By compiling even more unhappy descriptions of Pip’s barren surroundings and coupling this with the reminder of Pip’s lost family, Dickens describes Pip as a “small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry.” Here sympathy is created for Pip as he is shown as being small and afraid of his surroundings because it gives a sense of the overwhelming emotions Pip is feeling, as his life is so unhappy and so full of loss. This realisation of utter helplessness finally catches up on him and all he can do is cry.
Dickens introduces the second character, Magwitch who is portrayed as violent and threatening as he says he’ll ‘cut (pip’s) throat’. At once the reader feels an instant dislike towards this menacing character, as he has just threatened poor vulnerable Pip. He is described as:
A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied around his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped and shivered and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin
A long sentence like this is typical of the literary style of the 19th century. The description of the man shows the reader that he is an escaped convict as he is dressed “in coarse grey” and has “a great iron on his leg”. However as his description progresses, less fearful features of the man come to light, like the fact he has “broken shoes”, and “an old rag tied around his head” which may indicate he is injured. Soon we learn he has been through many harsh conditions as he is “soaked by water and smothered in mud and lamed by stones.” As his description continues the readers finds their initial view of Magwitch changing; from feeling angry and distrustful to sympathetic. Furthermore, the continuous repetition of the word “and” gives the impression that these hardships are ongoing and creates empathy for his character as he has been through so much suffering.
Dickens also uses plot structure to create sympathy. By deliberately introducing Pip first, the reader feels an affinity for him and gets a better chance to empathise and learn more of his character. By doing this, when Dickens introduces Magwitch, the reader feels an instinctive dislike towards him. However, the sympathy felt for Pip, though not leaving him completely, swings to Magwitch as we later discover the ordeals he has been through to get to this point.
Magwitch also physically assaults Pip by tipping him upside down and then “ravenously” eating the bread that falls out. As Magwitch can tip poor Pip upside down, the reader is shown how strong he is in relation to Pip, stressing his own helplessness in this situation. He is left ‘trembling’ after this experience which in turn evokes a feeling of sympathy for the poor boy. Dickens uses this same situation to create sympathy for Magwitch as well, as although he is in fact stealing what little food Pip has, the fact he is resorting to such measures and is eating the bread “ravenously,” creates sympathy for him as it hints to the reader that he has not had anything to eat in a long time and also reminds the reader of the turmoil he has suffered getting to this point.
The reader also sympathises more with Magwitch’s plight as he says to Pip whilst “licking his lips”, “what fat cheeks you ha’ got…darn me if I couldn’t eat them.” Because Magwitch licks his lips as he says this, this gives the impression that he is really hungry, and this creates sympathy for him, as he isn’t actually threatening to eat Pip’s cheeks, merely expressing his own hunger, and thus tells the reader he hasn’t eaten in a long time. The reader’s sympathy soon swings back to Pip as he genuinely believes that Magwitch is serious shown by when he says “I earnestly expressed my hope that he wouldn’t’,” which gives an insight into Pip’s innocence and makes us feel sympathetic towards him because of this.
Magwitch’s reaction when Pip shows him where his mother immediately makes the reader feel sorry for him.
““Now then lookee here!” said the man. “Where’s your mother?”
“There, sir,” Said I.
He started, made a short run, and stopped and looked over his shoulder.”
Due to the fact he is making a short run at the mere mention of someone seeing him, reveals Magwitch’s deeper insecurities and fear of being caught. Also the fact he is scared of a woman would create an even greater feeling of sympathy for him, especially amongst those reading in the Victorian era, as it was uncommon to have a man scared of a woman. This reaction also suggests that Magwitch may not be as strong as he originally made out, but is only putting on an act to scare Pip.
Magwitch demands Pip bring him file and wittles and as he does so he tilts Pip over the tombstone a little more. ““You bring ‘em both to me.” He tilted me again, “Or I’ll have your heart and liver torn out.” He tilted me again.” By recreating the tilting movement again and saying it in the same repetitive manner, represents the mounting fear and unease Pip is experiencing and also stresses the difference in power; with Magwitch at this point, looming over Pip in a menacing manner, thus leading the reader to feel greater sympathy for him in such a situation and much less so for Magwitch.
As Pip watches the convict leave, he says “glancing about him over the cold wet flat, “I wish I was a frog or a eel.”” Wishing to be a frog or an eel shows us how difficult Magwitch find his surroundings and that in being a frog or an eel means he doesn’t not have to suffer in the “cold” and wet” marshes any longer. Also when he says “a eel” it gives a hint as to the fact the Magwitch is possibly illiterate as he says “a eel” instead of an eel. This creates sympathy for Magwitch as it not only tells us he is uneducated but also that he may never have had the chance to go to school.
Magwitch’s departure creates further sympathy for him as he “hugged his shuddering body in both arms…and limped toward the Low Church wall.” The fact he is limping could either indicate he is hurt or that the cold has numbed his body. Either way the reader feels sympathy for Magwitch, as unlike Pip, he does not have the option of going back home. Instead he is forced to “pick his way among the nettles, and among brambles.” Once again this shows the reader the difficulties he is facing with his surroundings and in turn this makes the reader feel sorry for him as it is clear that he has nowhere else to go.
As Pip describes his surroundings once again as the sun is setting, he talks of how he can faintly make out two things on the horizon- a beacon the sailors use to steer and the other, a gibbet, from whose chain a pirate once hung. As Pip describes Magwitch walking towards the latter it gives a sense of foreboding as though something terrible is about to happen and that the gibbet (for Magwitch) might symbolise death. This creates sympathy for Magwitch as it is shown as another reminder to the reader of the punishment he could face if caught.
Dickens creates sympathy for his characters, Pip and Magwitch in many ways. By carefully structuring his story; he is able to swing the reader’s sympathy from Pip to Magwitch as the story progresses. By introducing Pip first, Dickens made the reader feel sympathetic towards his situation. However, he was also able to make the reader empathise with Magwitch as well despite his less than honourable actions. Dickens also uses the characters dialogue and body language to represent how a character feels and what they are thinking.
