Great Expectations
Why the change of tense occurs between these sentences?
Sentences: I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip. & I give Pirrip as my father's family name~
Asked by
choi m #265227
Last updated by
jill d #170087
Answers 1
Add Yours
Answered by
jill d #170087
Grammatically incorrect for sure, but it works....... Dickens can do whatever he likes and it works......
Anyway, in this context changing tenses isn't as inappropriate as we'd think. Pip is explaining what "was" and what "is" all within two lines of text..... it's the way he speaks, and the way Dickens wrote it. If you handed me a paper in which you switched tenses mid-stream I'd give it back and tell you to fix it..... I's never tell Dickens any such thing!
