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ClaraSimpson Ms.Gardner English10HON0Period 5March2014 ADarkerReality AsecondreadingofCharlesDickensGreatExpectationsmayrevealdarker,grimmer undertonestotheVictoriancomingofagebildungsromanaswellasthepresenceofa repressedplot.Indeed,subtlethemesofemotionalrepressionsurfaceuponfurther examinationofseveralofthetextsmaincharacterssuchasPip,Orlick,orEstella.These maskedfeelingsofferasecondlifetothenovel,aswellasagreaterdepthandmeaning, andareaderivativeofthefieldofstudyofpsychoanalysis,apsychologicaltherapy developedbythefamousAustrianphysicianSigmundFreud.Comprehensionorafirm graspofsaidtechniqueenablesthereadertodetectthemanyinstancesofemotional repressionpresentthroughoutthebook:psychoanalysisoftenbeingusedasaformof literarycriticism(general:specific).

AlthoughthedominantplotofGreatExpectationsthatofPiplongingtobecomea memberoftheillustriousupperclassandtranscendinghispeasantlylowlivedbadway (63)maybeapparent,arepressedplotisexistentthroughoutthenovel:thepresenceof criminalitypervadesthebookandisexpressedthroughPipsrepeatedtransgressionsand inneraggression,prohibitinghimfromreachinghishighclassdreams(sentencewith modifier).MissHavishamleadsPiptobelievethatshewashisbenefactorupuntilthetruth, previouslyrepressed,isrevealed:thatPipsconvict,Magwitch,isinfacttheonethathad

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beenshoweringhimwithhiswretchedgoldandsilverchainsforyears,(323).Thevery aspectoflifethatPiphadbeentryingtoescape,theveryfacetofhisexistencehehad painstakinglytriedtoseparatehimselffrom(evengoingasfarastoalienatehisfamily),his closetiestopovertyandmisery,comecrashingdownuponhiminatumultofhorrific realizations,causingPiptoshrinkfromtheconvictwiththestrongestrepugnance,(323) (parallelphrases).Inafeverishlongingforfortune,Pipsunconsciousmindnamedtheid byFreudhadchosentoignorethewarningsignalscautioninghimofMagwitchsarrival. Piprealizesthiswhenherevealsthathehadforweekspassedfacesinthestreets[...]like hisandthattheselikenesseshadgrownmorenumerous,ashe,comingoverthesea, haddrawnnearer,(324).Freudstheorycanbedirectlyappliedtothissituationas accordingtoFreud,attemptingtobringtheunconsciousintoawarenessmaybemetby psychologicalresistance:inthiscase,denial.

MagwitchsrevelationmaybeconstruedasPipskarmicpunishmentforhiscallous disregardforhisfriendsandfamilythisisespeciallymadeapparentinthewayPip interactswithhischildhoodfriend,Biddy.Pipsmoralshortcomingsconflictwiththe readerspredispositiontosympathizewithhim.Prolongedchildhoodabuseandneglect haveraisedPiptobeweakwilledandfeeble,internalizinghisdesiresandemotions,and causinghimtobecomeemotionallystunted:thisisespeciallymadeapparentwhenBiddy, thevoiceofPipssubconscious,offershimprecociousadvice.PipasksBiddyIshould havebeengoodenoughforyoushouldntI,Biddy?(128),implyinghiswantof reassurancethathewouldhaveatleastbeenacceptedintoherlowlyranks.AlthoughPip hasnointentionofappearinginsensitive,helacksthecapacityofsympathizingwith

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feelingsotherthanhisown.BiddyembodiesthevoiceofreasoninPipssubconscious, materialisinghismutedguiltintospokenwordsPipisshockedandstunnedwhenBiddy impliesthathewillnotvisitJoeandherselfonceheisanestablishedgentlemanAreyou quitesure,then,thatyouWILLcometoseehimoften?(285)asthisremarkendangers hiscarefullypreservedselfschema,andisanattemptatbringinghissubconsciousinto awareness.

Inaddition,OrlickandPipcanbeseenastwins,oramirroringofthesameperson, OrlickembodyingPipsrepresseddesires.BotharebroughtupunderJoesguidanceand followthesamepathfromtheforge,toMissHavishams,andfinallytothemarsheswhere theyclimacticallymeet.ThedifferencetothisphenomenonisthatOrlickisPipsdark side,orthephysicalformofhispsyche.OrlickactsoutthethingsthatPiphaswantedto do,butwasunableto,suchasstandinguptoMrs.JoesattacksYoureafoulshrew, MotherGargery,growledthejourneyman,(114).WhenPipreturnstoSatisHouse,he findsOrlickpresidingasthedoormanandisthenleduptoOrlicksroom,wherePip remarksIneversawthisroombefore,(234),suggestingPipsdiscoveryofapartofhis subconsciousthathehadntbeenawareofbefore,ofthingsthatonlypreviouslyresided deepinsidehisownmind.OtherinstancesofPipsrefusaltoacknowledgehiscurrent situationwouldbewhenhewandersthegroundsnearthebreweryofSatisHouseandhas avisionofMissHavishamhangingtothebeam,(403).Despitethemorbidimplications ofthisvisualhallucinationandtheperhapsnegativeconnotationsithasofPipsfutureasa gentleman,heremainsunaffectedandinthefuturemanagestosuppressthethought,so asnottoletthishardshipdiminishhischancesofascendingthesocialstaircase.Atthis

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point,Pipcouldbeclassifiedasmanythings,butonethingismostappropriate:a delusionalyoungman(colonandappositive).

Pipsattemptstomaskhispastwithmentalblockadesinordertobeginanewlifeare futilethetheorybehindFreudspsychoanalysisisthatinordertosucceedandlivea fulfillinglife,onemustconfrontpasteventsandacceptthem.Aseachrepressedthemeis revealed,Pipgetsonestepclosertoachievingacleanstateofmindforthefuture.Bythe endofthebook,mostsecretsarerevealed,andPiphaslargelysucceededinhisquestfor happiness.