"You're not a deceiving imp? You brought no one with you?"
"No, sir! No!"
"Nor giv' no one the office to follow you?"
"No!"
"Well," said he, "I believe you. You'd be but a fierce young hound indeed, if at your time of life you could help to hunt a wretched warmint, hunted as near death and dunghill as this poor wretched warmint is!"
Something clicked in his throat, as if he had works in him like a clock, and was going to strike. And he smeared his ragged rough sleeve over his eyes.
Pitying his desolation, and watching him as he gradually settled down upon the pie, I made bold to say, "I am glad you enjoy it."
"Did you speak?"
"I said I was glad you enjoyed it."
"Thankee, my boy. I do."
I had often watched a large dog of ours eating his food; and I now noticed a decided similarity between the dog's way of eating and the man's. The man took strong sharp sudden bites, just like the dog. He swallowed or rather snapped up, every mouthful, too soon and too fast; and he looked sideways here and there while he ate, as if he thought there was a danger in every direction, of somebody's coming to take the pie away. He was altogether too unsettled in his mind over it, to appreciate it comfortably, I thought, or to have anybody to dine with him, without making a chop with his jaws at the visitor. In all of which particulars he was very like the dog.
When I first read this scene I was surprised that Pip was so polite to a man that had threaten him previously. Pip could have easily turned him in a number of times but does not. Although the fugitive is described as a dog, I do not get the feeling that it is because of contempt or a means to alienate him. Comparing the fugitive to a dog had the effect of sympathizing with the fugitive. From the reading I got that the man became like a dog because of his condition not from anything naturally in his character. But then again it is early in the story and the mention of *something clicked in his throat* seems menacing.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the only time I've read Dickens's work, where I feel his comparison to an animal or creature is not a form of dehumanization. I chose to reply to Sean's post because my opinion is most similar to his, the following statements in particular:
Delete"Although the fugitive is described as a dog, I do not get the feeling that it is because of contempt or a means to alienate him. Comparing the fugitive to a dog had the effect of sympathizing with the fugitive."
Why does Dickens choose a dog to be the animal of comparison? Dogs are known for their intelligence and loyalty. In this scene, Pip observes a man who's lost a part of himself and who obviously has not had anything to eat in a long while. The fugitive appreciates Pip's small display of servitude, just like a dog showing appreciation to its owner would. As Sean stated, it's more saddening than it is insulting. I think if Dickens wanted to cross the line between dehumanizing and a sympathetic animal comparison, he'd have used a description more similar to Stephen's wife of Hard Times. If this is an insult on Dickens's part, it is more of an insult to the authorities. He may be insinuating that they are the ones to blame for the dehumanization of criminals.
Yes, what does it say about us as a society that we reduce men to this dehumanized state when they are prisoners? Why, to bring up something in the news, weren't there any preparations done to protect the inmates at Riker's during Hurricane Sandy even as they were clearly in the path of the storm? As for the clicking, it is a 19th century (or simply Dickensian) way of saying his throat was catching (with emotion).
DeleteIn this passage when Dickens juxtaposes the criminal's mannerisms to a dog is not done only to dehumanize that man, but to have the reader pay attention to his behavior after being imprisoned. Dickens calls attention to the conditions of the prison hulks and how the criminals are caged like animals, because after reading this passage I wanted to know how the criminal came to be this way. In my investigation of the events that may have lead to these behaviors I immediately thought of the prison hulks.The caging of these criminals dehumanizes them and Dickens also wants the reader to understand the way in which society views the criminals as less than human, because they have committed a crime. This passage also suggests that members of society felt that once someone has committed a crime there is no hope for rehabilitation. The fact that England sent their criminals away to the colonies is exemplary of this fact of them getting rid of "the trash."
ReplyDeleteI agree. Dickens shows that a criminal mind parallels that of a dog's-- unruly and almost savage like. Pip opposite from the criminal, so early in the novel, is an interesting juxtaposition. I wonder what this interesting passage will mean later, given that Dickens uses no details in vain.
DeleteClearly, the structure of this passage is intended to create a contrast between Pip and the convict. It presents Pip as humane, because of his kindness and sympathetic gestures towards the man. On the other hand, like Tracie states, it "dehumanizes" the convict by giving him a dog like demeanor. Its basically emphasizing that Pip is a good character. I am also amazed at the mutual trust that these two individuals share with each other. Pip is quite comfortable with his criminal company and the convict expresses his fears to Pip: "and he looked sideways here and there while he ate, as if he thought there was a danger in every direction, of somebody's coming to take the pie away". This makes me think, did their trust in each results from their state of vulnerability to each other? I'm interested to see if Pip maintains this good nature or changes when he becomes a "gentleman".
