Learning from Aging Youth: Dickens and Bildungsroman

Throughout the trials and tribulations of life, individuals seek to find themselves; to find who they are, and to find who they are to become. This transformation, evolution, and development are central to the human condition- a development full of ambiguities, pressures, responsibilities, and plight. This universal progression from one stage to the next is replicated heavily in literature, typically in the form known as bildungsroman. One of the purposes of literature is to track these patterns with the hopes of learning from multiple perspectives, and finding ways human beings are able to relate to one another, both young to old and vice versa. Through what ways does Dickens utilize the Bildungsroman form to explain and understand a protagonist's transformation, or lack there-of? Throughout the bildungsroman tale Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Pip remains a figurehead of character transformations, both socially as well as psychologically.

To begin, what exactly is this form known as a bildungsroman? A bildungsroman is a form of prose which tracks the progression of a protagonist from youth into adulthood. Through this process, there arise several complications the main character must overcome, both internally, as well as externally. Thus, the character is never the same at the end of the text as they were at the beginning of the text, otherwise, it would not be a bildungsroman. This form remains extremely popular because it is universal- every individual has transformed from a child into an adult, and through this transformation, has been forced to overcome several obstacles in order to attain this position. Through the analysis of a bildungsroman, one gains insight into not only how a character changes psychologically, socially, and even physically, but also regarding which characteristics and changes benefit an individual inside of specific societies, which change from generation to generation. Thus, one gains knowledge into the author’s mind, for protagonists almost invariably exhibit the changes an author believes to be beneficial inside of the society they remain.

Great Expectations begins with Pip's very first character transformation- his name. Pip initiates the text by giving the reader background regarding the historical relation of his family name, and how his name came to be adjusted. Initially, the reader is introduced with this concept to show that names will become central to a character’s identity, both explicitly and implicitly. This is shown by Dickens’ authorial decision to begin his very first paragraph with this discussion. Pip explains his name is a combination stemming from both his familial history and his own creative brevity, "My father's name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip." (Pg. 9). By beginning the text this way, in a broad sense, Dickens begins to emphasize the idea that his tales are about a child, a child who grows into his own self, who creates his own image, who becomes his own man. Obviously, Pip's tale begins with Pip as a young child, so young, in fact, he is incapable of pronouncing a name which was given to him. This foreshadows two things. Firstly, just like his name was forced, society will begin to push certain expectations onto Pip; he will be expected to be someone, to receive a title which is not necessarily and innately his own. As a result, symbolized through his altercation of his original name, Pip will form fit such expectations to suit his own nefarious purposes. Secondly, Dickens foreshadows the fact that at some point in the tale there shall be a clash of inner and outer identities, one presented and one expected. This proves to be an extremely powerful way to begin a novel. First, Dickens exemplifies this bildungsroman will take on its strictest form, a protagonist's growth from infancy to adulthood. Second, Dickens’ text relates to a very broad audience- Pip's struggle both overtly and metaphorically relate to something every individual is capable of relating to- titles. The brevaciousness of Pip's name also suggests he shall have a talent for taking large ideas, which intertwine to several areas (EG his name's relation to his father and Christian nomenclature), and collapsing them into something minute and powerful. The text, from the very first paragraph, provides proof that the protagonist transforms, from Pillip and Phillip to Pip.

Furthermore, Pip finds himself an adoptee, a conscientious authorial decision adding to Pip's earliest psychological plights and causing readerly empathy. Not only is this bildungsroman a tale of a youthful figure growing into adulthood, but it's one where the character must overcome rarities an average person might fail to otherwise relate to. Pip is taken away from his parents and is raised by a man named Joe- a figurehead for the "average Joe." Nearly from birth, Pip begins his earliest character transformations- both from his names as well as from his status as an orphan. He begins as Phillip, with parents connected to even his name, and transforms to an orphan named Pip, a name with only the remembrance of his family. Both of these elements combine to introduce the reader to this powerful form of a bildungsroman- two elements people are able to relate to, if nothing else. Technically, Pip's orphanhood and brevacious namesake is extremely rich with detail, both foreshadowing future changes, as well as showing changes from his past. This further exemplifies the bildungsroman's essence of continual transformative change, also from an early point in the novel.

