Although it is far later in the story that Magwitch becomes Pip’s benefactor there are already glimpses of Magwitch attempting to protect and help Pip. When Magwitch is returning to the hulks as a prisoner he realises that Pip may be ‘laying under suspicion’ for stealing the ‘file and wittles’ and informs Joe and the sergeant that he infact stole the pie and the file, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind. This shows Magwitch is already keen to protect Pip and keen for him to stay out of trouble and prosper in the future, after he helped him in such a kind way and of course years later Magwitch is the sole reason for Pip’s ‘great expectations’.
For the next few years Pip’s life continues without Magwitch however his brief encounter with the convict affects him deeply and impacts his development greatly. Being affiliated with a convict leads Pip to realise how low he is in society. He begins to become aware of himself and his identity where as before Magwitch he was blissfully unaware.
Of course until Magwitch reveals himself as Pip’s benefactor he is absent from the story and therefore Pip’s life. However he impacts Pip’s life and development with one action more then anything else in the story by becoming his benefactor. When it is revealed to Pip that he has a benefactor he is plucked out of his life in the country as a blacksmith’s apprentice and taken to the congested, bustling city of London. Even though Magwitch is not present at this time there are certain things that Pip sees and hears that he relates to Magwitch such as when he sees the convicts being executed on the stocks. This reminds Pip of Magwitch but also reminds the reader and hints that he may be the benefactor and return to the story.
Whilst Pip’s life in London is in its infancy, he benefits greatly from Magwitchs’ money. Accompanied by Herbert Pockett Pip learns a lot about the ‘high life’ and finance –especially when he falls in to debt-. Although this is not the impact of Magwitch on Pip’s life it is the impact of his money. And it is arguable that this is Magwitch influencing Pip’s development as these experiences are a result of Magwitchs’ money.
During this time Pip also alters greatly in his personality. He becomes more socially graceful, eloquent and confident. However in the process he also becomes a pompous snob and this is shown when Joe comes to visit him in London -where Pip is rude and inpatient- and also in the eventual return on Magwitch.
Magwitch returns to the story in chapter thirty nine on a ‘stormy and wet’ night with ‘violent blasts of rain’. At this point Dickens describes Magwitch as a ‘muscular man, strong on his legs…browned and hardened by exposure to weather’. Unlike his description in the first chapter, Dickens does not describe Magwitch in a derogatory manner perhaps showing that Magwitch has done something to gain respect and stature in the story. Of course the reader knows he has become very wealthy and at this point the reader is about to find out he is Pip’s benefactor.
When Magwitch reveals he is Pip’s benefactor Pip is horrified. This is shown when they embrace and Pip talks about the ‘abhorrence in which I held the man, the dread I had of him, the repugnance which I shrank from him, could not have been exceeded if he had been some terrible beast. After truly believing that his benefactor was lucrative and of high social status Pip hopes are shattered when he finds out he has been living of the dirty money of a convict. What is ironic, is that Pip is repulsed by Magwitch and the fact that he is his benefactor but without Magwitchs’ money Pip would never have become such a snob and wouldn’t even be in a position to have such a view. The way Pip reacts to Magwitch as a child and the way he reacts to him when he reappears shows how much Pip has changed and developed. Originally he is terrified of Magwitch but still keen to help him where as when he visits Pip in London –despite how much he has helped him-Pip looks down on him and is disgusted by him. Magwitch is the sole reason for Pip becoming a gentleman, but now Pip is a gentleman he is appalled that it is Magwitch who is responsible.
For Magwitch though the bond is still very much there he mentions how he was constantly thinking of him during his time in Australia and says ‘look’ee here, Pip. I’m your second father. You’re my son – more to me that any son’. Just like on the marshes Magwitch is keen to be a father figure to Pip.
When Magwitch falls ill Pip redeems himself in the eyes of the reader. He develops compassion for Magwitch and gratitude towards Magwitch for becoming his benefactor. Pip forgets their difference in class and looks after Magwitch.
Pip and Magwitch’s bond and relationship is very much like a father and son. He is certainly like a shadow parent to Pip throughout the novel, helping him and doing his best to make sure he achieves in life. Magwitch becoming Pip’s benefactor has a huge impact on Pip’s development into an adult. Instead of being a blacksmith with Joe all his life, Pip becomes a gentleman. He becomes more eloquent and graceful and develops a completely new persona in London.
Pip first meets the ‘withered’ witch-like Miss Havisham in chapter eight where he is taken to play with her by Mr.Pumblechook. He is taken to the dark, gothic Satis House and is greeted by ‘beautiful’ Estella, this is Pip’s first meeting with the love of his life. Such a grand house is an uncomfortable setting for Pip, however what makes him more uncomfortable are the ‘dark passages’, the clocks all stopped at twenty to mine, Estella’s scornful rudeness and indeed Miss Havisham herself.
