두 주인공의 신분상승 욕망비교 -Great Expectations와 An American Tragedy를 중심으로-

Abstract

Kwak, Seung-yoab. “A Study on Two Characters’ Desire of Improving Their Status in Great Exceptions and An American Tragedy.” Studies in English Language & Literature. 37.3 (2011): 21-47. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens depicts the poor and the unsound consciousness despite of considerable economic development in the contemporary English society. Pip’s wish to become a gentleman is concreted with his perception of the existence of other people’s wealthy state after visiting the Satis House like Clyde’s visiting his uncle Griffiths’. Dickens shows that to become a gentleman is not to attain social reputation but to come true moral values through this novel. The hopes and failures of American dream were expressed by the Clyde’s liberal life in An American Tragedy. Dreiser describes Clyde as the weakest hero and a victim of environment, chemical action and magnetism. He shows that pursuing of an excessive greed for wealth and pleasure eventually leads to an unsatisfactory condition. Pip and Clyde suffers from the mental poverty and their fates are influenced by the unknown forces in common irrespective of their will. In conclusion, Pip recovers morality and reliance with experiencing of losing his materialistic aspects and sense of values. Clyde ends in sitting on the electric chair by accidents and morbid social surroundings. But he is a weak and incompetent man because he did not know what his crime was even at the moment of his dying. Therefore two writers tell us that if a man fulfills his hope and ambition on the basis of his ability and conscience, he can contribute to his society and will be really a blissful person. (Tamna University)