Great Expectations: Gods Law Vs. Human Law Essay -- Great Expectations

Great Expectations Gods Law vs. Human LawIn his book Great Expectations, the problematic character of clean judgementand justice that stems from a employment amid Gods law and human law is one ofseveral topical pieces that Charles Dickens addresses. This paradox on a regular basissurfaces in his treatment of plot and setting, and is more subtlety illustratedin his use of character. To facilitate the readers awareness of such aconflict, the narrator often uses language that has Christian connotations whenrelating his thoughts and when giving descriptions of the environment,characters and events that take place. While these things allude to divine andmoral law, the story itself revolves around crime and criminals, therebybringing issues of human law into focus.The climate for this theme is established from the very beginning of thenovel. Pips act of Christian charity towards the convict can also beconsidered a serious crime. The story opens in a churchyard where the grave,symbolic of eternal judgement can be contrasted with the nearby gallows,symbolizing human punishment. Set on the eve in which we commemorate the bearof Christianity, an institution based on charity and love, Pip feels offensey forbringing nutriment to a starving fellow human. Pip must steal food from his ownfamily to help Magwitch, thereby transforming mercy and compassion into crimes.As Pip is running home, he looks back at the convict and sees him limpingtowards the gallows "...as if he were the thief come to life, and come down,and going back up again" (27). This imagery conveys a complicated perception ofguilt as something conscious of its own moral accountability, frightening andself-destructive. When Magwitch is caught, he gives a false confession tostealing the food from the Gargerys to protect Pip. Joe replies that hewouldnt want him to starve and that he was welcome to it. Pip highlights theconflict between divine and human law by comparing the Hulk that his convict isr eturned to as "a wicked Noahs ark" (56). Thus in these first some chapters,the ideals of justice, mercy, law, and punishment are intermingled and confused.This confusion is furthered by Mrs. Joe, who actually transforms charityinto punishment. Her beatings, bullying and lectures of how she brought Pip up"by hand" at great personal present are a constant reminder ... ...er. In one short episode, Pip has describedhimself as a penitent, a prisoner, and a confessed wrongdoer.The conflict between Pips own instincts regarding morality andconventional perceptions of justice and punishment is manifested as the guilt heis burdened with throughout his childhood and young adult life. Pip accumulatesthese feelings and attempts to oppress them throughout most of the story. Atone point the narrator takes a moment to reflect on his guilty conscience     As I had bad accustomed to my expectations, I had insensibly begun tonotice their effect upon myself and those around me. Their influence on my owncharacter, I disguised from my recognition as much as possible, but I knew verywell that it was not all good. I lived in a state of chronic uneasinessrespecting my behaviour to Joe. My conscience was not by any means comfortableabout Biddy. (256) He goes into great debt in his attempts to distract himselffrom this guilt, and drags his dear friend Herbert along with him (which he alsoexpresses guilt about). His vain attempt to make reparations with hisconscience by sending "a penitential codfish and a barrel of oysters