Estella is constantly tormenting Pip, the turning point is when she exclaims “he calls the knaves, Jacks, this boy!” Adding “and what coarse hands he has! And what thick boots!” Pip feels ashamed, he reflects immediately on Estella’s hurtful remarks “I had never thought of being ashamed of my hands before; but I began to consider them a very indifferent pair.” He relays his true emotions “I was so humiliated, hurt, spurned, offended, angry, sorry”, “tears started to my eyes” which shows he has clearly been affected by these remarks. Pip’s immediate angry reaction is to blame Joe for his upbringing, he “determined to ask Joe why he had ever taught me to call those picture cards, Jacks.” He wishes Joe “had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so too.” This shows he wishes he could have an education. Pip sums up his meeting with Miss Havesham, “I had seen, and deeply revolving that I was a common labouring boy; that my hands were coarse; that my boots were thick; that I had fallen into a despicable habit of calling Knaves, Jacks; that I was much more ignorant than I had considered myself last night, and generally that I was in a low-lived bad way.” The quote shows Pip’s new outlook towards himself, and his new considered view of his image. Dickens uses the word “ despicable”, this represents how Pip feels about himself at the present moment in time.
After the visit to Miss Haveshams, Pip returns back home, the visit has greatly affected his self-esteem, bringing the character of Pip forward in a new light. Pip lies to his sister and Mr Pumblechook, about the dealings of his visit, “I felt convinced that if I describes Miss Havesham as my eyes had seen it, I should not be understood.” Showing Pip finds it easier to lie, than to face the truth about Estella and Miss Havesham. He doesn’t want his sister not Mr Pumblechook, to find out the truth, “ I said as little as I could.” Showing he has no intention of revealing anything about his encounter.
Pip sees no wrong in lying to his sister nor Mr Pumblechook, “ towards Joe and Joe only, I considered myself a young monster,” Showing the only person he considers himself bad towards is Joe. Pip only seeks Joe’s approval , “ you are not angry with me Joe?”
Pip confides in Joe, “ I should like to tell you something,” only Joe is worthy of Pip’s attention. He tells Joe with such ease, “ It’s a terrible thing Joe, it aint true.” “ It’s lies Joe” therefore Joe is the only one to know the truth.
After recalling the visit in his young now bewildered and baffled mind, Pip proceeds to blame Joe. “But I wished you hadn’t taught me to call Knaves at cards, Jacks, and I wish my boots weren’t so thick nor my hands so coarse.” The quotation demonstrates Pip sees himself wrong in Estella’s eyes. Dickens uses “ wish” and “wished”, to great effect, as these show Pip’s new found wants and desires, pip no longer sees his life as consolable. In reality this is just a socially discriminate term, comparing Pip’s pronunciation to be
“ Jacks”, where as Estella calls them “Knaves,” this to Pip appears right.
Pip is emotionally distraught by the visit, he tells Joe: “I felt very miserable.” Showing his clear self-esteem and emotional demoralisation. Pip realises and evaluates Estella’s scornful remarks of him, “ she said I was common, and that I knew I was common.”
An excellent example of the change in Pip is when he sums up his day, “that was a memorable day for me, for it made great changes in me.” Pip himself realises the changes that have occurred within him.
Pip has changed enormously, his feelings about his life, his future, his appearance and home life have been turned upside down. Pip is no longer happy, “it is a most miserable thing to feel ashamed of home.”
Pip relates everything to Miss Havesham and Estella, “ Now it was all coarse and common, and I would not have had Miss Havesham and Estella see it on my account.” Showing his shear embarrassment at the thought of them seeing, the state of his life.
Prior to his visit to Miss Havesham’s his only consolation was Joe , “ Joe had sanctified it and I believed in it,” Pip has realised that there is more than the forge and Joe in the world, this is his reasoning for wanting more: as he knows there is more.
