After reading 2

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens describes people who obtain felicity from inner values can be readily gratified. However,one’s constant happiness is from inner value, the protagonist, has a passion for worldly values such as social status and intellect. He dreams of raising his social status from an orphan to a aristocratic gentleman by marrying Estella, whose guardian is a wealthy woman. However, all of his endeavors to be a gentleman turn into a meaningless effort when he realizes that his anonymous backer is an ex-criminal. His benefactor is disliked by society and is contradictory to a normal gentleman, the kind of man that Pip seeks to be. These paradoxical truth agonize Pip. At last, he gives up his attempt to live like a gentleman, and decide to follow his conscience. He tries to please his benefactor, although he does not like him much. In the process of gratifying the backer, Pip gradually realizes the true worth of inner values. He is finally aware that conscience and loyalty are more important and valuable than high status and knowledge.