In the novel, Great Expectations, class is a central theme as it was set in the 1820s when class divisions were very strict. It was very important where you stood in social classes. You would be looked down upon if social classes had mixed. It was thought that class was just about the money and about what other people thought of each other, but all it really is perfect speech, how you behaved with other people and manners. Pip changed himself from a simple labourer to a gentleman. He leaves the forge where he use to live with Mrs Joe Gargary and Joe, to live the posh life in London. .
Pip is a young boy living a simple life in the forge with his sister Mrs Joe Gargary and her husband Joe, the blacksmith. Joe was kind and loving, a "good, sweet tempered, easy going, foolish dear fellow" whilst Mrs Joe Gargary was totally opposite. She treats Pip badly, "She made it a powerful merit in herself". Pip feels comfortable in his home, at that time he was not aware of his social status and so he was happy were he was.
Satis house was cold, uncomforatble and very old. It looked as if it was kept away from the rest of the world "some of the windows had been walled up". It looks like it has no life in it at all. Inside the house, in the great room, Pip and Estella sit down to play cards whilst Miss Havisham sat there silently watching them.
Estella was making it very obvious showing Pip how much better she was than him. She didn't want to play cards with Pip, he was too low of a class for her "With this boy why he is a common labouring boy". She didn't like the idea of doing this.
Estella always found something to insult Pip with, "He calls the Knaves Jacks this boy" and "what course hands he has and what thick boots". She always thought that Pip couldn't ever be anything more than he is now. He would always be a labourer according to her. All the insults that she was throwing at Pip made him feel very small.