In Great Expectations, social class is a central theme that shapes the characters' lives and their interactions. Dickens explores the rigid class structure of Victorian England, highlighting the impact of wealth and status on personal relationships and individual aspirations. Through the journey of Pip, the protagonist, Dickens critiques the notion that social advancement equates to personal worth, ultimately suggesting that true value lies in character and integrity rather than social position.

Pip's journey begins with his desire to improve his social standing after being ridiculed by Estella for being "a common laboring boy." This incident ignites his ambition to become a gentleman, believing that wealth and status will earn him respect and Estella's approval. Dickens uses Pip's aspirations to critique the societal obsession with class, showing how it distorts personal values and relationships.

Throughout the novel, Dickens satirizes the middle class's aspirations to emulate the upper class, portraying characters like Uncle Pumblechook and the Pockets as sycophantic and frivolous. These characters highlight the superficiality of social climbing, as they attach themselves to wealth without contributing meaningfully to society. Pip's own transformation into a gentleman reveals the corrupting influence of wealth, as he becomes estranged from his roots and the people who genuinely care for him, such as Joe Gargery.

Money and social class also play a significant role in the lives of other characters. Magwitch's harsh treatment by the justice system underscores the prejudice faced by the lower class, while his role as Pip's benefactor challenges the notion that gentility is inherent to the upper class. Magwitch's wealth, earned through hard work, allows him to elevate Pip, yet it also exposes the emptiness of social pretensions. Dickens suggests that true gentility comes from inner values, as demonstrated by Joe's unwavering loyalty and kindness.

"Yes, Pip, dear boy, I've made a gentleman of you! It's me wot has done it! I swore that time, sure as ever I earned a guinea, that guinea should go to you. I swore afterwards, sure as ever I spec'lated and got rich, you should get rich. I lived rough, that you should live smooth. I worked hard that you should be above work. What odds, dear boy? Do I tell it fur you to feel a obligation? Not a bit. I tell it, fur you to know as that there hunted dunghill dog wot you kep life in, got his head so high that he could make a gentleman--and, Pip, you're him!"

Ultimately, Pip learns that social class and wealth do not define a person's worth. His realization that love and loyalty are more valuable than status is a key moral lesson of the novel. Dickens's portrayal of social class in Great Expectations serves as a critique of the societal values of his time, urging readers to recognize the importance of character over class.