The graveyard was also “overgrown with nettles” which definitely sounds like it has been abandoned and forgotten about by everyone, except Pip. There is also an air of neglect about it as no one had bothered to get rid of the nettles and it was now disused.
There is also a lot of description referring to the marshland surrounding the churchyard. The marshes are referred to the “dark flat wilderness”. This shows that the churchyard was on the edge of a wild place and only a low wall separates the two. It is as if the marshes are being kept back by the churchyard wall.
The emphasis on the graveyard as a dreary place is continued throughout the chapter. This is a very effective way to open the chapter as it shows where Pip’s family are buried and his background.
It also sets the scene for Magwitch’s arrival later on in the chapter. It does this by showing the sea which could relate to how Magwitch escaped from the prison ship.
The marshes are also a big part of the chapter and they are described in fearful and dangerous way. The way Pip describes the whereabouts of the sea, “the distant savage lair”, shows the sea as an animal ready to engulf the land. The marshes are also shown as “flat” this makes the reader feel that they continue forever and there is no sanctuary or hiding place from danger. The “dykes and mounds” show that if one was walking on the marshes they could easily become lost and confused as there are no distinguishing landmarks.
Magwitch, the convict, seems to fit the marsh quite well and maybe Pip saw a link between the two. Both are dangerous and wild and both seem to be dark too. The convict also seems to fit in with the moor, as both creep up on you silently.
To conclude, the setting of the graveyard and marshes are a good way of setting the arrival of Magwitch and showing how Pip sees his part of the world.
