Notesale: Turn your study into money

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Comment on and analyse how Dickens uses setting to create meaning
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The wider setting of marshes give the reader a broader context to the whole chapter
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This also could be seen as an allegory for Pip's life as it is bleak and empty like his life is
depressed and he is alone as his parents and most of his siblings are dead
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This idea on unprotected stunted growth can also be seen to reflect
the condition of Pip as he is “undersized for [his] years” this effectively creates meaning as the
setting is subtlety reinforcing all the negative description in the chapter
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This bleak nihilistic outlook of life is rather apt considering that if he looks out
over the marsh all he sees is an a marsh filled with nothing
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The precise words used also have a
depressing connotations as the river is a “leaden line” which very subtly creates the image or Pip's
world as the inside of a lead lined coffin
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This is especially effective at creating a supernatural idea as the word “lair” is
normally used to describe the home of some malevolent monstrous being, this also seems to link
with a general idea of human culture in which monsters often dwell beyond the urban areas,
particularly coming from the dark and invariably misty marsh
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As the
convict staggers out of the marsh Dickens is implying that he can be seen in a way to be monstrous
and is going to do something evil which would link in with a contemporary Victorian view of
convicts
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This, however, is soon seen to not
be the case and so the use of the graveyard might not be seen as very effective
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In doing so Dickens, without directly describing the
character of Pip, gives the reader a rather detailed description of his character as it shows his
feelings of lose and also as he is in the graveyard alone it shows he is rather alone
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The graveyard also serves another purpose which is too
further develop the idea of superstitious evil as grave yards are often associated with death and
supernatural entities
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The graveyard also links to the nihilistic
world view which Pip has as it remind the reader of their own mortality and of the fragile nature of
life
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As
churches embody religion and the strict Victorian ideas of morality it emphasise the morality of the
societies justice system
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However, the nature of the convicts crimes or his punishment are
not made clear in this chapter
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This draws on the contradictory nature of the society
which has strong Christian morals as should they really have such a punitive justice system if it says
in the bible “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone”
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The Victorian justice system also contrasts with the Christian focus on kindness which would say
that it is better to be kind to convict than to cruelly punish them
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To conclude Dickens effectively uses setting to emphasise and develop his themes
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