• J.Jeriya
• Dr.V.Lizy

Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations (1861) is a rich and complex novel that addresses several important themes. Below is an analysis of some of the key themes in the novel: One of the most prominent themes in Great Expectations is the rigid Victorian social class structure and the potential for social mobility. Pip’s desire to become a gentleman and rise above his humble origins is a central driving force of the novel. Dickens critiques the notion that wealth and social status determine a person’s value. Through Pip’s journey, he learns that true worth lies in loyalty, Kindness and humility rather than wealth and social standing. Characters like Joe Gargery, who remains kind and noble despite his low status, serve to reinforce this idea. One of Dickens' key messages in Great Expectations is the arbitrary nature of social class. Pip, the protagonist, starts as a poor orphan, raised by his sister and her blacksmith husband, Joe Gargery. Pip’s sudden rise to wealth—due to the generosity of a mysterious benefactor—highlights the superficiality of social status. However, as Pip ascends to the ranks of a gentleman, he becomes increasingly alienated from his humble origins and the moral values instilled by Joe. Pip begins to judge people, including Joe, based on their social standing rather than their character, revealing how class can distort one’s moral compass. Eventually, she seeks forgiveness from Pip, revealing Dickens’ belief in the possibility of moral redemption, regardless of one’s class.

Social class, Self – Discovery, Loyalty, Guilt.

"THEMATIC ANALYSIS ON THE NOVEL GREAT EXPECTATIONS BY CHARLES DICKENS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 1, page no.c381-c383, January-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2501245.pdf

"THEMATIC ANALYSIS ON THE NOVEL GREAT EXPECTATIONS BY CHARLES DICKENS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 1, page no. ppc381-c383, January-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2501245.pdf