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Guilt

            
             Erik Erickson's theory of psychosocial development (Santrock and Yussen, 1987) offers a perspective on a child's social development. Erickson proposed that social development is the result of the interaction between internal biological forces and external cultural pressures. As such, he proposed eight stages of development throughout the life span. The conflicts one experiences at each stage can be resolved in either a positive (adaptive) or negative (mal-adaptive) way. The individual is provided with a "sensitive period" in which to successfully resolve each crisis before a new crisis is presented. I think that the various conflicts Pip goes through and retrospectively describes in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations are the same psychosocial conflicts Erickson argues everyone experiences. .
             The first chapters of the novel represent Erikson's third stage of psychosocial development, Initiative vs. guilt. In this stage children take on new tasks and play, and feel guilty when their activities result in failure or criticism, the child learns what he/she can control and develops a sense of free will or a corresponding sense of regret and sorrow for inappropriate use of self-control. The book begins with Pip in the Graveyard visiting his parent's graves. Here he meets Magwich the convict who asks him to steal a file and food. To ensure his return with such items the convict tells Pip there is a second man with him who will eat his heart and liver if he fails to return. Here Pip struggles with right and wrong. While he knows it's wrong to steal, he wants to help the suffering human being he views as a fellow victim. Pip's sister Mrs. Joe is also introduced in the first chapters. She reminds Pip of the fact she brought him up by hand, and doesn't let him forget he owes his existence to her. .
             Unfortunately Pip doesn't resolve this crises positively. Around the same time Pip is expecting to be caught for stealing the food he is being constantly reminded to be grateful for his on existence, something he can't control "Be grateful Boy, to them which brought you up by hand- ( Dickens 56).


Essays Related to Guilt

1. Feeling of Guilt

... to another. This closely relates to the idea of Hitler using the Jewish people as scapegoats for the deteriorating conditions of Germany. Hitler felt no guilt for the Jewish people and not only subjugated them to internment camps but also alienated them from the rest of society. Neither do these same people ... that these people were human too and had to have realized what they were doing, and how wrong it was. While the German's should feel the guilt of killing millions of innocent people, this was not shown very often. Many people believed, and still believe that they felt no wrong doin...

  • Word Count: 1335
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Reactions to Guilt

... his life but learned that it was not possible. Paul Dempster spent his entire life trying to run from his feelings. Each character handled their guilt differently, however, in the end it was clear that the snowball incident had a similarly destructive influence on each one=s life. Dunstan Ramsay ... and live with a nagging guilty conscience than to admit what happened and potentially be looked down upon. Percy lived his entire life ignoring his feeling of guilt. He changed his name to ABoy@ while leading a very successful life. Boy wanted to have a life similar to that of a child=s, he ...

  • Word Count: 1427
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Guilt in the Protagonists

... working to pay off his father debts. One day Gregor wakes up and finds himself transformed into a giant insect. He is struggling with the feelings of guilt, because he is unable to support his family after his transformation, as if his inability to support is family was his fault. Greogor is now a ... burden to his family, he is being isolated and neglected from his family, his family is disgusted by his metamorphosis. Guilt is Gregor's most powerful emotion. Every time the family mentions money, he feels guilty by losing the ability to support his family. Gregor really hates his ... s...

  • Word Count: 1142
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Guilt and Violence in Raging Bull

... result is obvious: Man is destined to a state of constant frustration. This state of frustration is translated into the unavoidable sentiment of guilt. Guilt is what we feel after we have followed the screams of the body letting ourselves go according to its dictates, and in the ... because we have become at the same time accuser and accused, condemned and executer, victim and perpetrator. As the Catholic philosopher Paul Ricoeur says: Guilt becomes a way of putting oneself before a sort of invisible tribunal which measures the offense, pronounces the condemnation, and inflicts the punis...

  • Word Count: 6941
  • Approx Pages: 28
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Scarlet Letter (guilt As A Theme)

... beautiful red dress that is vaguely shaped like an A, and the townspeople see her as a little scarlet letter walking along side of Hester. Guilt leads to leads to Hester's isolation mentally, and through the law and banishment to the peninsula she becomes isolated from society. Hester is constantly reminded of her ... guilt the most obvious example is when she travels to the governors mansion, and the description of her image as she looks into a breastplate of ... like society blows it out of proportion in the beginning of the novel. This occurs during a time when Hester is questioning...

  • Word Count: 915
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Guilt in the scarlet letter

... is worth living if your life is so tainted. Although it causes Hester great pain, it is better for Hester to suffer openly about her guilt in public because she eventually comes to terms with it. Hawthorne shows the evolution of the letter,The scarlet letter was her passport into regions ... another person in the community, and the scarlet letter is taken to mean Able instead of Adulteress. Dimmesdale in contrast hides his sins, and the guilt eats away at him. From the first scene when he asks the townspeople to forgive Hester, all he really wants is for himself to be forgiven ... by th...

  • Word Count: 917
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Power of Guilt

... scarlet A to wear upon her bosom for the rest of her life. The scarlet A was to remind the public, as well as Hester, of her guilt and sin. Hester Prynne's term of confinement was now at an end. Her prison-door was thrown open, and she came forth into the sunshine, which ... did not know him as they knew Hester. In all reality though, Dimmesdale was being tortured far worse than Hester. Every day Dimmesdale had to hide his guilt and live a lie. This was difficult especially because he was a clergyman. In the eyes of Dimmesdale, he was a hypocrite, and his own worst ... Therefore, above a...

  • Word Count: 748
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Feelings of Guilt in Macbeth

... person realizes or believes that he or she has violated a moral standard and bears significant responsibility for that violation. Throughout William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, guilt is a recurring motif of great significance due to its psychological effect on the lives of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. At the beginning of the play, ... king is great, Lord Macbeth carries out the murder of King Duncan. This evil deed sets off feelings of guilt in Macbeth and Lady Macbeth which cause the characters to mentally disintegrate. Before Macbeth has even committed the murder of King Duncan, he be...

  • Word Count: 917
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

9. The power of guilt

... was a kind and loyal nobleman to the King Duncan, but throughout the play changes into a deceitfully evil man whose life is greatly influenced by his guilt. Lady Macbeth also plays a huge part in scheming these sinful acts, and they affect her mind and spirit intensely, they cause her to be driven ... he knew what he had done was a horrible thing and he knew he could never forgive himself. It is amazing how powerful an emotion such as guilt can be, it can destroy people's conscience and ruin their lives if they do not find a way to forgiveness. Neither Macbeth nor Lady Macbeth ever ... ...

  • Word Count: 1083
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

10. A Guide to Overcoming Guilt

... dream, aborted hopes, and futile expectations" (Sartre). Dom, the main character of Inception, escapes the futile world of dreams and learns to overcome his guilt. The film Inception, written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan, was heavily influenced by the ideas that appeared in films such as The Matrix, and ... wife. He is forced to leave his children to travel around the world performing extraction jobs and running away from the government. However, his guilt for the death of his wife, Mal, often interferes with his work and leaves him with many enemies. Then, Dom gets a job...

  • Word Count: 785
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

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