In recent years, some domestic scholars have studied the changes of Pip’s character in Great Expectations. Take Zhang Zuotang and Zhang Yining (2012) for example, they analyze the loss and return of Pip’s humanity in Great Expectations and Dickens’ social morality. And Xu Yufeng (2005) illustrates the maturity of the protagonist in Great Expectations. In addition, Liu Limin (2008) pays more attention to the self-discovery of Pip in Great Expectations. Plenty of people have done such research about the changes of Pip’s character in Great Expectations. However, little people use Freud’s psychoanalysis to study the changes of Pip’s character. This paper tries to analyze the change process of the protagonist in accordance with the theory of psychological analysis by Freud from both inside and outside, expecting to reveal its practical significance.  

The thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter 1 gives an introduction to the creation background of Great Expectations and the search status of Great Expectations. Chapter 2 recommends the psychoanalytic theory of Freud. Chapter 3 focuses on the development of Pip’s nature. Chapter 4 is the discussion on the change of Pip’s nature from the external and internal environment. Chapter 5 is the conclusion.

Ⅱ. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory

Psychoanalysis is the discipline founded by Freud which regards sex as the basis of human behaviour and takes as its object of study the concept of the human       unconsciousness. Psychoanalysis is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques related to the study of the unconscious mind, which together form a method of treatment for mental-health disorders. The foundation of Freud’s contribution to modern psychology is his emphasis on the unconscious aspects of the human psyche. According to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, personality is composed of three elements. These three elements of personality are known as the id, the ego, and the superego, and all of them work together to create complex human behaviors. The id is the only component of personality that is present from birth. This aspect of personality is entirely unconscious and includes the instinctive and primitive behaviors. According to Freud, the id is the source of all psychic energy, making it the primary component of personality. The ego is the component of personality that is responsible for dealing with reality. According to Freud, the ego develops from the id and ensures that the impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the real world. The ego functions in both the conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind. The last component of personality to develop is the superego. The superego is the aspect of personality that holds all of our internalized moral standards and ideals that we acquire from both parents and society--our sense of right or wrong. The superego provides guidelines for making judgments. According to Freud, the superego begins to emerge at around age five. Freud believed that the function of dreams is to preserve sleep by representing fulfilled wishes that would otherwise awaken the dreamer. In Freud’s theory dreams are instigated by the daily occurrences and thoughts of everyday life. Freud indicates that all artists, including authors, are neurotic. Unlike most neurotics, however, the artists escape many of outward manifestations and results of neurosis such as madness or self-destruction by finding a pathway back to saneness and wholeness in the act of creating his or her art. Psychoanalysis is a controversial discipline and its validity as a science is contested. Nonetheless, it remains a strong influence on psychiatry, more so in some quarters than others. Psychoanalytic concepts are also widely used outside the therapeutic arena, in areas such as psychoanalytic literary criticism, as well as in the analysis and deconstruction of film, fairy tales and other cultural phenomena.

Ⅲ. The Development of Pip’s Nature

3.1. The Nature of Pip.  

3.1.1. The advantages of Pip’s character. a. Strong curiosity.