Irony is a remarkable feature of the novel as it tells the story from beginning to end. Leavis (‘The Novelists’) said, “an irony which inheres in the title, yet the novel is affirmative and constructive”. Irony is an important feature of the novel as it makes it more humorous, this was evident from the beginning when Pip uses am amusing description to describe his family graves, what their headstones read and what he as a innocent, young boy interpreted them to mean. This irony adds to the innocence as a young boy Pip has.
Pip’s job for Miss.Havisham and Estella is to ‘play’. Miss.Havisham is a very bitter woman who has been disappointed in love and as a results locks her and her adopted daughter away in a an exquisite house namely Satis House, which is crumbling away as a result of neglect. Miss.Havisham is now out to seek revenge on the male race. She takes pride in the beauty of Estella and not only that but that cruelty of her. Miss. Havisham is the first example of materialism and money and how it can twist a person. Money is no gain for Miss.Havisham as she is still so unhappy, and she uses love as a game of revenge. As it was said by Sucksmith (‘The narrative Act of Charles Dickens’) that “love is a power game to Estella and Miss.Havisham. Love was the cause of proud Miss.Havisham’s great defeat in life. Through love, she will avenge this defeat”
Dickens used Miss.Havisham who had a large amount of money but this money was of no great importance to her as she remained unhappy for her entire life. Money did not enhance the meaning of her life nor make it any easier. This is an excellent example to show that money is materialistic and is of no great value.
Estella is hard-hearted and cold, especially in her attitude to towards Pip. Estella sees him as lower than her and she is very insulting towards him. This is obvious through the comments she makes on his ‘Coarse hands’, Estella also mocks Pip’s speech and his thick boots. She is very teasing towards Pip, Estella thinks she is superior to Pip and that he is nothing more than a ‘common’ labouring boy. Pip takes these comments made by Estella greatly to heart.
Estella’s behaviour to Pip, makes him reconsider his expectations of life in general. She makes him feel common and changes his outlook on life. Pip’s longing for wealth was suggested to be linked to his desire for Estella by Sucksmith. He also said how the sense of inferiority may explain the role he adopts towards Estella and his drive towards status.
Her, manner towards Pip seems to make him discontent with life and this may be why he is so keen to start a new, more sophisticated life in london so he will be more suitable for Estella and her class. He becomes wrapped up in the thoughts he thinks that Estella would have regarding his common background at the forge. Pips dreams of social status and meeting the requirements of Estella seems to be coming closer to reality when he receives a visit from Jaggers a London Lawyer. Pip thinks his patron is Miss.Havisham. It does not take long for Pip to begin to feel superior as he sets off for London.
In the second stage of ‘Great Expectations’, Pip moves away from his harsh poverty-stricken life with Mrs.Joe and Joe.Gargery. Pip moves to a new life in London, this is down to the sum of money Pip required which he believes is from Miss.Havisham. So Pip leaves his roots for a more lavish life full of wealth and begins his journey, furthering his expectations.
Pip soon becomes friends with Matthew Pocket’s son, Herbert. When Pip is describing Herbert he mentions his thoughts towards the future of Herbert saying, “something that at the same time whispered to me he would never be very successful or rich”. Pip based these thoughts and opinions purely on Herbert’s personality. Herbert is described as, “a pale young gentleman” which is of great importance as a gentleman is what Pip desires to become but he needed to learn manners and morals to earn him the title, ‘gentleman’. Herbert and his father both have the instincts of fine gentleman despite the fact they are not particularly rich. Herbert teaches Pip manners, which was something Pip dearly needed if he was to achieve his title. Herbert describes a gentleman’s conduct by saying, “because it is a principle of this that no man who was not a true gentleman at heart, ever was since the world began, a true gentleman in manner”. Herbert then goes to say, “No varnish can hide the grain of wood; and the more varnish you put on the more grain will express itself”. This was sound advice Herbert gave Pip and it provided Pip with dearly needed information on the true conduct of a gentleman. It also showed Pip the attributes he must posses in order to be classed as a gentleman.
Aoj Cockshut had said how it was remarkable that no-one in ‘Great Expectations’ was free from the ‘taint of servality towards rank and wealth. Even Herbert who sees wealth through a romantic haze’. This a statement is very true as every character in the novel has either been directly effected by wealth, like Pip and Miss. Havisham or have been effected second hand as a result of wealth in some one close to them for example, Joe and Estella.