Undoubtedly, Miss Havisham’s effect on Pip throughout the novel is very negative. And this begins in their first encounter where she teases and manipulates Pip. She says to Pip ‘tell me in my ear’ what he thinks of Estella and then repeats what he says out loud to Estella. This embarrasses Pip greatly as he tells her he thinks she is ‘very pretty’ but this simply adds to Miss Havisham’s joy. We know in the story that Miss Havisham was jilted at the alter and never recovered from this. She sits day after day in darkness in a ‘withered bridal dress’ and has never seen sunlight since before Pip’s birth. She is corpse-like and very much a broken person. Estella is a product of her hatred of and keenness to seek revenge of men. Whilst Pip and Estella are playing cards Estella comments on how Pip is a ‘common, labouring boy’ with ‘coarse hands’ and ‘thick boots’. Pip mentions how he had ‘never thought of been ashamed of my hands before’ but he ‘began to consider them a very different pair’. This is a very significant part of the book as it signifies the beginning of Pip becoming self-aware and self-conscious; this is also really Pip’s first experience of socialising-at least with someone of a higher social class and it is very much an unhappy one. Pip repeatedly tells Miss Havisham that he would ‘like to go home’ but she then asks him ‘and never see her (Estella) again although she is so pretty?’ This is a difficult question for Pip as he would clearly love to see Estella again but too much keenness to express this view would give Miss Havisham and Estella further leverage to hurt and upset him. Throughout Pip’s early visits to Satis House they are always trying to ‘trip him up’ in this way. This point of the story is key also as after this point Pip is never happy again, despite his ‘great expectations’ a combination of events and people lead him to not be able to feel true happiness due to his worry and regret. The main perpetrator in this is Miss Havisham
Pip’s first experience of Satis House and it is undoubtedly and unhappy one. However it proves to be very important for Pip and his development in both the present in future years. Pip comments how ‘that was a memorable day for me, because it made great changes in me’. Satis House and Miss Havisham and Estella have all greatly altered Pip’s attitude towards life and development in the future.
On Pip’s next visit to Satis House Miss Havisham directs attention to ‘Estella’s beauty’ and Pip says how she ‘made him notice it more by putting jewels on her breast and her. Miss Havisham is keen for Pip to love Estella but also keen for Estella to tease and manipulate Pip and rejects his love. She is very much a sexual control freak. It is arguable that this is because of her need to be in control in such situations, because when she was jilted at the alter she wasn’t in any sort of control. However it is also arguable that she is just a perverse and controlling character, despite the events in her life and no matter whether the situation is sexual or non-sexual.
Miss Havisham damages Pip psychologically during his childhood and is never truly pleasant to him. However he still returns Satis House when he has gained his ‘great expectations’ and returns in fine clothes. Miss Havisham comments on how ‘“This is a gay figure Pip” said she, making her crutch stick play round me, as if she, the fairy godmother who had changed me, were bestowing the gift. Although Pip’s benefactor is Magwitch Pip firmly believes it is Miss Havisham and she acts in a way which encourages this. In fact earlier in the novel Pip expresses the view ‘I had no doubt Miss Havisham would do something for me’. Pip believes that after the time he has spent playing with her she will repay him in some way. Of course this is false hope as Miss Havisham is clearly not grateful or kind enough to repay Pip for his deeds. Unlike Magwitch who became his benefactor after Pip had helped him. It is ironic that a convict should be so thankful and work incredibly hard to repay Pip for the good things he has done for him; where as a wealthy, high-status woman such as Miss Havisham does not, despite not having to lift a finger to be able to do so.
Throughout the novel Miss Havisham is like a vampire sucking on Pip’s energy, repressing his happiness and shattering his hopes and dreams. Although she does apologise for this near to her death, the psychological damage is done to Pip to a point of non-repair. Her repressive qualities are proven by the fact that Pip and Estella fail to ever have a good relationship whilst she is there. It is only when she dies that anything really blossoms between the two.
Both Magwitch and Miss Havisham impact Pip and his development profoundly. Although Magwitch allows him to become a gentleman by becoming his benefactor he is unable to be truly happy throughout his adulthood. This is due to events earlier in his life in which Magwitch and Miss Havisham were the main perpetrators. Towards the end of the novel, with Miss Havisham and Magwitch now dead, the reader hopes that Pip can shake off the impact off his ‘shadow parents’ and now, finally, pursue Estella unhindered.
