Pip and Heathcliff?

Each piece of literature we read from this time period, seems to always touch on social class and how it correlates to the characters. This seems to be a very important part the the development of each story and how the characters interact with each other. When reading this next section of Great Expectations we see another instance where a character of a different social class does not feel like he has the social right to interact or have a dignified relationship with a character of a higher social class. In chapter 43 Pip explains to the reader that he does not fit into the social class image that he feels like he needs to, to be good enough for Estella and her position in society. Naturally, this reminded me of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights and how he did not feel as though he could belong in that higher social class either. I also found it very interesting that in each of these pieces of literature we see the same kinds of descriptions about each social classes. When Pip is speaking about Estella, he describes her as “Estella in her pride and beauty”, I saw a connection here with Catherine from Withering Heights. The characters of the higher social classes are always either described as beautiful, they have a certain image that they have to uphold. This led be to believe that this is why each of the characters, Estella and Catherine, are described in this manner. In Wuthering Heights, Catherine is described as being “changed” to fit into her class of society better. This connection shows us that there was a “social norm” for these social classes during this time. This is important for us to remember when reading literature from these times because we will be able to make this same connection amongst many other pieces of literature.

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