The change in Pip’s life brings about him feeling that his life is boring, dull and non- prosperous,” my life lay stretched out straight before me through the newly entered road of apprenticeship to Joe.” The metaphor of the journey, implies no variation to his dull routine. The only consolation for Pip is “ plain contented Joe,” showing he is pleased Joe hasn’t realised the full extent of Pip’s worries about his future, Pip hides his unhappiness, purely for Joe.
Before meeting Miss Havesham and Estella, Pip had no embarrassment about his life now his main dread is: “ I was haunted by the fear that she would sooner or later, find me out, with a black face and hands doing the coarsest part of my work and would exult over me and despise me.” This shows Pip’s total humiliation, he only desires to be seen as good in Estella’s eyes.
A main change in Pip is that he no longer desires to stay at the house, and also work in the forge. “Because Joe was faithful, that I never ran away.” Showing deep down he wants to escape and have the chance of a better life. Pip would also like to be so much more, “restless, aspiring, discontented me,” showing he wants to be something he isn’t.
Pip’s change in character has bought forward a new admiration in him, “ I want to be a gentlemen.” This means that he wants to learn manners and how to treat a lady. This is because he wants to impress and please Estella, and also for people to look up to him, however Pip only sees a gentlemen from the outside. Pip is inpatient, he wants to become a gentlemen instantly, “ I am disgusted with my calling.” He is using much more refined language, to illustrate his future. Pip’s wishes for the future are shown with: “ Make the most of every chance,” he wishes he could have just one chance to become a gentlemen.
Pip is confused as to whether he wants to become a gentlemen to spite or to gain Estela over, “ and I want to be a gentlemen on her account.” Illustrating his state of confusion regarding his future.
When Pip is informed about his ‘ great expectations’, we see him as ecstatic, “ my heart was beating so fast, and there was such a singing in my ears, that I could scarcely stammer I had no objection.” Showing his distinct pleasure toward his goof fortune.
We still see signs of Pip’s vivid imagination as we noted, at the beginning ,” I was lost in the mazes of my future fortunes, and could not retrace the bypaths we had trodden together.” This shows Pip’s confusion as to how his great fortunes came upon him.
Pip takes note of the others reactions, “ there was a certain touch of sadness in their congratulations, that I rather resented.” Pip fails to empathise with their sadness, he takes it personally, this is a sign of his new found hierarchy. Pip still however considers Joe to be good natured, “ O dear good Joe, whom I was so ready to leave and so unthankful to.” Showing the change within him that, by saying this he considers himself more important than Joe.
We feel the change in Pip has been represented as him becoming selfish, he now considers himself superior to everyone. “ That’s just what I don’t want Joe. They would make such a business of it- such a coarse and common business, that I couldn’t bear myself.” Dickens choice of the words “ coarse” and “common”, are in two ways ironic. Firstly he feels the very people who he went to for his education, are now below him. Also these words are the words Estella scornfully tormented him with.
Pip doesn’t think after his ‘great expectations’, he will be able to go back to his old ways. “It was an uneasy bed now, and I never slept the old sound sleep in it anymore.” Dickens repeatedly shows Pip’s reflection from the future to the past. He also continuously shows Pip’s reflection towards his present situation, “feeling it very sorrowful and strange that the first night of my bright fortunes, should be the loneliest I had ever known.” Pip sees his new fortunes as not starting very positive for him.
Pip’s attitude towards leaving for London, when he awakes is prosperous, “I was for London and greatness.” Dickens uses the word ‘greatness’, to derive Pip’s views of his future success. Although Pip is sure of his ‘greatness’, he still finds it hard to leave Joe,
“I broke into tears,” screening his true feelings. Pip feels proud, he wants to be seen as mature and strong, “I had told Joe that I wished to walk away alone.” This shows his pride, and perhaps stubbornness. This is an example of a drastic change within him. However he still recognises Joe’s goodness, “appreciative of the society of Joe.”
Pip’s thoughts and feelings are greatly contrasting, “get down and walk back,” in comparison with, “I went on.” The quotes show, how Pip feels he should go back to Joe, yet he is torn by his future prospects, “the world lay spread before me.” These contrasting thoughts of Pip’s represent a great change within him. Before his ‘great expectations’, he never had the need for such contrasting thoughts, as his life was simple and easy, now many decisions will have to be made by himself.
