We completed our discussion on the literary form of the bildungsroman noting how the novel is narrated by Pip as an adult who comments and judges his youthful ,often misguided, actions. I then discussed how Dickens originally conceived of the novel as having a humorous tone which is evident in the opening chapters. We discussed the critical irony of Dickens' description of Pip's brutal upbringing by a sister who brings him up "by hand" (literally) and uses a cane called a "tickler" to punish Pip. I addressed Dickens' very pronounced and unique writing style as well as the opening chapters illustrating child abuse as a call for social reform .