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GCSE English Literature · key term
The development of a person's abilities or character through learning and effort; it need not involve gaining wealth or social status.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Paper 1
The development of a person’s abilities, knowledge or conduct. Dickens distinguishes becoming better educated or wealthier from becoming more considerate and responsible.
Revise: Ambition and self-improvementDickens follows the painful process through which Pip learns to separate outward success from genuine self-improvement.
Paper 2
Part (b): distinguish wanting education from wanting status. Biddy and Joe help you show that Dickens does not condemn every kind of self-improvement.
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The process of developing knowledge, skills or character; it need not involve gaining wealth or social status.
The strongest reading is that self-improvement becomes valuable when it develops responsibility alongside ability.
Paper 1
Revise: Ambition and self-improvementA more convincing whole-novel reading is that Dickens distinguishes destructive ambition from worthwhile self-improvement. Pip still develops skills and achieves success, but his improvement becomes gradual, useful and responsible. His growth is measured by what he learns, not simply by what he gains.
