CHARLES DICKENS’ GREAT EXPECTATIONS AND DONNA TARTT’S THE GOLDFINCH: A STUDY IN BILDUNGSROMAN

The concept of bildungsroman is studied in the novels Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt by integrating the experiences of the protagonists. Their character growths follow a similar arc as they start off as naive young boys and evolve into well experienced men. The struggles they face from a young age, and the way they deal with the problems of life, the choices they make and the beliefs they hold are examined. The characters they come across and the role they play in the development of the lives of the protagonists are also compared and contrasted.