Dickens wrote the last part of Pip’s departure with great heist, “we changed again and yet again”. Representing Pip’s continuous journey towards his new world of: “ greatness” and “wealth.”
Within chapter 27, we are given our most blatant insight into the character change of Pip.
As he reads the letter from Biddy, he finds out Joe is soon to be arriving in London: his old friend, companion and confidant. Joe distinctively asks Biddy to write, ‘what larks’ in her letter addressed to Pip. However even with this reminiscence of past times, Pip feels aggrieved that Joe is coming to see him. “Not with pleasure,” showing pips change, now he’s in London. He now longer considers spending time with Joe. “With considerable disturbance,” he’s worried about the visit of Joe. Pip’s horrified at the thought of Joe coming to see him, “mortification,” showing his true feelings of distress at the thought of the future visit.
Pip’s change whilst being in London, has meant he sees wealth as everything. “If I could have kept him away by paying money, I certainly would have paid money.” Showing that firstly, he’d do anything to stop Joe’s visit, and also he can buy anything, and that money can solve anything.
Pip feels embarrassed, he doesn’t want to be seen with Joe, “my greatest reassurance was, that he was coming to Barnards Inn,” showing he doesn’t want to be associated with someone of Joe’s status.
Joe himself realises the change in Pip, “ you wont find half so much fault in me if you think of me in my forge dress.” This displays Joe’s uncomfortableness, and unease, he realises Pip has change, and doesn’t see Joe the same as before. However Pip also becomes conscious of his change, “if I had been easier with Joe, Joe would have been easier with me.” Showing Pip’s tension, and impatience with Joe. Pip makes Joe feel uneasy, “ us two now being now alone Sir.” The key word is ‘Sir’, Joe sees the change in Pip and feels obliged to call him Sir.
As Pip has ‘grown accustomed’ to his great expectations, he has noted the change in himself. “I had insensibly begun to notice their effect upon myself,” showing he realises the effect people have had on him, which has caused him to change during the course of his ‘expectations.’ He recognizes this effect is not all positive, “I knew very well that it was not all good,” screening he has accredited the change within him.
We see Pip build a sense of guilt, towards Joe and Biddy, “I lived in a state of chronic uneasiness respecting my behaviour to Joe.” “My conscience was not by any means comfortable about Biddy.” He has realised his mistreatment toward them.
Upon hearing the death of his sister Pip, starts to notice her, in ‘his world.’ “In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death.” Showing the effect of her death within him.
Biddy tells Pip she is leaving the forge, he replies with: “ I am not going to leave poor Joe alone,” showing his fondness of Joe, which is a drastic change, from their previous meeting in London.
Even whilst at the forge and with Biddy, Pip still relates to wealth, “I would spend any money,” showing his continuous thought of money, which is such a change from his young childhood.
Pip changes towards Joe, “good-bye, dear Joe!- no don’t wipe it off- for God’s sake give me your blackened hand. This shows he respects Joe and likes him for who he is “man he was.” Pip realises he prefers London, he thinks Joe and Biddy knows he does, he thinks they believe he wont come back, his response is a “they were quite right to.” This is a clear representation of his change since his younger years.
When Pip sees Magwitch, and learns that he is in fact his benefactor, he is disturbed, he is positively repulsed to find, Magwitch is the person who has raised him to become a gentlemen. “The abhorrence in which I held the man, the dread I had of him, the repungance with which I shrank from him, could not have been exceeded if he had been some terrible beast.” Dickens choice of words, illustrate Pip’s horror and hatred towards Magwitch, “abhorrence,” “repungance,” and “dread.” He uses animal imagery to convey his pure displeasure that Magwitch is in fact his benefactor.
We see the change Magwitch brings about in Pip, “ O, that he had never come! That he had left me at the forge-far from contented, yet, by comparison, happy.” For the first time since being in London, Pip’s views of the forge, have changed. He reconsiders his current position in London.
