The Serialization: Chapters 20 - 21
Charles Dickens wrote his novels in the Victorian Era, a time where novels of 500 pages in length, such as Great Expectations, were quite the contrary to our modern day culture, considered then to be increasingly compact and efficient. In the Victorian culture, novels were oft purchased or rented in monthly or sectional installments. Therefore, when Dickens undertook the idea of weekly serialization, it was quite a contrast to the norm for most of the Victorian society. Monthly serialization offered some distinct advantages; for one, it allowed the author time to decipher reader response and attitudes, and to change the novels plot structure and characterization as necessary to keep it up to pace with the demand. His novels to first take the shape of weekly serialization were Hard Times and A Tale of Two Cities, which produced mixed reactions from Dickens. While he said the small sections drove him "frantic", he also took interest in the construction of the novels. Like his other two novels, Great Expectations was written with the idea of monthly installments in mind at the beginning. However, when Dickens' own magazine, "All the Year Round" began to experience failures and trepidations, Dickens was forced to step in with his own piece of literature, sacrificing better wages as well as more prolonged installments from another magazine in the process. From this emerged a reshaped Great Expectations, edited to be a novel to be published over a 36 week time period, running from December 1st, 1860 to August 3rd, 1861. Despite the forced conditions of Great Expectations weekly serialization, the novel emerged as a well constructed, and as called by Bernard Shaw, "a most perfectly compact book". Like Hard Times and A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations was divided into three main sections, called "stages" in this particular novel. Each stage was divided into chapters, which were published either with another chapter or alone, based on the lengths and plot requirements of each part of the novel. Chapters 20 and 21 were serialized together in the February 23rd issue, marking the beginning of the second stage of the novel. With the careful and precise thought placed into the serialization of Great Expectations, the installment was constructed in a masterful manner that kept the readers' interest without making any unusual or improper breaks in the plot, keeping the novel running smoothly into the next installment. The chapters prior to the installment of chapters 20 and 21 consist of the 1st stage, and are the first main elements to the novel. This stage introduces the small and innocent child of Phillip Pirrip, or Pip, and his first experiences with the real world, with the convict Abel Magwitch. In this stage of Pip's journey, he is shown in a sheltered and protected environment, filled with loving care from Joe Gargery, his dearest of friends, married to Pip's sister, Mrs. Joe, who took great care to make certain that Pip was brought up by hand, following the deaths of their birth parents. The novel takes on its first-person narrative form, as the reader sees the world as Pip sees it, and watches him live and grow. Pip's characteristics that shine through in the majority of the stage are centered on his childish innocence and unexposed persona, which will quite evidently change throughout the course of the novel. Pip is introduced to Miss Havisham and the ever-beautiful Estella, who he falls in love for at first sight, even as she scorns him. Through Pip's eyes we see the mystery shadowing Miss Havisham and Estella, and can feel the plot begin to take formal shape at this point, a little past halfway through the 1st stage. Also, we begin to see Pip's character and attitude changes subtly, and then not so subtly, as the stage nears its closure. The installments directly prior to the chapter 20-21 serializations are the installments of chapter 18, and chapter 19, both serialized completely uncombined. In chapter 18, a plot twist of unprecedented (thus far) meaning occurs, as Pip's "great" expectations begin to be realized. It is in this chapter that Mr. Jaggers arrives, and talks to Joe and Pip, revealing to him the fortune and future that is to be his, living in London among the high class. The enormity of this event is such that justifies and warrants chapter 18 being serialized separately, especially from chapter 19 or 20 and 21. This is best expressed by Dickens himself with his masterful artistry; quoting from the text on page 146, the final paragraph: "Looking towards the open window, I saw light wreaths from Joe's pipe floating there, and I fancied it was like a blessing from Joe--not obtruded on me or paraded before me, but pervading the air we shared together. I put my light out, and crept into bed; and it was an uneasy bed now, and I never slept the old sound sleep in it any more." The previous was an excellent closure to chapter 18, and allowed chapter 19 to pick off right where it left off: Pip's goodbyes. Chapter 19 marks the end of Pip's sheltered life at home, whereas Chapter 20 marks the new beginning. As he prepares to leave for London, his goodbyes to the