Pip scrambles up a mound and sees a man nodding forward with his head down; asleep. Pip pats him on the shoulder and the man turns around in shock, trying to hit Pip but failing almost knocking himself over in the process. The man runs off onto the marshes and disappears from Pip through the thick mist. Pip makes out the convict he met yesterday in the mist and gives him all the food, as the convict is wolfing down all of his rations Pip asks the convict if he is going to save any for his friend, the convict looking shocked doesn’t believe it; the fake character the convict created had been witnessed by Pip was alive. The convict talks about how he will hunt and kill that man; how he is the thing on his mind and he is going to pay for what he has done. The convict crammed what food he had left in the breast of his jacket and started filing away at the iron leg. As Pip left for home he could still hear the shriek of the file hacking away at the iron. When Pip came back to the home Mrs. Joe was preparing the Christmas dinner and freshening up the home on behalf of the guests that were arriving. Because Mrs. Joe had so much to do, she went to church taking Pip and Joe with her. The guests that were coming would include Mr. Wopsle, the clerk of the Church; Mrs. and Mr. Hubble, the wheelwright; and Mr. Pumblechook who was Joes Uncle, although Mrs. Joe appropriated him. Pip talks about how he feels singled out and how the conversation is always pointed towards him. Mr. Wopsle, Uncle Pumblechook and Mrs. Hubble carry on a conversation openly how Pip is very ungrateful for what his sister has done for him. Uncle Pumblechook was about to drink the brandy, which Pip had half filed with tar-water. Mrs. Joe makes a big deal about her pork pie and how everyone should taste it, they all agree, during this Pip gets very nervous and attempts to run out the door; getting stopped by a fleet of soldiers in the process.
The soldiers are looking for an escaped criminal and seek the help of Joe to fix the handcuffs that were jammed.
Great Expectations presents the growth and development of a single character, Philip Pirrip, better known to himself and to the world as Pip. As the focus of the novel, is by far the most important character in Great Expectations: he is both the central character, whose actions make up the main plot of the novel, and the narrator, whose thoughts and attitudes shape the reader's perception of the story. As a result, developing an understanding of Pip's character is perhaps the most important step in understanding Great Expectations.
Because Pip is narrating his story many years after the events of the novel take place, there are really two Pips in Great Expectations: Pip the narrator and Pip the character—the voice telling the story and the person acting it out. Dickens takes great care to distinguish the two Pips, filling the voice of Pip the narrator with perspective and maturity while also imparting how Pip the character feels about what is happening to him as it actually happens. This skillfully executed distinction is perhaps best observed, when Pip the character is a child very early on in the book; here, Pip the narrator enables us to see and feel the story through his eyes, although his views are not so accurate because of the bias outlook of the child.
As a character, Pip's most important quality is his innately good conscience. Pip the narrator judges his own past actions extremely harshly, rarely giving himself credit for good deeds but angrily criticizing himself for bad ones. Pip is at heart a very generous and sympathetic young man, a fact that can be witnessed in his numerous acts of kindness throughout the book (helping , stealing food, etc) and his essential love for all those who love him. Pip's main line of development in the novel may be seen as the process of learning to place his innate sense of kindness and Conscience above his immaturity.
Mrs. Joe serves as link to make it so that Joe appears very much to be the father of Pip. In addition, Joe, although terrified of Mrs. Joe, is a very honorable man and would never consider divorcing his wife. Through this condition, however, Joe appears to be even a more honorable man to choose to preserve the sacred marriage rather than seek his comfort. It is ironic that Mrs. Joe be referred to as Mrs. Joe constantly when there doesn't seem to much a part of Joe in her. The main purpose it serves is probably to characterize Mrs. Joe as a more masculine, and, therefore, typically more commanding character. In the tradition of marriage, the wife usually gives up her last name to show that she is property of the man; therefore it is especially ironic that she be called Mrs. Joe when it is clear that Joe, rather, belongs more to her than vice-versa. Through the eyes of Pip Mrs. Joe is very strict and atrocious woman and wouldn’t appear to be his sister at all. This however is not reliable as it has been written in a biased opinion of Pip as a child, it could be very clear that Mrs. Joe is not as bad as she comes across, as she has raised Pip for most of his life and is probably is rather strict and disciplined rather than cruel and sadistic.
