Setting
The settings in these particular two chapters are worlds apart and make each chapter very different.
When Pip first met Magwitch in chapter 1, he was on a lonely marsh in the middle of a graveyard! Yet, when he met Magwitch for the second time, he was inside a warm room with a warm fire, but the weather outside was dark and dreary “I might have fancied myself in a storm-beaten lighthouse”. This suggests that Dickens was implying that Pip was a recluse; he was hiding away from his past within the small, warm shelter of his good fortune, but that his past (the weather) was catching up with him. This would also explain why Pip did not recognise Magwitch, as you would expect the fear instilled in him from the first meeting to remain with him indefinitely.
The first meeting was also ‘set’ in Pips childhood, which meant that Magwitch had to check whether Pip understood him “You know what a file is?” However, in the second meeting Pip was a much older and well educated character, so Magwitch could talk to Pip in full confidence that he understood what he was saying. In fact, Magwitch even presumes that Pips intelligence outstrips his own “And if they’re in foreign languages wot I don’t understand”
This book was set in the 19th century, and there are many indicators to show this. However, there are few of these indicators in the first chapter, with the only main clues being the language and the treatment of Pip, not by Magwitch, but by his sister. However, the clues are mostly in the language “and my sister – Mrs Joe Gargery” this is an unlikely phrase for a child to use nowadays, as women generally use their own first name (instead of taking their husbands). There are many other examples of phrases or words that would not be used nowadays, for example “Ours was the marsh country” and “wittles”.
The clue in the treatment of Pip is that he had been told very little about his parents by his sister, and has had to make his own assumptions on what little knowledge he had “my first fancies regarding what they were like, were unreasonably derived from their tombstones”. Nowadays it would be presumed that Pip’s sister would have told him all about his parents, even if there were photographs of them.
There are also few indicators in chapter 39 that this book was set in the 19th century, as Dickens probably presumed that the reader knew this by now. However, there are some indicators, yet they are all in the style of language. For example “the forge” “gentlemen” and “neckerchief” are all words that would not be used nowadays
How the characters are presented
In the first chapter, Pip was presented as a naive little boy who, caught up in the moment, would believe anything that Magwitch told him “I looked all round for the horrible young man”, Pip was clearly frightened by the prospect of the horrible young man, when it is clear to the reader that the individual does not exist. No reference is made to him in chapter 39 because Pip had matured and probably realised that the “young man” did not exist. In chapter 1 Pip was also presented as very gullible, as he made no attempt to escape from Magwitch, even though he could probably have escaped, as Magwitch was shackled by a chain between his legs “a great iron on his leg” Also, at one point Magwitch began to run off “He started, made a short run”, and Pip did not try to escape, but informed Magwitch that his mother was dead “Also Georgiana”. This shows that Pip was totally honest, as he could have just let Magwitch presume that his mother was nearby and made his escape.
Magwitch was presented as a very callous individual in the chapter 1, with only the slightest hint of compassion when he learns that Pips mother was dead, “Oh!” He was also presented as an impatient character “‘tell us your name!’ said the man. ‘Quick!’ ”, and he scared Pip in to giving him what he wanted, not caring what psychological harm he inflicted upon a small vulnerable child. “Or I’ll have your heart and liver out”
By chapter 39 Pip had matured and become a much more distrustful character, and asked Magwitch what he wanted before asking him to come in “Pray, what is your business? ….. Do you wish to come in?”, whilst the young Pip would have probably done things the other way round. This is due to the fact that Joe was his role model when he was young, but as an adult, and as he grew up, he encountered a much more distrusting world – London, and in turn, he became more shrewd. Pip was also portrayed as an ungrateful person, and when Magwitch revealed to Pip that he was his benefactor, Pip does not feel any gratitude, only “repugnance” and “abhorring him”. Although this reaction was understandable to some extents, when Pip was younger he would probably have shown at least some gratitude, unlike his adult self.
In chapter 39 Magwitch was portrayed very differently, in fact, he was almost like a new character, he was kind “dear boy”, caring “”He caught me, drew me to the sofa” and he respected Pip with an almost godlike reverence “”he took both my hands and put them to his lips” “bent on one knee before me”. He was also willing to risk his life to see Pip, as returning to England was punishable by death “By G , it’s Death!” This was probably more true to Magwitch’s real personality than when Pip met him on the marshes, as at this point he was no longer starving or on the run. However his love for Pip was so great that it had exaggerated his good qualities by an incredible amount, making the reader forget that he was a convict, and had done wrong. Subsequently, the reader gets the image of an old, lonely man who was blinded by love for the young boy who helped him survive on the marshes. However, by making Pip a gentleman, Magwitch had done the one thing that he wished not to do – change Pip in to a completely different person, who had lost some of the qualities that had made him so endearing.
19th century life
These two chapters tell us many things about 19th century life. One of the main things that Chapter 1 told us about this period was the treatment of children, as mentioned previously under settings. Another thing this chapter tells us about is that mortality rates were high, especially for the lower class people such as Pip’s family, and subsequently living conditions were probably poor, as Pips mother, Father and 5 brothers had all died. No mention of the circumstances of their deaths leads to the assumption that they were, in all probability, due poor sanitation.
Chapter 39 reveals more about the upper class’s and convict’s way of life – two huge extremes. Being a gentleman, Pip lived a life of luxury, in an apartment in the middle of London, with a roaring fire and many books “mounting up, on their shelves, by hundreds!” Pip also wore high quality clothes and linen (unlike when he was a child) and had expensive jewellery “a gold ’un”. This shows that in a gentleman’s lifestyle it was important to keep up appearances, with fine clothes, expensive jewellery and well preened homes.
Magwitch’s lifestyle as a convict was completely different. He was shipped off to Australia “away in the new world” and used almost as a slave “my master” until his “master” died. He lived in a hut “a solitary hut” and was treated terribly by the colonists “them colonists might fling up the dust over me”. This tells us that the convicts were treated appallingly, and were shipped over to Australia to dispose of them.
Dickens’s message to his readers
Dickens conveyed many of his own ideas to his readers, via his books. The message to Dickens’s readers in this particular novel is plain – not all convicts are malevolent. This idea comes across very strongly in chapter 39, when Pip realises that it was Magwitch that had been his benefactor all along. The fact that Magwitch “lived rough, that you should live smooth” also shows that not all convicts are selfish; in fact, Magwitch is one of the most generous people that Pip had met! Chapter 1 portrays the idea that not all convicts are inherently wrong, they are just driven to do wrong by the circumstances that they are in, just like Magwitch.
The reason that Dickens wanted to portray this particular message may be due to the fact that he, and all his family, were imprisoned for his father’s debt. He may even have met someone who helped him whilst he was in prison, and subsequently he based the character of Magwitch on them, realising that not all convicts are the evil people we think of, and some are kind generous people.
Conclusion
I conclude that although these two chapters are about as different as you can get (whilst still using the same characters), they both contribute to the same moral, just in entirely different ways.