Pip doesn’t want anything to do with Magwitch, “ he laid his hand upon my shoulder. I shuddered at he thought that for anything I knew, his hand might be stained with blood.” He sees Magwitch as dirty, he sees the money to be untrue and dirty also, which is a change, as before the money was everything to him.
When pip finally reconsiders his situation, he is thoroughly disheartened: “It was not until I began to think, that I began fully to know how wrecked I was, and how the ship in which I has sailed was gone to pieces.” Showing that he believes his, ambitions, aspirations and hopes are all shattered.
Pip regrets his mistreatment of Joe and Biddy, “worthless conduct,” he sees how bad he’s been. He sums his emotions up at the end of the chapter, “thick black darkness,” this is how he sees his life after his changing reunion with Magwitch.
Within chapter 40, Pip is still demoralised by finding Magwitch to be his benefactor, “ I was greatly dejected and distressed.” Showing the change Magwitch has had on Pip since he made himself recognized. Pip analyses Magwitch, “he ate in a ravenous way, that was very disagreeable.” This is a sign of his change, he notes his manners, and sees his etiquette as wrong. Dickens used the word ‘disagreeable,’ which, represents, that its disagreeable to Pip, in his new found hierarchy. Dickens again uses animal imagery to convey Pip’s feelings towards Magwitch , “he looked terribly like a hungry old dog.” This represents Pip’s dislike for Magwitch.
Pip is desperate to know how long Magwitch will stay, “in a frenzy of fear and dislike…. I want to know how you are to be kept out of danger, how long you are going to stay.” The key words are: ‘fear’ and ‘dislike,’ these are clear depiction of his disgust towards Magwitch.
We notice a huge change within Pip. He now recognises his affection toward Magwitch. He believes he should do right by Magwitch before he dies, “it became the first duty of my life to say to him, and read to him, what I knew he ought to hear.” Showing his consideration of compassion for Magwitch. Pip informs Magwitch about Estella, “she is living now. She is a lady and very beautiful. And I love her” He feels his duty, is to complement Magwitch on Estella.
The change in Pip is that he inevitably forgives and pardons Magwitch, he wishes the best for him. “O, lord be merciful.” This is a drastic change to his initial thoughts towards him, when he discovered he was his benefactor.
Within chapter 57, as Pip comes out of his fever, we observe a change in him. Pip again worships Joe, “O, God bless him! O, God bless this gentle Christian man!” Showing his repentance. Pip changes his view of the word ‘wealth.’ “Wealth of his good nature,” showing his new appreciation of wealth, he has realised that, wealth in money terms doesn’t make a gentlemen, where as wealth in nature, and kindness does.
Pip’s change is shown with: “I went towards them slowly, for my limbs were weak, but with a sense of increasing relief as I drew nearer to them, and a sense of leaving arrogance and untruthfulness further and further behind.” This shows he believes he’s leaving his ‘arrogance’ and ‘untruthfulness’ behind him, these are the factors of a gentlemen he now perceives to be appalling.
Pip’s appreciation of Joe is exposed with, “my first thought was one of great thankfulness, that I had never breathed this last baffled hope to Joe.” He’s so happy he didn’t destroy Joe. This is a change in his feelings for Joe. His further appreciation of Joe is shown within Pip’s conversation with Biddy. “Dear Biddy, you have the best husband in the whole world, and if you could have seen him by my bed you would have—But no, you couldn’t love him better than you do.” This shows his sheer delight with both Joe and Biddy.
He both recognises Joe and Biddy as good natured people, but also he recognises his mistakes. “You were both so good and true.” “To grow up a much better man than I did.” He identifies his life wasn’t all good, and he acknowledges his mistakes.
In conclusion, Pip has changed his depiction of the word, ‘gentlemen.’ He no longer sees it to revolve around education, wealth and social standing. Due to the positive effect that Joe has upheld within Pip, Pip appreciation of a ‘gentlemen’ is to be concerned with, faithfulness, generosity and goodness. Pip lost everything whilst in London, he now however has gained so much more, with respect and understanding, of not only himself but others also.