Pip experiences things in Miss Haversham’s house that turn out to be red herrings. These lead Pip into believing that Miss Haversham lives in a huge great house that in actual fact is a dilapidated and falling down. Inside, the house is stuck in a time warp from the day of Miss Haversham’s wedding to Compyson. When Pip first meets Miss Haversham, at first he thinks that she is a young bride but looking back he sees that she is an old woman in “yellowing” clothes.
Wemmik’s castle exaggerates the saying “an Englishman’s home is his castle” his house is a miniature castle with a drawbridge over a ditch but it is Wemmik’s sanctuary from the outside world. He lives in his castle with his old father (the Aged P.) and his girlfriend. The interior of his house is as any normal house but the outside leads Pip to thinking that it will be grand inside.
In London, Pip expects to find fortune and success; he thought that the streets of London were paved with gold. On Pips arrival in London he realises that the capital is just another dirty smog filled city, complete with crooks and vagabonds. The only difference between the mashes and London was opportunity. Pip took that opportunity to become a gentleman by lodging with another trainee gentleman in Pips case Herbert Pocket.
Jaggers’ house is a vast mansion and we are under the impression that Jaggers’ standard of living is good; however his quality of life is bad, because he thrives on secrecy and lies. In his huge mansion he only abides in two rooms. This leads me to that Jaggers is a recluse and a crook. Personally if I knew someone like that I would choose not to associate with them and in the story he only has one person who respects him as he wants them to, that is his house mistress “Molly”. Even Molly doesn’t like Jaggers she is just scared of him, because he refers to her in company as “a wild beast tamed”.
Philip Pirrip is the centre focus for this pre 1914 drama story. He was a blacksmith’s “son” who wants to make more of his life. After meeting Estella; where he his told that he is common because he calls jacks “knaves” after this confrontation he is determined to become a true gentleman. Usually the blacksmith’s son would want to follow in his father’s footsteps because in those days a blacksmith was a well respected member of society. Pip doesn’t want to follow Joe Gargery’s footsteps because Joe is not Pips father.
Pip is offended by Estella, he is offended because he is trying his best to “better” himself and Estella is undermining his confidence. Pip thinks that Miss Haversham is giving him subtle “clues”, false clues that lead him into believing that Miss Haversham wants Pip to become a gentleman so that Estella will marry him.
. Able Magwich is quite out of the ordinary, he is first portrayed as a mindless criminal. Later on in the story we find out that he had a family, his love from this family towards Estella is displaced to Pip. That is why Magwich is Pip’s benefactor. Able Magwich feels love for Pip like he felt for his lost (presumed dead) daughter Estella.
Miss Haversham is Pip’s supposed benefactor because she seemed to like him, after their first encounter she doesn’t like Pip because he is a boy that she has no control over him. However he is one of the few men that she likes as she was tricked out of her fortune by men, so believes that all men are out to trick women. That is why Miss Haversham adopted Estella, she wanted revenge on men. Miss Haversham wanted Estella to make men fall in love with her then deny them all as revenge. That is why she loves Estella, because she can use her as a pawn in her ploy to get revenge on all men. Her experience with men is the route of all of her seclusion; she doesn’t want to leave the house again because she doesn’t want to be hurt by men.
Mr Jaggers is one of the story’s biggest crooks. He is Miss Haversham’s lawyer (which is another reason Pip thought she was his benefactor). At the start of the story we think that he is a helpful ally to Pip, later on we find out that he is a crook only interested in money and always keeping his nose clean. He is also inhumane and has no respect for the welfare of human life, except his own. He gives Estella to Miss Haversham, even though he has seen the conditions of her house and knows it is no place to raise a child. Mr Jaggers is a successful lawyer because he has abused his power over the lives of his clients. However if he foresees trouble he will remain completely oblivious of his clients affairs.
I think that there is a lot of twists and turns in Great Expectations. There is a new idea emerging in every part of the book. When Pip is young he knew fewer families and cared less about money than when he gets older and becomes in debt and makes new friends and learns about their families. For example Able Magwich starts out as criminal and ends a gentleman, to Pip.