• Mr. Amar Tulshiram Balki

Great Expectations is a masterpiece by Charles Dickens, which depicts expectations of various characters and these expectations are based on theirsocial classes and social changes in the society of the Victorian Era.There are many factors responsible for social changes in Victorian Era and one of the important factors is industrialization which made people from the rural side to move towards cities leaving their agriculture job. We also find the class conflict during this period as the poor and class people used to be like rich people and rich people’s attitude to oppress the poor people. Pip, the protagonist of the novel too has many expectations in his life. Firstly hedreams of becoming a blacksmith like Joe Gregory, his brother-in-law but later on he wanted to become a gentleman. The Setting of novel Great Expectations is the early Victorian England, the time of great social changes in the nation and the major factor for these changes was The Industrial Revolution of late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Social Outcasts is the dominant theme of this novel which is portrayed through the character of Pip, an orphan boy and we also find the depiction of Upper Class Society through the characters like Miss Havisham and Estella. These Characters represent the society at that time. Throughout the novel Great Expectations, Charles Dickens explored the class system in Victorian England, from criminals, poor peasants, and middle class to the very rich. To end the slavery was a major focus of Social reforms and to remove burdens on women and children. The conditions in the factories were not favorable for working and it was the reason for rebellion of working class. The rise of Middle Class in this period was of significant importance as it was brought by industrialization. This article focuses on the theme of social class portrayed in the novel by studying the characters most importantly the protagonist of the novel Pip, depicted as a symbol of growth and personal development and alsocontains brief introduction that explores the role social class in Victorian society. This study also throws light on Dickens in a way that he presented the problems of Victorian society and its social classes in Great Expectations with a special focus on Pip's struggle with destiny, morality, and wealth.

Expectations, Victorian Society, Social Changes, Working Class, Social Outcasts, Growth and Personal Development.

"Great Expectations: A Reflection of Victorian Social Class", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 5, page no.i487-i491, May-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2205973.pdf

"Great Expectations: A Reflection of Victorian Social Class", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 5, page no. ppi487-i491, May-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2205973.pdf