ReplyDeleteI agree that Dickens is dehumanizing the convict, but it is only to get the reader to sympathize with him. I think its interesting that Dickens is using a Dog to compare the convict to, its an animal that people can learn to love
DeleteLike my other classmates have stated, the comparison between the sympathetic/humane Pip and the convict is evident in the passage as well as the idea of dehumanization. As Pip observes the criminal who is chomping away, he recognizes dog-like characteristics in the criminal's behavior and thus, the idea of dehumanization is conveyed. However, while the concept of dehumanization is clearly there, as Sean and Troy have pointed out, Dickens is not trying to "insult" the criminal's behavior by comparing him to a dog, but merely trying to portray understanding and sympathy. I also agree with Tracie's idea that some people of society may view the criminal to be "less than human" and for some reason, I get the hint that the criminal himself sees himself as an unwanted beast or "wretched warmint," portraying self-dehumanization.
ReplyDeleteTo start off, I would like to say that I am really enjoying Great Expectation.
ReplyDeleteThe scene is very interesting and shows how Dickens's writing has changed. It has become more settled. After reading the scene several times, I began to notice that the first person narration has allowed Dickens to avoid making his views more direct, so we have to remember that what we are reading the story from Pip's perspective. Furthermore, I also noticed that both characters compare each other to dogs: Pip is compared to a "hound" while the other is compared to a "large dog."
I agree with Ibrahim that we must remember to read Great Expectations through Pip's perspective and not necessarily Dickens. Of course he is the author and most of his opinions will be expressed through the characters like the other novels and pieces we've read for the class, but this novel is a bit more personal. We are entering the mind of a child, and furthermore a child in times of poverty. Society seems to be a lot like these two characters, Pip and the threatening man, in the sense that in those times, it was a "dog eat dog" world. This idea in itself can easily be compared to the way Dickens chooses to compare his characters to animals/dogs. Clearly both these characters are not in high status and although one seems better off than the other, crime and conflict is brought about within their poverty stricken world.
DeleteGreat close reading! They are both figured as dogs in this exchange -- which adds to the connection between Pip and "his" convict you guys have already pointed out.
DeleteAfter reading all these great comments, it almost leaves me with nothing good to say. I definitely agree with the majority who believe that Dickens is drawing a contrast between Pip and the fugitive criminal. While Pip is caring and modest, the man is savage and uncivilized. In just a few paragraphs Dickens not only draws our attention to the dehumanization of criminals but also gives us a sense that there is no sense of hope for those who are institutionalized. He potentially places Pip in the same category of a criminal by comparing him to a hound. He says "Well," said he, "I believe you. You'd be but a fierce young hound indeed, if at your time of life you could help to hunt a wretched warmint, hunted as near death and dunghill as this poor wretched warmint is!". As a criminal himself, the man criminalizes Pip as if it's a positive thing. While Pip shows him an act of kindness, he looks at Pip not as a boy, but as some one who would do well in a life of crime.
ReplyDeleteAre the comments drawing a contrast or a connection between Pip and the convict? Is Pip being figured as an exception to a society that dehumanizes its "fallen" members?
DeleteI figured this passage had a very good shot at ending up on the blog as it caught my eye immediately my first time reading through it. Yet again we are presented with Dickens dehumanizing one of characters as he compares the nameless man to a dog with "sharp strong sudden bites", much like a rabid dog. In this case the man is clearly poor as well as a criminal, and at this point we all know how Dickens feels about the ills of society such as these, so it can be safe to assume that this "rabid dog" was infected by it. Much like the drunkard woman in Dickens earlier writing, Pip pities his "desolation", much like how Dickens pities those who have succumbed to the many evils on his streets such as alcoholism and poverty.
ReplyDeleteThis passage is a clear presentation of how human's cruel behavior dehumanizes us. Charles Dickens finds this type of behavior ver sad, because we often use the innocent ones for our evilness. This man not only scared Pip, but forced him into acting against his will. This passage however, also made me reflect on the danger children are expose to in the streets, because it can be very traumatic and mark them for the rest of their lives.
ReplyDeleteDickens shows characters, Pip and the convict, to refer to one another as dogs. I believe out of all animals Dickens chose a dog because it is the closes to human nature when it comes to reflexes and emotions. A dog can be a wild beast or a trained pet, same as with humans. Humans can be well-mannered or brutes. The convict says Pip would be a “fierce young hound”. Hounds are loyal and trained to work along with humans to help/assist them to hunt. So by the convict calling Pip a hound he is complementing his character. Pip on the other hand depicts the convict’s ill manner of eating as animalistic.
ReplyDeleteI think that having Great Expectations being told from the point of view of Pip is really interesting. In my opinion and like previously stated above, Pip comparing the convict to a dog serves to illustrate the mentality that people had towards criminals during this time period. I think that it is also important to notice that Pip creates a clear distinction between himself and the man by turning him into an animal and describing how he "pitied" the man, perhaps foreshadowing that Pip does not belong to the world in which he is currently living.
ReplyDeleteI'mnot sure I agree with the common vote that Dickens is dehumanizing him only because I'm trying to view this passage outside the box. I think maybe the contrast between Pip and the convict is to depict Pip as God and convict as Dog to differentiate the two characters.
ReplyDelete