Great Expectations
AQA
GCSE
Charles Dickens's 'Great Expectations' traces the moral and psychological development of Pip, an orphan who rises from humble beginnings to gentleman status through a mysterious benefactor. The novel explores themes of social mobility, guilt, and the true nature of gentility, offering a critical view of Victorian class structures and the corrupting influence of wealth. Its enduring relevance lies in its examination of identity, ambition, and the human capacity for moral growth.
6
Objectives
5
Exam Tips
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Pitfalls
6
Key Terms
5
Mark Points
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Analyse Dickens's use of first-person narrative to shape the reader's judgement of Pip and other characters.
- Evaluate the significance of social class in determining characters' opportunities and moral values.
- Explore the symbolic function of setting, particularly the marshes and Satis House, in reflecting theme and character.
- Examine how Dickens uses character foils, such as Magwitch and Compeyson, to critique societal hypocrisy.
- Assess the development of Pip's moral conscience through key encounters with figures like Joe, Estella, and Magwitch.
- Discuss the portrayal of justice and punishment, including the role of the legal system and its failures.
Marking Points
Key points examiners look for in your answers
- Award credit for sustained, perceptive analysis of language, form, and structure in relation to the question.
- Expect well-integrated contextual references that illuminate the text, not just bolt-on historical facts.
- Look for a critical exploration of how narrative methods shape meaning, such as the retrospective first-person voice.
- Credit responses that engage with the moral ambiguity of characters, avoiding simplistic good/evil judgements.
- Reward precise and relevant textual evidence, seamlessly embedded and commented upon.
Examiner Tips
Expert advice for maximising your marks
- 💡Focus on how Dickens crafts meaning through narrative structure, symbolism, and language, not just what happens.
- 💡Use short, embedded quotations and explore their effect, rather than long quotations with superficial comments.
- 💡Connect context to specific textual details: for example, the convict system, the class system, and gender roles of Victorian England.
- 💡Plan essays to ensure a clear line of argument that addresses the question directly, avoiding pre-learned character sketches.
- 💡Consider alternative interpretations where relevant, demonstrating a critical awareness of the text's complexities.
Common Mistakes
Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers
- Confusing Pip's adult narrative voice with Dickens's own personal opinions or authorial intrusion.
- Over-reliance on plot summary at the expense of analytical commentary on themes and methods.
- Treating characters as fixed types rather than exploring their psychological complexity and development.
- Misreading Miss Havisham solely as a grotesque eccentric without considering her as a victim of societal expectations.
- Neglecting the novel's ending by not discussing the revised more ambiguous resolution and its implications.
Study Guide Available
Comprehensive revision notes & examples
Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Social class and ambition
- Crime, guilt, and justice
- Love and loyalty
- Identity and self-improvement
- Childhood and upbringing
- The role of women
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