garrett
05-24-2005, 06:07 PM
Family Insecurity <br>Out of mere selfishness and greed, the evil stepmother gallantly pours loads of chores on young Cinderella as if she was pouring water on a fire, non stop, trying hard to make Cinderella feel inferior to her and her daughters. Knowing well that the evil stepmother would never let Cinderella go to the ball, and will always be a low-life servant, the evil stepmother treats her with no respect, always being selfish and greedy. Along with the evil stepmother, two other parent figures throughout Great Expectations treat their children inadequate and unsound due to their selfishness. Mr. Trabb and Mrs. Joe’s abusive relationship with their children shows the corruption that selfishness, greed, and money can cause and how their personalities can change depending on who they are with. <br>The corruption due to selfishness and greed forces Mr. Trabb to hurt his own son in order to make money. From the moment Pip walked in the shop, to the moment he walked out, Mr. Trabb verbally assaults his son in every which, way or fashion possible. As his son worked throughout the shop, “Mr. Trabb never removed his stern eye from the boy until he had deposited number four on the counter and was at a safe distance again. Then he commanded him to bring number five, and number eight.” (Pg. 141) Mr. Trabb shows little trust in his son, feeling that his son is incapable of any thing he attempts, causing his son to feel so insecure about himself. While in the shop, Mr. Trabb constantly antagonizes his son shouting, “Are you bringing numbers five and eight, you vagabond,” . . . “or shall I kick you out of the shop and bring them myself?”(Pg. 141) Mr. Trabb shouts very aggressively to his son almost like if he is trying to show off, by instilling discipline in his young boy. Mr. Trabb invariably screams at his son very forcefully when a whisper would be necessary to present the point. As Pip continues through the shop Mr. Trabb ultimately explodes at his son, barking, “Hold that noise,” . . . “or I’ll knock your head off! . . .” Mr. Trabb allegorizes a very troubled and mean person who yells at smaller people to feel stronger about himself. Mr. Trabb constantly shows his aggressive anger towards his son in speculation that Pip will think higher of him as he orders his son around the shop.<br>Knowing well that Pip recently received a large sum of property, Mr. Trabb treats Pip with respect, courtesy and kindness. The second Mr. Trabb conceives the fact that Pip has money, he boasts into excitement and treats Pip with the utmost service and favor. As Pip describes his situation to Mr. Trabb, “He forgot the butter in bet, got up from the bedside, and wiped his fingers on the table-cloth, exclaiming, “Lord Bless my soul!” (Pg. 141) Pip continues to draw some guineas out of his pocket, and this excites the parsimonious Mr. Trabb, more and more with the site of cash money. Mr. Trabb represents a two-faced, greedy man who will do anything for money. He soon begins to treat Pip very well, congratulating him and asking Pip if he “would do me the favour of stepping into the shop?" (Pg. 141) Mr. Trabb convinces Pip that he can fix him up right with a great suit in his shop. Mr. Trabb tries desperately to persuade Pip that he can find Pip a great suit by measuring his size and treating Pip as if “he were an estate and he the finest species of surveyor, and gave himself such a world of trouble that I felt no suit of clothes could possibly remunerate him for his pains.” (Pg. 142) Mr. Trabb infatuates himself in his own goodness and selfishness, and works very hard in pleasing Pip for his money. He treats his son with no respect, but others, knowing they are wealthy, gives them the highest honor and respect. <br>Mrs. Joe constantly scolds young Pip for acting up, selfishly calling down upon him, knowing that she should not bear full responsibility as a parent of Pip. Ever since the day Pip was born, Mrs. Joe, selfishly has disliked Pip and hated being a mother. While visiting the churchyard to see his parent’s gravestones, Mrs. Joe gets worried about young Pip and storms out of the house looking for him. Soon later, Pip arrives to the sight of Joe and he notifies Pip that “Mrs. Joe has been out a dozen times, looking for [him]. And she’s out now, making it a baker’s dozen… and what’s worse, she’s got the Tickler with her.”(Pg. 7) This frightens Pip greatly, knowing that the Tickler “was a wax-ended piece of can, worn smooth by collision with my tickled frame.”(Pg. 7) And not only that she had the tickler, but she had been out a dozen times looking for him, meaning that she would be furious when she returned home. Mrs. Joe’s selfishness severely intimidates Pip and hopes that she will be easy on him. Suddenly, Mrs. Joe threw the door open and “applied the tickler to its further investigation”.(pg. 7) Mrs. Joe whipped poor Pip with the tickler due to his being late for dinner and continues to scold him constantly. She yells at Pip, screaming, “Its bad enough to be a blacksmith’s wife (and him a Gargery) without being your mother.”(Pg. 8) Mrs. Joe, clearly does not want anything to do with the parenting of Pip and allows her selfishness of herself to take over and begin to treat Pip horribly. <br>Throughout Great Expectations the theme of parenthood comes about, and how good or bad parenting will judge how a child grows into adulthood. Mr. Trabb’s selfishness rub’s off onto his son, and his son also was rude to Pip. On the other hand Joe and Biddy raised Pip to be a bright young gentlemen after the death of Mrs. Joe. Mr. Trabb and Mrs. Joe’s abusive relationship with their children shows the corruption that selfishness, greed, and money can cause and how their personalities can change depending on who they are with. <br><br>Garrett, any one that needs a paper,here u go