Great Expectations - Social Class
English
GCSE
8 questions
~16 mins
1 views0 downloads
About This Worksheet
A worksheet focusing on social class themes within Great Expectations, designed to develop analytical skills through exam-style questions for GCSE students.
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Great Expectations - Social Class
Subject: EnglishGrade: GCSE
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Untitled Worksheet
Grade GCSE
A
Introduction to Social Class in Great Expectations
In Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, social class plays a fundamental role in shaping characters' identities and destinies. Pip's journey from a modest village upbringing to his aspirations for gentility highlights the rigid class distinctions of Victorian England. Dickens explores how social mobility is limited and how characters such as Estella and Miss Havisham embody the social barriers that define and confine individuals. The novel depicts the stark disparities between the nobility and the working class, emphasising the importance placed on birthright and wealth. Dickens uses various literary techniques, including characterisation and symbolism, to critique the social stratification of his time. Phrases like 'gentleman's expectations' or 'common labour' encapsulate the social dichotomy and serve as critical commentary on societal values.
1.
Summarise in your own words the main ways Dickens presents social class in Great Expectations.
[2 marks]2.
Identify two literary techniques Dickens uses to explore social class in the novel.
Aa) Irony and allegory
Bb) Characterisation and symbolism
Cc) Foreshadowing and rhyme
Dd) Alliteration and hyperbole
B
Question 1: Characterisation and Social Hierarchy
In the novel, Pip's encounters with Estella and Miss Havisham reveal their roles within the social hierarchy. Estella, raised to break men's hearts, embodies the aristocratic disdain for the lower classes, while Miss Havisham represents the decay of old aristocratic power and the consequences of social pretension.
1.
How does Dickens use characterisation to portray social class through Estella and Miss Havisham?
[3 marks]C
Question 2: Symbolism and Social Expectations
The decaying Satis House, with its faded grandeur and broken clock, symbolizes the decline of the aristocracy and the stagnation of social mobility. Pip’s visits to the house mark his internal conflict and societal aspirations.
1.
Identify a symbol in the extract and explain how Dickens uses it to comment on social class.
[3 marks]2.
What does the broken clock in Satis House represent in terms of social class?
[2 marks]D
Question 3: Analysis of Language and Class
Identify and explain the effect of key phrases used in the extract.
1.
How do these phrases reflect Victorian attitudes towards social class?
[2 marks]E
Question 4: Creative Writing - Social Class Perspective
Imagine you are a character from a lower social class in Victorian England. Write a short speech (about 20 lines) expressing your views on social mobility and class barriers.
1.
Write your speech here:
F
Question 5: Overall Analysis of Social Class Themes
Write an essay discussing how Dickens presents social class and its impact on character development throughout the novel.
1.
Essay Prompt: How does Dickens depict social class, and what is its influence on characters' lives?
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Details
- Created
- 12/31/2025
- Updated
- 12/31/2025
- Type
- worksheet