A lesson on Darkness

Darkness as a Motif As his ambition grows his world darkens around him The novel begins with Pip as an young innocent boy and he is manipulated by the influential characters in his life. As the novel progresses and he attempts to take control of the world around him his Midot go down in a dark spiral. This can be seen through the motif of darkness, at each major life decision there is a strong presence of darkness.

Section 1 In the beginning of the novel Pip’s initial encounter with “the convict” is in a dark marshy forest This decision to help “the convict” triggers the later events in Pip’s life and the darkness symbolizes that a mistake is to be made Pip follows through on the theft. However, he is constantly thinking about the wrongness of his action and is afraid that every knock on the door is after him. This is only the beginning for the “convict” will now begin to shape his destiny and the decisions that pip makes will forever be colored by their meeting.

Satis house “We went in by a side door… and the first thing I noticed that all the passages were dark”(58) “ ן entered, and therefore found myself in a large room no glimpse of day light to be seen in it”(58) Satis house is where he first sees his goal and his dark desire; Estella, and it is for her that he makes the lions share of his mistakes

Mr. Jaggers “ Our conference was held in the state parlor, which was lit feebly by one candle.”(145) Their first meeting, held in a darkened parlor, overshadowed all the dark decisions that came along with Mr. Jaggers and Pips own great expectations. This would also bring pip down into the world of criminals and their dangerous lawyers. “Mr.Jaggers room, lighted by a skylight only, and was a most dismal place”(171) Pips guardians own office is dark and barely lit. this shows how even his own “great expectations is surrounded by his dark mistakes

London London- the setting of his ascent through the ranks of nobility, and where pip truly loses his own moral sense that he seemed to have as a child. He believes that he must learn the society to be deserving of Estella. In reality the closer he gets to her the darker his life is. “while I was scared by the immensity of London, I think I might have had some faint doubts whether it was not rather ugly, crooked, narrow, and dirty.”(170) this can also be viewed as a foreshadowing of the changes that will occur to pip in this old and dangerous city.

Bentley Drummle “he would always creep in shore like some uncomfortable amphibious creature…I always think of him coming after us in the dark or by backwater” (213)This is a description of how Pip views Drummle’s actions. Drummle seems to be the antithesis of Pip. where Pip is suddenly elevated in status, Drummle was born into his position, and so has a greater ability to win the prize in their competition for Estella. It causes Pip to do some things that he later on regrets. “Throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the worst people.” (230)

Magwitch( take II) Magwitch brings about his greatest fall. For with the knowledge that his money came from this criminal, and not Miss Havisham Pip sees all of his expectations come crashing down. All of the dark deeds that he committed, and all of the immoral actions were for nothing. Estella was never meant to be his and everything he did was all worthless. “ Miss Havisham’s intentions towards me, all a mere dream; Estella not designed for me; I only suffered in Satis house for convenience.”(344) this is the beginning of the pain that he feels as he realizes that the past years he’s spent as a “gentleman” were all a lie and were for nothing. And this brings him to his final crash into darkness.

Finale In the end Pip must face all the darkness that has amassed within his own soul and his life. He does this with a final meeting of Estella at the beginning of his dark journey, the dilapidated ruins of Satis House. “ The day had quite declined when I came to the place” Here the setting dark with the setting sun and the evening mist, sets even his own confrontation with his dark path, in a similar setting