Magwitch is presented as a “fearful man” and Dickens uses him to represent the lowest class as he is a criminal. However, his appearance betrays his character as will be revealed in chapter thirty-nine. Dickens is trying to create a contrast between the two sides of the convict. He establishes that Magwitch may not be what he seems to be from the outside. The boy makes such a deep impression on the criminal that he decides to aid him financially as Pip’s benefactor. The writer starts the plot off dynamically through rapidly introducing the scene and the protagonist and even presenting the conflict of the novel as Magwitch. It gives us an idea about Pip’s past; he is an orphan and has five dead brothers. Dickens makes this especially effective by using a first person narrative view, which helps the reader believe that they are actually involved in a disclosing and intimate conversation that is taking place between Pip and the convict. The sense of tension is established almost immediately whilst the reader sympathises with Pip. The audience discovers that Pip leads a difficult life although he shows signs of innocence and an immature character. As the adult Pip narrates he says “I drew childish a childish conclusion”. This tells the audience that Pip is young and vulnerable with much to learn. Because Pip is an orphan, he can be seen as an exposed child. He also shows himself to be alone in the sense he has no history. “I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip”, this shows us how he has had to invent his own identity because he has no one, which ultimately makes him no one. Although he does live with his sister, he does not share the same name as her, “Mrs Joe Gargery”. This makes Pip seem even more isolated and defenceless.
The language that Dickens uses in the first chapter is also very effective in setting the scene. When Dickens is describing the gravestones of all of Pip’s siblings. The content of his writing contains a lot of description and makes the introduction of Great Expectations very dense, which will foreshadow the events between Pip and the escaped convict.
Another feature Dickens uses in the first chapter of Great Expectations is the way he refers to Magwitch as the “man”. Dickens also helps the reader relate to the Victorian attitudes of the criminal class by making have no identity. A sense of mystery is also created when Dickens refers to Magwitch as a “man” as this makes him seem as if he as no identity. His poor language and dialect tells the reader that he is a man with little education and with little money.
He uses this with the description of Magwitch to dehumanise him and make him seem like an animal. “Glared and growled” imply that he is wild and animal-like. “Licking his lips” also helps portray an untamed and savage creature. An example of this is “A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg”. Dickens is relating Magwitch to an animal which shows how desperate he is. “Young dog” and “Licking his lips” both demonstrate that the convict is barely surviving and would think about eating Pip. It portrays the scene very well as it adds to the tension and Magwitch’s power over Pip as he uses threats to get what he wants.
Dickens opens Great Expectations by jumping the readers straight into the conflict of the novel and establishes Pip as both the narrator and the protagonist. The approach of duality allows the audience to connect to Pip in a very personal way. Dickens lets Pip’s perceptions carry the audience into the story as he defines the characters and events through Pip. He is successful in making the audience believe that Magwitch is a terrifying character. He overpowers Pip with the savage language that Dickens has applied, “You young dog, said the man” and “Darn me if I couldn’t eat ‘em”. Magwitch acts as if he wants to eat Pip and threatens him it.
At the opening of chapter thirty-nine Pip is alone in his house in London and it is a miserable and stormy night. Dickens now uses the weather to portray the misery and dread of the forthcoming events. Although Pip is in a state of depression, there is still a sense of tension in the atmosphere. He is in a lot of debt and his “uninvited guest” helps him to realise and reflect on what he has done. Pip’s relationship with Magwitch also progressing throughout this chapter as Dickens gradually lets Pip come to terms with his secret benefactor. This realization emphasises one of the themes in “Great Expectations” in regards to social class.
At the beginning of chapter thirty-nine Dickens makes Pip’s surroundings seem like they are foreshadowing the arrival of the convict. The writer uses pathetic fallacy to show Pip’s emotions, which are the most disheartening of his life. “Dispirited and anxious, and long disappointed” shows the reader that he is unhappy and he has not got what he had wanted. This could also suggest that he is realising his morally wrong conduct in his life so far. The storm is a sign of a low depression, which causes thunderstorms; this can then be seen to reflect on Pip’s state of mind.
There are also aspects of this chapter, which look back on previous chapters including chapter one where Pip and Magwitch met for the first time. The “discharge of the cannon” hints that Magwitch is due to arrive because it was this, which the gun ships did to signify that a convict has escaped which added a sense of foreboding. Dickens also uses the heavy veil to show a symbol of depression, which is also mentioned in chapter one. The “Vast heavy veil” also suggests that something concealed is about to be revealed which relates to Magwitch’s arrival. Both settings of chapter thirty-nine and one were of gothic elements as they were dark and mysterious. The weather adds to the unsettling atmosphere of tension.
Suspense is also created through Dickens’s use of longer sentences in chapter thirty-nine. This increases the tension of the atmosphere, which helps make the convicts visit more dramatic. They exaggerate the true meaning of the sentences in order to do this. The writer also makes the house more threatening through a sense of gothic literature. The dark and stormy night suggest that the house is even more imposing which can be related to Pip’s current feelings. “Gloomy”, “Violent blasts” and “shipwreck and death” help illustrate a sinister and gothic scene in London. His decay of moral character is reflected through these themes. Dickens also uses thought, repetition and description to add to the sense of an intimidating atmosphere, which is building up the tension.
