Great Expectations: Social Class Analysis & Annotation
English
GCSE
8 questions
~16 mins
1 views0 downloads
About This Worksheet
A worksheet focusing on the social class themes in Great Expectations, encouraging students to analyse and annotate key passages in the novel.
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Great Expectations: Social Class Analysis & Annotation
Subject: EnglishGrade: GCSE
Name:
Date:
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Untitled Worksheet
Grade GCSE
A
Scene Summary and Context
In this pivotal scene from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, Pip encounters the convict Magwitch in the marshes, an event which marks the beginning of his relationship with social justice and class. Dickens uses stark imagery and colloquial language to depict the grim environment and the convict’s rough character. The setting — a desolate and muddy marsh — emphasises the social disparity between Pip’s humble origins and the criminal world he is drawn into. Dickens’s choice of dialogue captures the rough speech of the characters, highlighting class distinctions. For example, Magwitch’s language is coarse, reflecting his outsider status, while Pip’s initial fear and subsequent curiosity reveal his social naivety. Dickens often employs symbolism, such as the chained convicts representing the constraints imposed by social class. This scene introduces themes of guilt, innocence, and social mobility, which are central to the novel. Contextually, Dickens criticises the rigid class structure of Victorian England, illustrating how social expectations and prejudices shape individual identities. Students should consider how Dickens’s language and portrayal of environment reflect broader social issues of the time.
B
Questions
Answer the following questions based on the scene summary and context provided.
1.
What does Dickens initially emphasise about the environment in this scene?
[2 marks]2.
Identify one example of colloquial language used by Magwitch and discuss its significance.
[3 marks]3.
Explain how Dickens uses symbolism in this scene to comment on social class.
[6 marks]4.
Describe the tone Dickens employs in the description of the marshes. Provide a quote to support your answer.
[3 marks]5.
Identify a literary technique Dickens uses in the dialogue between Pip and Magwitch and explain its effect.
[3 marks]6.
In what ways does Dickens’s portrayal of the environment reflect Victorian social issues?
[4 marks]7.
Discuss how Dickens’s language in this scene might influence the reader’s perception of social hierarchy.
[6 marks]8.
Analyse how Dickens’s use of dialogue contributes to characterisation in this scene.
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Details
- Created
- 12/31/2025
- Updated
- 12/31/2025
- Type
- worksheet