How do our views of Magwitch change through the course of the novel and what do you learn from this about Charles Dickens's, attitude towards the penalty system?

In different chapters he is presented different e.g. one minute we see him threatening Pip (chapter 2) for food etc and for his life and in the another chapter (chapter 5) we see the good side of Magwitch when he stops Pip getting into trouble by saying he stole all the food etc.

> About half way through the book (chapter 39) we find out that Magwitch is Pip's benefactor "Yes, Pip, dear boy, I've made a gentleman on you!" This is from the scene where Magwitch tells Pip for the first time about him. It shows that Magwitch is his benefactor and this one statement totally changes Pips outlook of his good fortune. I think this is a big turn in the story as Pip always thought it was Miss Havisham. This shows Magwitches good side again and now we do not see him a 'the convict' but as Magwitch which makes him sound more human.

> Then in chapter 41 Pip feels he cannot take any more of Magwitch's money (mostly because Pip is too proud and it is the money of a criminal). At the same time, Pip does not want Magwitch's execution on his hands, which will happen Magwitch is discovered back in England. So Pip and Herbert Pocket the next day try and convince Magwitch to leave England.

> In chapter 42 magwitch gets the sympathy vote with use because he explains why he has always stolen things, (because he was hungry etc)

There are many other chapter which change Pips outlook of life a little and that change our views of Magwtitch but I feel that I have mention the main one this being in chapter 39 where Pip find out about his benefactor.

When this book was written the penal system I think was really hard, compared to today it must have been like hell.

There were other things that were happening (or on the verge of happening) when this was written such as the industrial revolution etc. But there were also some good things going on and Charles Dickens wanted to express these. So what he done was express them in books and novels, he express himself about justice and punishment in Oliver Twist and Great Expectation and things like the harsh treatment of Children in things such as Nicholas Nickleby. He even wrote about the horrible factory system in Hard Times. All these were his way of expressing him-self.

In the book itself the language is very old fashioned like the time. Charles Dickens has always been a good writer and his ex- amount of novels proves this. He is very descriptive in Great Expectations and explains everything that happeneds so you don't have to try all to hard. Even though the language is old-fashioned etc Dickens manages to always make it easier to read, for example if you compare his writing to William Shakespeare's then Charles Dickens's is so much easier to read.

Finally to answer the overall question 'How do our views of Magwitch change through the course of the novel and what do you learn from this about Charles Dickens's, attitude towards the penalty system?' I believe that Magwitch, (the escaped convict) ends up changing Pip's life forever! And that Charles, John Huffam Dickens doesn't really like the Penalty system all too much, simply because of he saw how it was and how it affected his Dad. So writing about it in a novel he puts it to shame without him getting put in prison himself.

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Ashley Deeming 4/20/2007

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