The setting is important in the extract because it helps the reader to gather a first impression of Mrs Havisham. When Pip enters Mrs Havisham’s house he sees, “A pretty large room well lighted with wax candles”, this creates sympathy for Pip because he is in unfamiliar surroundings. Also it suggests a gothic surrounding when he says,” No glimpse of daylight was to be seen”, again, this builds sympathy for Pip.
Dickens makes the reader to feel sorry for Pip when Estella Says to Pip, “ And What course hands he has”, this makes the reader fell sympathetic towards Pip because Estella is insulting his way of life and saying it is not good enough. The character of Mrs Havisham is an inpatient old lady who doesn’t like men due to her being jilted at the alter. We see this when it says,” I saw a bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress, and like the flowers and had no brightness left but the brightness of her sunken eyes”. This builds up sympathy for Pip because he is in a big house with a creepy, strange old woman. Also the character of Estella has been brought up and manipulated by Mrs Havisham to hate men and to break their hearts evidence of this is where Mrs Havisham says, “Well you can break his heart”. Here she refers to the card game broken hearts but she also means to break Pip’s heart. This makes the reader feel sympathy towards Pip because Pip falls for Estella and Estella is going to break Pips heart.
Another point to make is the difference in social class between Pip and Mrs Havisham & Estella. Pip comes from a poor background due to poverty and is classed as a lower class citizen whereas Mrs Havisham and Estella come from a wealthy background of great social class. This makes the reader feels sorry for the character of Pip because Estella constantly Insults him and makes him feel embarrassed about his background.
The character of Pip is very similar to Dickens’s life as a child because Dickens lived in a time of poverty. Therefore I think Dickens has based the character of Pip on himself by his own experiences as a child because he through the same problems Pip has gone through himself.
Throughout the extract Estella and Mrs Havisham constantly speak down to pip by using imperative verbs. For example Mrs Havisham says, “Call Estella”, and, “Play”. This may make the reader feel sorry for Pip because they are being very bossy and impolite towards Pip.
Although in return Pip is being very polite towards Mrs Havisham and Estella. Pip Says, “Yes Mam,” to Mrs Havisham when she asks him a question. This also creates sympathy towards Pip because it shows how nervous he is and the unrequited politeness he is showing.
The use of first person narrative in this extract has a huge effect on the reader because it shows the story from Pip’s point of view. The story from Pip’s viewpoint makes the reader feel more sympathy towards Pip because it centres on him and follows him throughout the novel therefore it shows his feelings and emotions, not just what he says therefore the reader can imagine what it would be like in Pip’s situation.
The mood and atmosphere in the house would have been tense therefore Pip would have felt very uncomfortable. This is because Estella was constantly insulting Pip and making him feel embarrassed. For example, “He calls Jacks Naves this boy”, here she is mocking him and making fun of him. This makes the reader feel sorry for Pip because the reader wouldn’t want go through this situation themselves.
The ending of the extract shows Pip reflect the things Estella has called him. For example, “As I cried and kicked the wall”, makes the reader feel sorry for Pip because it shows the reader that what Estella has said has got to Pip.
Overall I think Dickens has succeeded in making the reader feel sorry for the character of Pip because whilst reading the extract I felt sorry for Pip and if I was in the situation of Pip I wouldn’t be able to cope with the life he is living.