Next, Dickens alters Pip’s identity once again. Pip becomes Mr. Pip. Biddy, probably his nearest friend, in addition to Joe, begin to give him a title of complete respect, one which he had not yet attained. To this, Pip responds, partially startled, and furthermore uncomfortable, “Not to mention your calling me Mr. Pip—which appears to me to be in bad taste, Biddy—What do you mean?” Although this statement was mid-argument between the two, it is also significant to the progression of Pip’s character throughout the narrative. Pip becomes completely detached, which Biddy seems to be claiming is a Mr., yet Pip is hesitant as to whether or not this title is something he wishes to have. There seem to be two vehicles seeking to drive Pip’s character throughout the text, one which prays for Pip to cling, and one which seeks for Pip to let go. Of course, this stems from his psychological state. Pip’s psychological reaction to his adoption, for example, pushes for him to let go, an underlying Hindu philosophy. Society in general, which seeks to Christianize him, seeks for him to cling to his past. The final progression seems to be Pip’s refusal to fall under either constraint, he instead becomes his own combination. For example, he refuses to get married, which is an extension of his refusal to become Christianized, and he also refuses to let go of his family. At the end of the text, he overcomes these obstacles. He is neither Mr. Pip, nor his child form of Pip, nor his infant form as Phillip, but instead, a grown man who exemplifies the power of not wanting. Therefore, Pip changes through, at the very least, four character types- furthermore exemplifying the role of protagonist transformation in the bildungsroman.

Through the study of psychological development stages one begins to understand the purpose for the bildungsroman form, humans, just like characters, tend to follow a very distinct path as they continue on in this living form. These stages, while they may be interrupted (which tends to cause psychological disorders), are parts to our lives where we are able to view another's individual changes and adapt appropriately. For this reason, if for nothing else, this bildungsroman form becomes extremely persuasive, enticing, and rhetorically powerful. A reader is able to develop through these stages with their characters, fix any type of disorders they have previously developed, and learn for their future. Now, the idea here being as an individual reads a book they go through these stages with the protagonist, and through these stages, they are able to recover from any psychological disadvantages they have attained in previously. As Martha Cliffe points out, “At the same time, the elements of each stage mature through each successive stage. This relationship suggests the possibility of developmental recovery at each stage” (Cliffe Pg. 7). What this means is recovery for past stages are possible through future stages. Furthermore, the inverse could be argued. Thus, as a result, an individual could theoretically recover from any stage so long as an author’s protagonist exemplifies even one development.  

To provide one with a short breakdown of developmental psychology, the essay shall focus on both Erikson and Piaget. Erikson’s development has eight stages whereas Piaget has five- both transitioning from infancy into old age. Neo-Eriksonian and Neo-Piagetian psychologists, or those who continue on with their approach to developmental psychology, have extended each to a more focused twenty-five stage system, composed of primary (or original stages), and sub-stages. Thus, the Neo-Piaget’s has five stages with five sub-stages for each. Piaget’s stages are typically displayed as follows- reflexive, sensorimotor, perioperational, abstract, and collective intelligence. Each of these are broken up into five sub-stages, known as coordination, hierarchization, systematization, multiplication, and integration.

The sub-stages are in order because first an individual coordinates a talent, desire, or reaction (that is creates the thought/reaction), then they place differences in a type of hierarchy system (that is arranging it in some cohesive list with a peak and a base), then they systemize (that is place each level of the hierarchy into a specific system, either expanding or compacting the hierarchy), then they multiply (that is apply it to various other subareas and other stages), then finally they integrate (which is putting such emotions, reactions, and talents into action rather than just cognizing through them, or integrating them into their life). Piaget’s stages which show a rapid transformation to Pip’s character, providing structure to the Bildungsroman, are the perioperational, sensorimotor, and the abstract. Some of the Eriksonian stages Pip exemplifies are hyper-participatory (social mutuality), and pre-participatory (socio-affectiveness). Also, when the term “fixation” occurs, it means there is a type of disequilibrium psychologically speaking, so to speak. The character becomes fixated and stuck on one side of what each stage develops. For example, the socio-affective stage logically develops trust and mistrust- so a character might become fixated on one or the other.

