Charles Dickens' Great Expectations

Charles Dickens' Great Expectations

In chapter eight Dickens begins with a detailed description of Satis

House, we are given a vivid idea of what is in store for Pip right

from the beginning. The language and phrases used emphasise the

darkness and forbidding nature of the house. When Pip first enters the

house he describes it as having, 'old bricks, and dismal, and had a

great many iron bars to it. Some of the windows had been walled up; of

those that remained, all the lower were rustily barred'. This adds to

the atmosphere of darkness, because all the 'windows had been walled

up'. In addition, there is a feeling of old age and this is portrayed

when Dickens talks about the windows being 'rustily barred' and how

the house was made from 'old bricks'.

The mood is created by the portrayal of the dull, dusky and dispirited

house. This is emphasised even more when Estella tells Pip about

'Satis House' meaning 'Enough House'. This could have two

implications; one meaning is that the house is enough to satisfy

anyone. Towards the end of the chapter, the reader will find that this

is not the meaning that is being portrayed. The more sensible and

relative meaning is everyone has had enough of the house and of life

itself, this is more related to Miss Havisham. In addition, Pip has

had enough of the house, because after being there for a little while

he wants to go home.

Inside the house, a feeling of death and darkness is revealed and we

get the feeling that nothing is as it seems. This is shown by Pip's

description of the house, for example Pip says, 'the cold wind seemed

to be colder there, than outside the gate'. Satis House is also seen

as a Prison through Pip's eyes because he talks about the windows...

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...ip

has to leave the room, because the surroundings are to daunting for

him. This tells us that Jaggers has no remorse for those that have

died and once again is heartless, but also brave for being able to

live in such peculiar and unnatural atmospheres.

To conclude everything, Dickens creates a sense of dirt and filth

through out London; He does this by describing the surroundings in

immense detail using effective language. However, the main reason why

the image is portrayed very effectively is the change of setting, from

the quiet countryside to the busy city streets. A lot is emphasised on

the relationship between character and setting, so it should be no

surprise when Pip encounters objects of punishment and Justice

everywhere he looks at Jaggers' work. Overall, the images of death are

conjured up to indicate Mr Jaggers has power over life and death.