a small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry.

Because of constant hammering from his sister and due to fear of unidentified himself, Pip does not recognize from his early childhood Joe as a force. He considers Joe only a child like himself who must also suffer the verbal attack of Mrs. Joe. It is his childhood's lack of parental care that leads him towards a search for true love. He wants someone who can care him, who can protect his feelings and who can share love with him. This inner desire makes him blind towards Estella.

Of course it is the mistreatment of a child that gives a lot of ups and downs throughout in the life of Pip. For e.g. Pip is taken to Satis House to play with Miss Havisham and without only wish Pip has to listen insulting words over there. Then Pip's opportunity to kiss Estella is the first sexual experience in Pip's life that makes him crazy for Estella. Then Pip and Estella are allowed to live carelessly and irresponsibly as though freed from all outside obligations and impelled only by the inner need to find personal fulfilment. This moment is rare for Pip as he has ever experienced such freedom in his childhood. Suddenly the happy state of Pip is shattered, his dreams are shattered as he realizes his love Estella is going to put him aside.

In the journey of love Pip also comes across the element of chance i.e. financial help by an unknown person. Pip has never experienced richness in his childhood and as he gets money he starts spending them like anything. The way he becomes spendthrift is also basically a need from his childhood that is, indirectly shown here. Pip soon learns the stupendous power of money and is flattered by phoney respect. Sudden wealth can destroys character as it happens to Pip also. He is also spending recklessly, living in his affluent dream-world and believing in his expectations. It is the power of money that suffocates Pip better and dehumanizes him almost to the point of no return.