‘Compare and contrast the function of class in Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations.’ In this essay I will be looking at Charles Dickens 1860 novel Great expectations and Emily Bronte 1847 Wuthering Heights. Both Novels where written in the Victorian Era when class was one of up most important factors in society. The early nineteenth century saw the beginning of the industrial revolution. A lot was changing at that time as old money was being contested with new money. A new breed of middle and upper class where fighting their way into the limelight, and seeking to be social accepted.
Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat” (Marx and Engels 1848). Social class, therefore, is based upon economic criteria and conflict occurs between those who own the means of production (bourgeoisie) and the wage-labourers (proletariat). As well as having economic control over the proletariat, the bourgeoisie also have the power to determine the superstructure; the ruling class can distort perceptions of the world and hide the true nature of social relationships and the exploitation of the proletariat and, above all, promote bourgeoisie interests. Marx defines production as workers selling their labour for wages in order to exchange money for commodities that will meet their most basic needs. As Marx
And out of these judgements you were put into a one of three categories; (change slide) lower or working class, (change slide) middle class bourgeoisie and (change slide) upper class aristocracy. (change slide) Jarry relates his characters to this era of social classes, for example, the peasants in Ubu Roi were seen as lower, working class people, who were to obey and abide by Pa Ubu, who represents a upper class aristocracy citizen. The play sets out to mock the themes of greed and corruption of the late 19th century French bourgeois culture and even foreshadows a totalitarian governments abuse of power. INNER WORLD- style context Next we have style,
Since the beginning of civilizations there as always been social stratification or an arrangement in social classes. For instance, there would be the lower class, middle class and of course upper class. Then there is also social inequality. Based on documents from 1000 B.C.E through 465 B.C.E, I can analyze the causes of, and responses to, social inequality during the Classical Age, as well as explaining how one’s status within society influenced one’s perspective of events in that society. Some of the causes included, the extreme power to a single leader, and the desire for power, while some responses would be hatred towards the leader and hard work to stay alive, all depending on one’s perspective due to their status in a society.
Legislators attacked union organizers; people who held the idea that working class existed, conflicts with the capitalists, and believed that the working class should challenge the power of capitalists. The attacks began due to increase in living standards; the working class was able to buy homes, cars, and make more money. Upward mobility seemed natural in this time period since the working class earned more and had similar living standards to the middle class and capitalist. Unions had different perspectives on “class talk”. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) did not have interest in working class and focused on the prosperity of the members.
Essay 7: ‘Keller was bad for me, the worst possible teacher: revealing perfection to me, and at the same time snatching it away.’ Is Paul’s assessment of Keller correct? Essay 8: ‘Paul’s rite of passage from childhood through adolescence to maturity is dominated by the influence of Eduard Keller.’ Discuss. Essay 9: ‘Keller advises Paul: “Don’t trust the beautiful”.’ In what ways does Maestro show that appearances cannot always be relied upon? Essay 10: ‘What Keller could not teach Paul might have been what Paul most needed to learn.’ Discuss. Practice topics 2 3 12 14 19 24 29 33 38 43 48 53 57 62 © Insight Publications 2010 Sample essays on texts Character map John & Nancy Crabbe Paul’s parents; good amateur musicians; support Paul’s music studies and ambitions.
HW6: Hirsch summary In the reading “Creating a Curriculum for the American People” by E.D Hirsch, Jr. emphases on his belief that America’s biggest educational problems can be separated in to three categories. First is our low academic achievement relative to other nations; second is our lack of equality of educational opportunity; third our failure to perpetuate a strong sense of loyalty to the national community and its civic institutions. In the excerpt, he lays out his case that a shared base of common knowledge is essential not just reading and comprehension but the functioning of democracy itself. Hirsch describes how the anti-curriculum movement, the dominant school of thought in education became “tragically and unintentionally” an anti-equality movement. A lack of knowledge, both civic and wide-ranging, is the most significant deficit in most American students’ education.
Pip goes through many changes throughout Great Expectations due to the changes in his social class. Dickens explores the class system of Victorian England, ranging from the most despicable criminals (Magwitch) to the poor peasants (Joe and Biddy) to the middle class (Pumblechook) to the very rich (Miss Havisham). P ip originally believed that the higher your class the better you were treated and the more love and amenities were given to you, this is why he was frustrated at Joe for raising him the way he did. “I wished Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so too.” (1.8.92) Pip is irritated that Joe was raised in the lower class and as a result so was he. Joe was Pip’s father figure and because of that Pip was never taught well manners or how to behave gentleman like around other people.
The novel, Hard Times written by Charles Dickens, presents a critical view of the political systems and events which society was based on, in the Victorian society. In the late 1800s England became revolutionary with the Industrial Revolution and the new class system, which brought more middle class citizens and their ideals into the government. As the author of Hard Times comes from a middle class background, Dickens positions the reader to agree with the middle classes point of view. The values which come through these texts come from a mixture of both Charles dickens personal values and of the middle classes. These values include changing the utilitarian system so there is a more effective education system, more rights for the factory workers at the time of the Industrial revolution and in general more freedom and justice for the pauper or the working class people, within the Laissez faire capitalist system.
The imagery and satire demonstrates his lack of embracement and fully emphasizes his resistance to belong in his school. The incomprehension of the college values, teachings and aspirations in the persona’s mind is a factor in which contributes to his resistance and alienation within school environment. Skrzynecki’s sense of alienation is also highlighted through the imagery and religious allusion of “Our Lady...with her outstretched arms” this attempts to interpret a sense of embracement and welcoming, however this is juxtaposed to “her face overshadowed by clouds” which creates a sorrowful and sinister atmosphere. Skrzynecki simply does not embrace or feel as though he belongs in this elite college community academically