Once Pip has let the convict into his house, the truth finally sinks into him. His wishes to end up with Estella are destroyed because he realises who was feeding him all the money. “I’m your second father. You’re my son-”, this tells the reader how Magwitch sees himself and that there was a good motif behind his scheme. This is a clear turning point in Great Expectations as it has extinguished Pip’s belief concerning his social class. The money has come from a criminal, which makes Pip interpret that he is almost a “fake” gentlemen.
This also tells the audience something about Magwitchs character and relationship with Pip. He can now no longer be seen as the menacing and fearful man like in chapter one, but a man with inner nobility and a certain loyalty towards Pip.
Chapter thirty-nine can be seen as a pivotal section of Great Expectations due to the climax that is forced upon Pip. However, it helps Pip realise that wealth and social class are not everything, but that friends and relationships are a lot more valuable. His relationship with Magwitch develops and he is now a lot more grateful towards him. There is a definite similarity between Joe Gargery and Magwitch as they have both been watching over Pip. Both men are kind and giving but also of the lower class and uneducated. Joe and Magwitch have educated Pip and given him an opportunity to grow up and become something. However, Pip does not see the as worthy of him and feels he is above them even though both men still love him.
Pip has now completely accepted Magwitch as a second father and as a friend in one of the possible climaxes in chapter fifty-six. His understanding of life and of other people is at its fullest and he has now developed into his most mature phase in relation to his character. Now that Magwitch is dying, Pip is visiting him as he sympathises for the sick man.
Dickens refers to God in several ways in the last chapter of Great Expectations. He lets the reader see Magwitch’s death as God forgiving him for what he has done and lets him pass away instead of meeting his death through execution. The write uses religion as a symbol to demonstrate the peace between Magwitch and Pip. “Glittering rays of April sun” shows us how dickens felt that God was looking down on the courtroom and that he had the final say. Dickens makes the audience believe that Magwitch has come to peace with god who in return, forgives him with a quiet death. The “Sunrise” also suggests a victory for the old man as he passes away. The shaft of sunlight links together the judge and the convicts which shows that there was a sense of equality and that only one person decides what the outcome is. Dickens also uses the weather in pathetic fallacy where the rain symbolises sadness, as Magwitch will be executed, and the sunlight showing his happiness, as he will be able to die at peace with the world.
Dickens emphasises the theme of Victorian attitudes towards criminality especially in the courtroom. All of the convicts who are to be tried and hanged are dealt with all together and at the same time as if they were a pack. This lets the reader see how Dickens saw how society viewed the lowest class. They were not treated as individuals and not worthy of being treated fairly. The courtroom could almost be seen as some sort of show. This gives the reader the impression that people were there to receive some sort of entertainment as if it was a circus. This reduces the convicts to the lowest in the community as people used their suffering and eventually death as a form of enjoyment. Dickens can relate to the scene in the courtroom as he has previously worked in one. His father was also arrested and humiliated which I believe left a deep impression on Dickens about how the system was run. He says, “I could scarcely believe” when all the people were about to be tried which shows a sign of hatred towards the court. He shows how people were demoralised in front of an audience and presents Magwitch as a victim of society. Dickens shows how the corrupt and biased court system favours the richer people and will not look at how Magwitch’s life has changed in a positive way.
Towards the end of Magwitch’s death, Pip tells him about his long-lost daughter; Estella. “She is a lady and very beautiful. And I love her!” By telling Magwitch about his daughter he reveals that he can finally prioritise of the things, which matter in life. Pip stays with his benefactor until the end and is worried for his fate; while in contrast Magwitch is calm and is finally at peace with the world. This gives Magwitch everything he needs to die a peaceful death in knowing that he has made a true gentleman out of Pip.
Magwitch is in many ways responsible for the alterations that have occurred throughout Pip’s existence. He has made him a more social and wealthy gentlemen as well. But, in many cases it has been Pip who has appreciated and regretted what he has done wrong in the past. With the help of Magwitch, Pip has been able to understand the importance of relationships and love, over wealth and social class. Dickens has used Pip to show how he has learned how to put his main concerns in front in many situations. He has helped the reader see how Pip has always wanted to improve himself as an idealist. This is shown when he wants to learn how to read and become a gentlemen on the whole. However Pip’s ambitions were morally wrong at first even though Magwitch helped him achieve them, but then, Magwitch also helped him become a true gentleman as well. Magwitch and Joe were both influential in the upbringing of Pip. But, I believe that Magwitch can be seen as a “catalyst” in regards to Pip as he has supported him financially and emotionally. Dickens has explored the differences in class during Great Expectations. He has discovered the poor and wretched criminals such as Magwitch, but he has also looked at the very rich and rude upper class including Mrs. Havisham. This is why the central theme of Charles Dickens’s novel is social class and Pip is used to investigate this through him upgrading his status through self-improvement. The continuous development of Magwitchs and Pip’s characters are therefore dependent on this theme. Their relationship has helped uncover the attitudes of crime as it has shown through the various characters and is a theme that is repeated many times in the novel.
