Real or Fake?: Character Foils in Great Expectations
Real or Fake?: Character Foils in Great Expectations
One of the most remarkable aspects of Charles Dickens Great Expectations is its structural intricacy and remarkable balance. Dickens plot involves complicated coincidences, extraordinary tangled webs of human relationships, and highly dramatic developments in which setting, atmosphere, event and character are all seamlessly fused. Although, perhaps the most visible sign of Dickens commitment to intricate dramatic symmetry-apart from the knot of character relationships, of course- is the fascinating motif of character doubles or foils that run through the novel. The use of character doubles or foils in the novel effectively let readers understand important aspects and messages of the novel. Throughout the novel the foils of different characters give readers the opportunity to learn important messages about class, happiness, superficiality, satisfaction, greed, crime, punishment and money.
The effect of class and superficiality on a person are clearly identified in the foil and comparison of Biddy and Estella. Biddy and Estella are both friends of Pip that take a key role in Pip’s life, but their level of compassion, attitude towards rank in society and their relationship with Pip, and overall happiness in life are very different. Biddy is a character that is considered common and not very beautiful on the outside but expresses a lot of inner beauty. She is kind and compassionate and understanding. Pip recounts Estella’s physical features, “ She was most noticeable I thought, in respect of her extremities; for, her hair always wanted brushing, her hands always wanted washing, and her shoes always wanted mending and pulling up at the heel” (Dickens, 45). This shows that Pip makes note that Estella is not beautiful. On the contrary Estella is a character that tends to be a snob although she expresses a lot of outer beauty. This relates to the message of superficiality. Although Estella is beautiful what is more
One of the most remarkable aspects of Charles Dickens Great Expectations is its structural intricacy and remarkable balance. Dickens plot involves complicated coincidences, extraordinary tangled webs of human relationships, and highly dramatic developments in which setting, atmosphere, event and character are all seamlessly fused. Although, perhaps the most visible sign of Dickens commitment to intricate dramatic symmetry-apart from the knot of character relationships, of course- is the fascinating motif of character doubles or foils that run through the novel. The use of character doubles or foils in the novel effectively let readers understand important aspects and messages of the novel. Throughout the novel the foils of different characters give readers the opportunity to learn important messages about class, happiness, superficiality, satisfaction, greed, crime, punishment and money.
The effect of class and superficiality on a person are clearly identified in the foil and comparison of Biddy and Estella. Biddy and Estella are both friends of Pip that take a key role in Pip’s life, but their level of compassion, attitude towards rank in society and their relationship with Pip, and overall happiness in life are very different. Biddy is a character that is considered common and not very beautiful on the outside but expresses a lot of inner beauty. She is kind and compassionate and understanding. Pip recounts Estella’s physical features, “ She was most noticeable I thought, in respect of her extremities; for, her hair always wanted brushing, her hands always wanted washing, and her shoes always wanted mending and pulling up at the heel” (Dickens, 45). This shows that Pip makes note that Estella is not beautiful. On the contrary Estella is a character that tends to be a snob although she expresses a lot of outer beauty. This relates to the message of superficiality. Although Estella is beautiful what is more
Cited: Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. New York: Bantam Dell, 2003. PRINT