To begin, Joe, who is supposed to serve as Pip’s psychological buffer (a buffer is like a figurative psychological anchor meant to guide through example), exhibits a disequilibrium regarding his sensorimotor and perioperational development. This disequilibrium leads to his social awkwardness and an inferiority complex, most noticeably with his meeting with Mrs. Havisham.

 “It was quite in vain for me to endeavor to make him sensible that he ought to speak to Miss Havisham. The more I made faces and gestures to him to do it, the more confidential, argumentative, and polite, he persisted in being to Me.” (Dickens, Pg. 82).

Pip’s reaction to his buffer’s psychological fixation could go one of two ways. He could either follow along with Joe’s psychological disadvantage, or he could recognize them and improve his own through observation. Pip exhibits a complication with his abstract Neo-Piagetian stages, mostly as a result of Joe’s perioperational unbalance, but also due to his status as an orphan. Pip struggles with intimacy, identity, and isolationism. This is further shown through Pip’s seeming addiction to an unrequited love- by name, Stella. As Pip reflects on this romance, he gains insight to his own psychological problems, he states

“From Estella she looked at me, with a searching glance that seemed to pry into my heart and probe its wounds […] I saw in this that Estella was set to wreak Miss Havisham’s revenge on me, and that she was not to be given to me until she had gratified it for a term.“ (Dickens, Pg.228-229).

 However, this realization appears to be a turning state, for after this, Pip initiates his first progression away from his abstract multiplication deficiency, inacted partially as a result of his buffer. His final step away from this is his final talk of marriage to Biddy, where he claims not to need a wife, symbolically representing his growth into a healthy abstract stage. This is further exemplified with the final scene of the novel, with both Estella and Pip’s decision to remain “friends apart.” (Pg 358). Thus, Pip transforms away from a negative perioperational as well as abstract fixation, and becomes psychologically healthy. This, of course, further proves Pip’s change, as well as the bildungsroman’s inner link to developmental psychology.

Dickens also utilizes Pip to criticize and satirize institutionalization- mainly through the form of religious satire. As a result, this becomes a direct play on Pip’s neo-Eriksonian stage known as socio-affective stage, which plays into the substages known as trust vs. mistrust, as well as sociability vs. unsociability. Essentially, the transition develops Dickens’ critical response to institutions for slithering their way into the lives and business of, well, frankly, anything they controllable, and inversely, anyone who would not conform to their standards- hypocritically or not. One of the most heartfelt responses from Pip comes as a direct response to institutionalization, where he claims,

"As I passed the church, I felt (as I had felt during service in the morning a sublime compassion for the poor creatures who were destined to go there, Sunday after Sunday, all their lives through, and to lie obscurely at last among the low green mounds. I promised myself that I would do something for them one of these days [...]" (Dickens, Pg. 115).

One of the central ideas here being as a result of Pip’s experience with the institutionalized system, he develops a conflict in his socio-affective stage, which causes him to not only mistrust and dislike institutions, but also causes him to wish to aid those who find themselves trapped inside of them. Dickens, whose focus is institutions in general, here makes a subtle self-promise to aid those who do not wish to support such causes, the relatively obscure who meander somewhere week by week because it has become what is expected. Most do not attend because they wish to, nor because they enjoy, nor because it gives them a feeling of love and joy and graciousness, no, here Dickens shows it is mere habit, peer pressure, and institutionalized control. As a result of reflecting on this, Pip’s collective sociality stage becomes slightly disillusioned. He does not feel a desire to participate in any community groups, nor any collective meetings (like church). This development comes as a reaction to his socio-affective stage as a youth, where collective groups (and institutionalized structures) are unhelpful, promote negative reinforcement, and are hypocritical. For example, his experience at the school where his teacher was continually sleeping, the dinner with the members of the church who non-stop bashed him for ungratitude (quite hypocritically, of course), and each of these figures seeking to punish and criticize rather than offering support or positive reinforcement, all represent his socio-affective stage’s transformation which developed his collective sociality.

