Garcia Munoz 1

Astrid Garcia Munoz

Ms. Gardner
Honors English 10
11 March 2014
The Key of Wisdo
Ho! does "ic#ens connect social class as a factor of $i%s gro!th throughout the
no&el'
A(use) torture) and re*ection+ all these !ords suarize ,harles "ic#en-s no&el
Great Expectations. This coing of age no&el reflects on the life of a young (oy !ho
%rogresses through any o(stacles to (ecoe a dashing young an. $i%) the nic#nae
used for this young character) changes draatically in so little tie. Multi%le %eo%le
change the life of $i% %ro&iding hi !ith the ideas of sha%ing hiself to (e the (oy of
high e.%ectations. /o&e is also a a*or role in $i%s changing life) he !or#s hard to (e a
(etter %erson for his lo&e) Estella (ut he ne&er %rogresses enough to reach the le&el of her
standards. Wealth and %o!er are significant su(*ects in the life of young $i% and also the
no&el itself. Although the s%ecific factors that change $i%-s life (uild hi and (rea# hi)
these factors also change the &ie!s of the other characters and the reader.
0egret and 0e*ection is all $i% carries !ith hi throughout his life in either the
forge or the higher class. 1n the (eginning of the no&el $i% ho%es to (e a hard!or#ing
(lac#sith li#e his sister-s hus(and 2oe. Although $i% ac#no!ledges the difficulty 2oe
has !ith reading and !riting he still thin#s he is 3Hercules in strength) and also in
!ea#ness4 567. $i%-s relationshi% !ith 2oe is strong in the (eginning of the no&el) he
thin#s of 2oe as a dad he ne&er had. While li&ing in a !ooden house connected to 2oe-s
forge) $i%) an or%han !ho has (een raised (y his older sister. 8ne day $i% gets an
Garcia Munoz 2
une.%ected in&itation fro a lady of the higher class that in&ites hi to her hoe+ $i%
does not ha&e any idea !ho she is so he as#s 2oe) 31s there any Miss Ha&isha do!n
to!n'4 59:7. $i% has (een taught a(out the lo!er class) iddle class and higher class;
each class has a a*or !edge in !ealth and %o!er. This in&itation !ould (e the first
a*or change in $i%-s life and also a start of a ne! lo&e.
When &isiting Miss Ha&isha) $i% e.%eriences the factors of !ealth and %o!er;
he also e.%eriences lo&e and re*ection. While $i% e.%lores Miss Ha&isha-s hoe he
descri(es the %lace as cold and dar#) (ut he also sees the res%ect nuerous %eo%le ha&e
to!ards Miss Ha&isha. After the e&entful &isit $i% considers !hat it !ould (e li#e to (e
in the higher class and ho! !ell educated and !ealthy his faily !ould (e. While
!al#ing (ac# to his hoe) $i% states) 31 !ished 2oe had (een rather ore gently (rought
u%) and then 1 should ha&e (een so too4 54:7. $i% feels e(arrassed of his class and ho!
he !ishes to (e !ealthy and %o!erful. $i% also !ants to change for a certain %erson <
Estella < his ne! lo&e; she !ould al!ays re*ect hi for not (eing of her class and a
!ealthy (oy. Miss Ha&isha also thin#s of $i% as an uneducated (oy that is foolish
enough to fall for Estella and to (e controlled (y the (linding of lo&e. Miss Ha&isha
does not realize that $i% !ill (ecoe a dashing young gentlean !ho !ill (e %o!erful
and !ealthy as she is.
Through the years $i% has de&elo%ed eneies) friends) and coon sense. He is
no! at the age of t!enty<one and a !ell educated an. $i% has (een through hardshi%s in
life %ro&ided (y nuerous %eo%le; gone through the death of his sister) gone through the
arriage of Estella) and gone through the tortures of (ecoing a gentlean. Weic#
!as $i%-s ad&isor and entor throughout his life as a young an. He taught $i% the rights
Garcia Munoz 9
and !rongs of ha&ing too uch oney and %o!er. While $i% !as the only $hili%s left he
felt the hole in his heart (ecause of the loss of his faily and the se%aration of 2oe. When
2oe and $i% !ould (e together he !ould !as an address $i% in a nic#nae) (ut no! that
he is of higher class and 2oe ac#no!ledges his change therefore he addresses $i% as sir.
=y the end of the no&el !e see the draatic change $i% !ent through to o(tain !ealth
and %o!er) (ut he also learned ho! classes do ha&e different characteristics and life
styles.
>ocial class) lo&e) !ealth) and loss are all contri(uting factors to $i%-s life and his
a*or change in the no&el. His faily and other %eo%le ha&e sha%ed his life fro the
(eginning to hi (ecoe a great an. $i% #no!s dee% in his heart that all of the hard
!or# and the accusations %aid off. He changed hiself for good and he also changed the
li&es of any. 8ne cold heart that al!ays re*ected lo&e !as changed to that of a golden
heart and acce%ting heart+ Estella-s heart. $i% also contri(uted to (rea# Miss Ha&isha
out of her cold state and a#e her see &ulnera(le and in need of hel% and lo&e. $i% is a
gentlean and he (ecae !ealthy) (ut he !ill al!ays reain that young (oy that !ould
loo# u% at the s#y and see 3ro!5s7 of long angry red lines and dense (lac# lines
interi.ed4 547) !hile standing in the ceetery and thin#ing of !hat is ne.t to coe in
his life no! that he can sha%e his life any!ay he !ants it to (e.