Dickens wrote "Great Expectations" as an expression of his emotions; like most writers, he wrote it just as much for himself as for his audience. He also wrote to explore the strict social classes of society and the effect they have on the individual. He gave the working class a face (Pip) that it was not afforded in literature at the time. He crafted this novel from the perspective of someone of a lower class- something not widely seen in 1861 London. As well as this, Dickens wrote in slang in a non-derogatory way to create his lower class characters.
He set out to write something not only relatable to the working class, but that the upper class could read and potentially change perspective, if even slightly, on their societal caste system.
"'Your sister an't over partial to having scholars on the premises, and in partickler would not be over partial to my being a scholar, for fear as I might rise. Like a sort of rebel, don't you see?'" -Joe, page 40.
***"And then I looked at the stars, and considered how awful it would be for a man to turn his face up to them as he froze to death, and see no help or pity in all the glittering multitude." -page 41.
"'Poor dear soul!' said this lady, with an abruptness of manner quite my sister's. 'Nobody's enemy but his own!'" -page 68.
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