Joe is an honest and industrial fellow, and passes these qualities onto the young Pip. Joe does not spend a lot of time in London in the novel, but remains in Pip’s thoughts as he lives his expectations. Joe serves as a constant reminder to both Pip and the reader, of Pip’s past life and good values as he ventures into a world of vanity. Joe is sometimes a foolish man, but he is also a generous and forgiving man. Dickens illustrates this in Joe’s reaction to Magwitch’s story about stealing the food and tools from his house. Joe is also in many ways like Pip, this can be seen when Pip and Joe are eating the bread and competing to see who can take the largest bite.
After the man breaks her heart, leaving her without a groom, she is hurt so deeply because of his betrayal, that she becomes insane. She is devoted to the vengeance of her own unhappiness by ruining the lives every man. Estella becomes the vehicle to Miss Havisham’s scheme, as the frightening woman does everything in her power to make Estella heartless and cold. Miss Havisham pretends to be Pip’s benefactor, and lures him into loving Estella so much that he will for sure be completely damaged when he becomes rejected by her. Miss Havisham’s plan is inconsiderate of both Pip and Estella’s feelings, but she does not stop to consider this until the end of the novel, when it is too late for her to start anew. Miss Havisham is not a completely evil woman. She has been hurt by a loved one, and constantly reminds herself by keeping memories in her mansion, where she stays all day and night without ever seeing light. She treats Pip with some kindness and recognizes that he is a good boy
One of the most well written scenes of the book takes place in the Graveyard where Pip is met by his future benefactor. The Scene starts with Dickens talking about some very strong imagery, painting the picture of the Graveyard at “raw afternoon” from the eyes of Pip, he uses words like “overgrown nettles”, “distant savage lair” and “the wind was rushing”; these descriptive quotes show how the view was very solemn in addition to being eerie. At this point the convict shouts at Pip and as he walks towards Pip, there is a strong description of the character. It is clear by the language used that he is a “Fearful man”, other language used also portray his recent actions “smothered in mud, lamed by stones, cut by flints and stung by nettles”. The convict forces Pip to answer all of his questions by the tone of his voice, and we feel that it is such a strong interrogation, that Pip is absolutely terrified and we can tell by his actions; “I pleaded in terror. “Pray don’t do it sir” ”. The convict tips Pip upside down and finds a piece of bread drop out of his pocket, the convict “ravenously” eats it while Pip was placed on the tombstone “trembling”. The convict talks about how Pips cheeks are so fat and how he would love to eat them, at this time Pip is scared stiff and “grips tighter to the tombstone”, this is meant to appear to the audience as a joke and it is clear the convict won’t really eat Pips cheeks.
When Pip reveals that he lives with Joe a Blacksmith, something clicked to the convict. He grabbed Pip on the tombstone and pushed him as far down as possible and stared strongly into his eyes, while Pips eyes stared “helplessly” back into the convicts. We can clearly see the horror genre has been the base of the scene the fact that the Convict seems as if he is a real villain with the added fact of him being tied up with an iron on his leg. When Pip says “ after each question he tilted me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger”, it is clear that the convict isn’t as bad and dangerous, he is simply trying to scare Pip into what he wants done , there is no painful violence inflicted onto Pip at all. The convict gives one last contribution to Pips conscience, he introduces a new character “a young man” this young man would “softly creep and creep his way to him and tear him open” (him, being a young boy in this case Pip) . this again is a comical part of the scene and is meant to sound ludicrous to the audience but not to Pip, it also shows Pips naivety and innocence.
I feel that “Great Expectations” is such an appealing novel straight from the start of the book because of all the different levels and themes that have been applied to the early chapters. The book also works on so many different levels, working with a variation of genres. The different Characters with their each and own individual characteristics also makes the book very intriguing from the beginning.
