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Great Expectations is a semi-autobiographical work involving 19th century England. The protagonist, Pip narrates his life story from childhood to adulthood with graceful insertion of subplots and background stories such as Estella's background and that of Abel Magwitch.

Arguably one of Dicken's most unforgettable works, Great Expectations utilises a wide variety of different intonation to introduce the reader into each chapter opening. This contrasts deeply with Oliver Twist, of which we read about the life of Oliver from an invisible, distracted narrator.

Pip's tone as a child is noticeably simplistic, revolves around his surroundings and makes acute, observation that children often do whilst displaying an innocence that is beautifully illustrated by the author; especially in his first encounter with the Convict.

The teenage angst and lustful frustrations is brought forth as boldly as permissible by the clever author in Pip and his encounter with Estella. Nothing that Estella is only fourteen at that time; and physical descriptions of the human body and senses not in vogue at that time, Dickens truly maximizes the use of tone to his utmost advantage.

Pip's voice begins to grow in confidence with his age. One can also detect a sense of self-confidence, if not narcissism of youth and accomplishment. The admirable part really is, how Pip is brought to humility and once again reveals his baseline personality when the truth about Miss Havisham and Estella hits him.

The rise and fall of a young man is really just the platform in Great Expectations. Perhaps purposefully; Dickens introduced many characters that bear incredibly rich personalities thinly veiled by the lack of discussion forthwith. However, the imaginative use of tone betrays their existence. For example, Miss Havisham's abruptness, self-satisfying wit laced with a dark humor in the beginning leads gives the reader no surprises when her obsessive personality is revealed later. Even the mysterious Estella is carefully painted with a dose of melancholy as a teenager in her careful choice of sharp words when playing with Pip.

Another remarkable aspect of Great Expectations is the evolution of its characters. Other than Pip, the mellowed temperament of his sister Mrs Joe and introvertish Joe was truly a work of deep consideration. And it was achieved mainly by the appropriate use of tone in first person dialogs. The use of tone was not only for narrative purposes. Dickens also utilised it to cast an emotional array not seen in his other works. The secret heartbreak of Pip over Estella, the clash between reality and fantasy about Miss Havisham and the his final embrace of reality in his adult encounter with Magwitch were actually covertly achieved by the narrator's covering tone; ranging from quick, sanguineous to brooding melancholy.

All in all, the use of tone is perhaps best demonstrated in Great Expectations than any other Dickens' work; and that, rightly has been the cause of novel's claim to classical stature.

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