Pip's sister, "Mrs. Joe Gargery," replicates this strive to branch away from socially determined statuses, which exemplifies a fixation in her Neo-Piagetian stage known as abstract hierarchization. She essentially raises Joe, her husband, as well as Pip, her brother, through force. In this sense, she attempts to retain a position of power by any means necessary, regardless of her explicit and wild physical force against household males. This is perhaps socially abnormal, divergent from timely social expectations. Psychologically speaking, she does this as a result of her inability to cope with social mechanisms and hierarchy systems. She becomes a character who resorts to force in hopes of gaining, guiding, and separating from her social role. Instantaneously, this caste separation (or attempt, none-the-less), provide the reader with sympathy for Pip and Joe, while sub-sequentially undermining their "masculinity." Both figures resort to a type of "turn the other cheek" philosophy- a flee rather than fight system of neurological reactions. Mrs. Joe repeatedly draws forth a wishful longing to be separated from her status as a "blacksmiths wife." Her desire to escape from her socio-economic position, comparing herself to a slave, she states "'Perhaps if I weren't a blacksmith's wife, and (what's the same thing) a slave with her apron never off, I should have been to hear the Carols,' said Mrs. Joe." (Dickens, Pg. 23). Here, a heavy critique of society’s treatment of females in her socio-economic class is proposed. She becomes a family slave, one forced to the confinement of her house to wait, clean, and cook for the males. She is paid with housing and food, a house-mom and a slave, a fairly bitter metaphor. This establishes her incapability to accept social statuses, which show an early struggle with her development through abstract hierarchization. As a result of his sister's psychological complications, Pip picks up the same characteristics. However, due to the power structure of his home, Pip becomes the passive one (IE the one being hit) where his sister remains the aggressive one (Ie the one hitting). Regardless, he exemplifies the same problems coping with a hierarchy system, understanding and accepting socio-political classes, as well as finding a nurturing relationship. This stems, like his sister, from his abstract hierarchizational stage, plays forth and affects the majority of other stages through his abstract multiplication stage, and affects his actions as he seeks to integrate such emotions and characteristics.

Even further than his sister, however, Pip’s trouble within these stages is debatably more extreme, mostly due to his adoption. His adoption caused him to realize there was a difference between his birth parents and the parents who raised him. Typically, this results in a type of denial, for coping with two different parents (one real, one unreal), is a complicated issue. He finds himself with these essentially unreal parents, and as a result, wishes to flee from their socio-economic class. Pip does in fact overcome this. Near the end of the text, as Pip returns to his home town, Pip begins to not only accept the hierarchy, but comes to fully love Joe as a father figure regardless of his birthright. This symbolizes and exemplifies one of the largest protagonist changes this Bildungsroman has- Pip's final acceptance of his birthright.

To carry forth with a further exploration of Erikson’s stages, individuals, due to their environment, parenting structure, and institutionalized influence, develop differently during each stage. When an individual develops any kind of character flaw, so to speak, it can be paralleled to one stage. Just to make an aside, this also relates to any psychological disorder, even those which are instilled before birth. These psychological disorders are first brought out and externalized as a result of an individual’s reaction to one stage. So, if one might find which stage, or happen to stumble upon this stage in a text, they will be able to overcome such disorders. One example of Pip’s largest complication comes from his very first development, which is typically from infancy to birth. Here, a child’s dependency and independence is developed. If a child develops a fixation during this period, they will later be either distrustful or overly trusting. Pip exemplifies one who from early on has dependency issues, but later overcomes such problems becoming a trusting individual. The significance of this, of course, is Pip’s progression in and out of this stage which is instilled from infancy, then developed throughout life. Two examples to prove this are Pip’s inability to trust his lover, Estella, and his later relationship to Biddy. Relationships, because they are so central to an individual’s heart and soul, become an extremely powerful way to understand one’s psyche. This first stage thus continues to develop up into the sixth stage.

The psychosocial stage six is typically viewed during early adulthood, when children begin exploring with relationships. This stage becomes vital to their development of commitment and trust, intimacy and isolation, depression and joy. Now, this stage is not necessarily when a character begins to find romances. It could also be when they begin to make friends with the inverse sex. Pip does not ever have any friends who are female, up until Biddy. This becomes exceptionally interesting psychologically because Biddy, being his first female connection outside of his family, is also his first true friend. Prior to his relationship with Biddy, Pip wishes to be with Estella, who is unnurturing, distrustful, and lacks any type of positive emotions toward Pip. Yet, Pip wishes to stay with her, but for what reason(s)? It comes partially as a result of his relationship with Mrs. Joe.

