When Charles Dickens wrote Great Expectations, he did so with the intention of subverting many of the typical conventions of the fairy tale genre. In particular, he wanted to upend the traditional ideas about what it meant to be a “prince” or a “hero.”
As such, his portrayal of Pip as an unlikely candidate for greatness is a direct challenge to fairy tale tropes. In many ways, Great Expectations can be read as a deconstruction of the fairy tale genre, in which all of the familiar elements are present but subverted in some way.
For example, while most fairy tales feature a Damsel in Distress who needs to be rescued by a handsome prince, Great Expectations instead has Estella, who is herself damaged and in need of rescuing. In this way, Dickens subverts the traditional gender roles typically found in fairy tales.
Similarly, while most fairy tales end with the protagonists living “happily ever after,” Great Expectations ends on a more realistic note, with Pip and Estella both struggling to come to terms with their pasts and their present circumstances.
In Great Expectations, then, Dickens takes the familiar conventions of the fairy tale genre and uses them to create a story that is both familiar and yet entirely unique. It is this combination of the familiar and the unfamiliar that makes Great Expectations such a lasting classic.
Tolkien describes the characteristics of a great fairy tale as fantasy, recovery, escape, and consolation – recovery from profound despair, escape from some major danger, but most of all, consolation. All complete fairy stories must have a happy ending; however , whether it be fantastic or terrible, the journey may provide a catch of breath, a beat and an uplifting of the heart near to tears for both child or adult who hears it. Great Expectations shares many elements with fairy tales.
Charles Dickens creates a story that is both fantastic and terrible, with a happy ending that provides consolation to the reader.
One of the most obvious fairy tale conventions in Great Expectations is the use of magic. The characters in Great Expectations often experience things that cannot be explained by normal means. For example, Mrs. Joe has a miraculous healing power, Magwitch can control Pip’s mind, and Miss Havisham can manipulate time. These magical elements create an air of fantasy that is essential in a good fairy tale.
Another convention of fairy tales is the presence of evil characters. In Great Expectations, there are several villains, such as Jaggers, Compeyson, and Magwitch. These villains are necessary to provide a sense of danger and excitement in the story. Without them, the story would not be as thrilling or suspenseful.
Finally, one of the most important conventions of fairy tales is the happy ending. Great Expectations has a very satisfying conclusion in which all of the characters are resolved and everything is neatly tied up. This provides consolation to the reader and leaves them feeling satisfied. In this way, Great Expectations shares many conventions with traditional fairy tales.
The similarities are really striking, implying that the one-dimensional characters, repetition, and evil women may be responsible. However, is there enough evidence to conclude that it’s a fairy tale? It can’t be denied that it falls short on many important elements, such as the traditional fairy tale conclusion.
Is there enough evidence to decide if it should be classified as good or evil? Fairy tales feature heroes and villains who are either completely good or completely bad. There are no protagonists who possess both of these qualities. In Great Expectations , it’s clear that the characters are either completely good or totally bad.
This would lead one to believe that it is not a fairy tale. Great Expectations also lacks the use of magic, which is another common convention in fairy tales. These points could be debated, but on the whole, it seems that Great Expectations does not fit into the category of a fairy tale. It could be argued that Dickens was writing in a time where fairy tales were being questioned and changed.
He may have been using some of the conventions of fairy tales in order to create a new genre all together. If this is true, then it would be difficult to label Great Expectations as anything specific. However, if taking all of these points into consideration, it seems most likely that Great Expectations is not a fairy tale.
Many of the characters exhibit this. There is no good in Orlick. He plays the part of a bully. His hot temper leads to the near death of Mrs. Joe and Pip. Compeyson is another character who lacks any good qualities. He is filled with malice and hatred, as it was said that he had “no more heart than an iron file” (348). To obtain her money, he shattered Miss Havisham’s heart. He also desired to murder his adversary, Magwitch, but ended up informing on him to authorities in order for him to be executed.
Magwitch is a character that does have goodness in him. He is not perfect, but he does try to make things right and to protect those he loves. Dickens also uses setting to help convey the theme of good versus evil. The marshes are a dark and foreboding place.
They are where Magwitch lives after he has escaped from prison. This sets the tone for the reader and helps to show how dark and evil Compeyson is. Miss Havisham’s house is also dreary and filled with cobwebs. This shows how she has let her bitterness take over her life. Pip’s home is warm and comforting, representing the good in life.
Great Expectations is a novel that uses the theme of good versus evil to tell a story of love, betrayal, and redemption. Dickens does an excellent job of using characters and setting to convey this theme. The reader is left with a sense of hope that even though there is much evil in the world, there is still some good to be found.
