The Self And The Other-an Interpretation Of Great Expectations From The Perspective Of Postcolonialism

Charles Dickens is one of the greatest realistic novelists in Victorian England. Great Expectations, an important work in his late phase, has attracted the attention of scholars and critics at home and abroad since its publication. This thesis attempts to conduct an in-depth study of Great Expectations from the postcolonial perspective, in which the Self/Other binary opposition is focused on. Through the textual analysis of the novel in light of Edward Said’s postcolonial theories, the thesis aims to investigate how Dickens constructs the Self/Other binary oppositions and to reveal his imperial mentality latent in the novel.The thesis contains six chapters. Chapter One mainly introduces the background, significance, purpose and structure of the thesis. Chapter Two presents a literature review on Great Expectations. Chapter Three reveals the theoretical rationale of the study by giving an introduction to postcolonialism, Edward Said and his postcolonial theories, and the Self/Other binary opposition. Chapter Four offers a postcolonial interpretation of geographical Self/Other binary opposition. In Great Expectations, the imperial center of London functions as the Self, while British colonies function as the Other, as shown in its image, function and dilemma. Chapter Five interprets the Self/Other binary opposition in the aspect of character. In the novel, Pip acts as the Self, as revealed in his image, his attitude toward Magwitch, and his dream, while Magwitch acts as the Other, reflected in his image, dilemma, struggle, failure and internalization. Chapter Six draws a conclusion that the geographical and character Self/Other binary oppositions constructed by Dickens reflect Dickens’s imperial ideologies. Dickens is a guardian of imperial benefits as well as a guardian of the positive image of the British Empire.