Mrs. Joe, his sister, who is his earliest female relationship, is abusive, cold, and unfriendly. Estella, too, is abusive, cold, and unfriendly. Psychologically speaking these characters fit a perfectly logical system- Pip first interacts with his sister, which causes him to find his first romance, Estella. His second interaction is with Biddy, which causes him to find a lasting relationship to Biddy- probably as a result of her being the only female figure who has ever given him any type of positive reinforcement what-so-ever. Thus, another psychological transformation is shown with Pip.

One example of Pip’s character progressing through a stage healthily is his development through Erikson’s seventh stage. The seventh stage of psychosocial development comes during adulthood, mostly as a result of career decisions. During this stage, one’s feeling of worth, productivity, and social roles arise. Those who are not positively reinforced during this stage begin to doubt their contribution to society at large, as well as their own feeling of worth internally. Pip seems to be fairly strong during this stage, mostly due to his positive reinforcement of gaining money and making it into a socio-economic class which is above his birth level. Pip is able to communicate well with others, even those older than him. He’s able to contribute to society, for example, by his attempt to get his roommate a stronger position in society.

It is worth noting what is stated by Gerald Young in his New Ideas in Psychology, particularly when viewing these psychological stages in terms of a bildungsroman. Young states

“The stages are no magical transformations that suddenly bring more advanced thinking across all areas of cognition once they appear, nor are they divorced from environmental influences and constraints. Nevertheless, they are valid inferences from the pattern of observations and empirical studies of children’s thinking and thinking across the lifespan.” (Pg. 5).

This idea is fairly central to understanding the psyches of characters, and the role of psychological changes characters exhibit. Pip, for example, develops complications in several of the stages, but overcomes them throughout the progression of the text. However, it is not instant. It is not some transformation where Pip has problems on Pg. 222, which he overcomes completely on Pg. 223. It is a smooth and on-going transformation of character growth. The bildungsroman is of course a tale regarding a youth becoming an adult. And, through the process, overcoming several obstacles, both internally and externally, to land in a position of psychological comfort. A few ideas here must be arisen. Firstly, what this type of text does to a reader. As a result of narration, the reader becomes intertwined with the psyche of the narrator. The reader not only progresses through the action of the tale with the narrator, but also through these psychological stages. So, read carefully! Otherwise, you may find yourself a bad psychologist who develops psychological trauma rather than restoring balance and equilibrium. Of course, the power and significance of such depends invariably on how seriously a reader immerses themselves into the artform.

Furthermore, books become types of portals in and out of psychological states, and although most jump back and forth, they do not necessarily realize this. Thus, if you read a book, for example, Great Expectations, in which the author and characters have psychological issues regarding social statuses, cross sexual interaction, trust issues, abuse issues, and abandonment issues, it is more than likely your own psyche gets reformed in those directions. However, through reflection, one is able to move beyond such complications, strengthening their psyche like a muscle which was torn at the gym. Furthermore, this fine line between genius and insanity, one which tampers back and forth between psychological playing fields, is what people develop an interest for. Those who are “normal” are able to temporarily cross their own boundaries, explore another’s intellectual and imaginative faculty, and may momentarily tap into their own genius through a reaction of the author’s.

To conclude, and to take a step away from Dickens and his texts, this bildungsroman form becomes central to psychological development and improvement. A text becomes an alternate type of prescription. We go through psychological stages, and get caught up on problems as a result of stories that occur. When we read a text, we also go through those stories both imaginatively, as well as psychologically. And, as a result, we are able to gain the same advantages a character attains. Also, an individual gains psychological strength from progressing beyond what they have read into the text. Even the words themselves, prescription and prescribe, etymologically stem from the Latin word scriptor, which means to write- clearly prescripting and scribing have a more interlinked relationship than most realize. Texts, and Art in general, are better doctors than doctors, mostly because it is an individual’s own reaction. Furthermore, if humans actually begin to trust one another, we might even let them diagnose themselves. What an idea!

                                    Only the great overcome expectations

                                    Only the good become expectations

                                    Only the best make humor of them.