For many, material wealth is the epitome of humanity's earthly desires. With wealth comes money, possessions, the promise of freedom from social constraints and the ability to pursue your dreams. However, the influence it has on a person's character can be a strong reminder of what the abuse of wealth can ultimately lead to. In both Charles Dickens' Great Expectations and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre the corrupting nature of monetary wealth is shown through the lives of multiple characters. It's easy to see that worry about money blinds people to the prosperity ahead and can lead them down paths that end in nothing but loneliness, misery, or even death. When people are motivated solely by the prospects of money alone they are often willing to take drastic measures to achieve their goals. In Great Expectations the greatest example of a character willing to take these measures is Compeyson. He has no regard for Miss Havisham's feelings. His money is his primary goal and he will stop at nothing to get it. When Pip hears of this he remarks, "I wonder he didn't marry her and get all the property." (Dickens 191). Compeyson gave up the opportunity not only to be included in Miss Havisham's fortune, but also to own land and to be married to a woman of a higher social class than himself. Aside from the money itself, he gained nothing from this scam. His constant pursuit of money and fraudulent ways have left him with nothing more than a prison sentence. An obvious parallel to Compeyson in Jane Eyre is Blanche Ingram. Blanche is another example of a person who pursues nothing but money. She lives a selfish life hoping that... middle of paper... that money is what defines his character and what leads him astray. The only place it took him to was abject poverty. As demonstrated in these two classic works of fiction, having an obsession with money, possessions, or wealth is a dangerous obsession. No character in any of these books benefits from their misguided pursuit of wealth. The only character who didn't allow money to corrupt and ultimately devastate them was Jane. Her acceptance of her earthly place and belongings prevented her from being consumed by her desires; never allowing itself to succumb to the corrupting nature of monetary wealth. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. "Jane Eyre." Reader's Digest The books most loved by young readers. Pleasantville, New York: Reader's Digest Association, 1966. 133-394. Print.Dickens, Charles. Great expectations. New York: Bantam Books, 1986. Print.