few people he had grown to know over his life had a final closing implication to them. It was quite evident, by the end of the 19th chapter, Pip's horizons were about to broaden, and his character was to become shadowed by trials and endeavors, losing its innocent qualities while gaining some less then agreeable ones. This was hinted at several times, but can be best depicted by a quote from Pip to Biddy on page 150: "If you have the heart to be so, you mean, Biddy," said I, in a virtuous and superior tone; "don't put it off upon me. I am very sorry to see it, and it's a-it's a bad side of human nature. I did intend to ask you to use any little opportunities you might have after I was gone of improving dear Joe. But after this, I ask you nothing. I am extremely sorry to see this in you, Biddy," I repeated. "It's a-it's a bad side of human nature." As chapter 19 comes to a close, Dickens portrays Pip with sorrow for the life he is leaving behind, of the loving and caring from Biddy and Dear Joe, as Dickens masterfully brings down the curtain to the first stage with dramatic flourish: "We changed again, and yet again, and it was now too late and too far to go back, and I went on. And the mists had all solemnly risen now, and the world lay spread before me." Immediately following the chapter 20-21 serialization is another single installment, that of chapter 22. Chapter 22 at once begins to reveal characterization: both of Pip and of those around him in his new life, new world, and new horizons. Pip learns of the pale young gentleman to be in fact Herbert Pocket, son of his teacher in London, Matthew Pocket, and soon to be a lifelong friend and companion. He learns of the story of Miss Havisham and Estella through Herbert, as well as becomes acquainted with the rest of the Pockets and their lifestyle, which needless to say, is quite a far contrast from what he is used to from his old life. Chapter 20 and 21 are the introduction to the beginning; they give a glimpse of what Pip's new lifestyle will become, and how these will affect Pip as he continues to grow into his expectations. Whereas Chapter 22 is in essence Pip's first true independent experience in a new world; free from guidance, control, or shelter, Dickens' uses the opportunity to delve deep into the characters of key persons in the novel: Miss Havisham, Estella, Herbert and the Pockets. Such first revelations and experiences are separated from the beginning and introduction of the stage due to its immense importance as both a "first step" and in-depth characterization, which add indefinitely to the brilliance of Great Expectations as an overall novel. Chapters 20 and 21, together, introduce Pip and the reader to his new world and atmosphere. This whole is then subdivided into Pip's introduction with London and Mr. Jaggers and Pip's introduction to Wemmick, both of which flow easily together and are important yet similar elements to the plot. Chapter 20 depicts Pip's experience in London, with property and money and his guardian, Mr. Jaggers, and the power he wielded, by showing Mr. Jaggers office during working hours, and his albeit harsh relationships towards his clients. Seeing the immense importance of Mr. Jaggers and for the first time perhaps realizing the height of the potential soon to be his, Pip was to say the least, a bit intimidated, but if possible, even more expectant of the greatness that would befall him. Chapter 21 is short and swift, but continues right on without pause at where Pip's experience with Jaggers leaves off, with his full introduction to Mr. Wemmick, Jaggers' clerk. As this chapter investigates Wemmick's character, it also gives Pip further introduction to his new environment, while at the same time introducing a friendship that would not fail to last the length of the novel. Continuing in Chapter 21 were Pip's introductions, as he meets Mr. Pocket, his teacher, and Mr. Pocket junior, whom Dickens closes the chapter with, using a marvelous little cliffhanger that provides an excellent closing for the installment: "Lord bless me, you're the prowling young boy!" "And you," said I, "are the pale young gentleman!" (Pg. 173, an exchange between Herbert Pocket and Pip, realizing that they were in fact old "acquaintances") In the novel of Great Expectations, for the chapters 20-21, Charles Dickens managed a superior job of shaping and constructing the chapters into a weekly serialization format that ran smooth and closed at plausible breaks, but not without dramatic flourish and/or cliffhangers that kept the novel fast paced and each installment eagerly awaited. The serialization installments were well planned and thought out, and it easily shows in the reading, as there are clear and definite sections marked by each weekly installment. Despite the fact that Great Expectations was written with monthly installment intents in mind, it was re-formed so eloquently that few could tell it wasn't written specifically for the format it was released in. That masterful structure Charles Dickens could accomplish was only supplemented by his artful writing styles and techniques, which together defined Great Expectations as an American Literary Masterpiece.