As the chapter continues, Dickens builds up a depiction of Magwitch as an even more fearsome character. He turns Pip upside down, foreshowing what is going to take place in Pip’s life – physically and metaphorically. It is also noticeable that Magwitch’s speech is in a very inhumanly approach: “you young dog”, “what fat cheeks you ha’ got.””darn me if I couldn’t eat ‘em”,” and if I han’t half a mind to’t!” Reinforcing the fact he is being aggressive to Pip, making unreasonable fun out of him, forcing him to feel helpless and afraid. This initiates the reader to feel sympathy for Pip as he is undoubtedly scared and being harassed by Magwitch.
Later on, Magwitch asks where Pip’s parents are, to which Pip then points to the tombstones indicating the death of his parents. Afterwards, we find out Magwitch lost his young daughter at a young age. After discovering this, we as the reader feel concerned towards them as both have experienced loss of loved ones.
While continuing with their conversation, Magwitch looks into Pips eyes – “his eyes looked more powerfully down into mine, and mine looked most helpfully up his”, both making a significant connection. This bond will aid them both in the future. Magwitch also inputs “That young man has a secret way peculiar to himself of getting a boy, and his heart, and his liver.” This leads Pip to become more terrified and insecure, which disgusts the reader at what Magwitch has just uttered to Pip, since he is just a small child. Despite this, the character of Pip as a child is extremely petrified of Magwitch, but as he recalls the incident as an adult, he realises that Magwitch did not mean Pip’s misfortune – he just wanted to warn him to keep away from the other fearsome man.
Since chapter 1, Pip has changed a great deal. He lives in London with Herbert Pocket – the person who he had fights with as a joke for amusement. By this time Pip is 23 years old. He is formally recognised now a gentleman as he is not poor anymore and has made a living for himself. His accent and way of speech has differed radically too, enforcing his higher status. With this, he has achieved a greater standard in the society, fulfilling his “Great Expectations”.
However, due to some task he had to complete for his running business, Herbert fled to Marseilles. So Pip “had some time parted company as to our original relations”. This signals something is about to ensue as he is alone, this being the arrival of Magwitch and the daunting hidden and shocking truth.
As Magwitch’s first appearance in the chapter nears, Dickens builds up the tension by using weather again – “it was wretched weather; stormy and wet, stormy and wet; mud, mud, deep in all the streets...violent blasts of rain had accompanied these rages of wind, and the day just closed as I sat down to read had been the worst of all.” Dickens brings up the usage of pathetic fallacy to attribute Pip’s feelings to nature; highlighting the metaphor of turmoil in relation to the weather.
To build up more tension, Dickens describes the atmosphere inside the house, stating, “the stair-case lamps were blown out;” Lamps representing Pip’s lack of knowledge, foreseeing the event of his illumination; him being enlightened – being awakened to the truth. He also writes, “and I was listening, and thinking how the wind assailed and tore it, when I heard a footstep on the stair”, “connect it with the footstep of my dead sister.” Developing extra anxiety as Magwitch’s presence is connected with death.
When Magwitch actually appears into the scene, he taunts Pip by puzzling and questioning instead of revealing the reality to him. The reality being, that he is Pip’s benefactor. At first, even we, as the reader, are still confused as to whom the mysterious person might be. For example, he says, “You acted noble, my boy”, which seems to be a bit peculiar to come from a stranger.
Nevertheless, after, he asks: “As ask you how you have done well, since you and me was out on them love shivering marshes?” recalling their first ever meeting that they had on the marshes. To the reader, this signals something familiar about this unexpected character; as a result, we finally figure out that it is the long forgotten convict, Magwitch. However, Pip is oblivious to the same fact for the reason that he still portrays Magwitch as an unwelcomed visitor.
By this stage, Magwitch has transformed tremendously too. He came “substantially dressed”. Showing that he has made a living for himself; nonetheless, yet, as before, he was fully clad, but was still “roughly” dressed. Implying that he has not gained a full gentleman exposé, alternatively has achieved great fortune as he does not dress in homeless wanderer’s garments any longer.
Comparatively Magwitch has great respect for Pip, for example in the beginning of his arrival he requests, “I wish to come in master”; he represents Pip in a royalty manner and longs to gather how well Pip has been doing. Instead, Pip welcomes Magwitch as “civilly” and “inhospitably” as he could since he resents achieving a “gratified recognition”. Nevertheless, Magwitch, considering Pip as his son, overlooks his uncouthness and holds “out both his hands” to him. To which Pip tenaciously recoils with disgust and fright. Later on, Magwitch attempts to hold him once more, and again Pip rejects him by laying a hand upon him and heaves him away. Gathering all of these occurrences, we can distinguish how both have altered their personas in different ways throughout their departed time. Both the characters have interchanged and exchanged their personalities in the terms of manner; Pip has become vulgar whereas Magwitch is courteous.
Following with their conversation, Pip finally finds out his unexpected guest is Magwitch. Surprised, he assumes Magwitch has come to thank him for what he did at the marshes; he says “If you are grateful to me...you have shown your gratitude by mending you way of life. If you have come to thank me, it was not necessary.” However, he resumes with: “you have found me out, there must be something good in the feeing that has brought you here” and offers Magwitch something to drink before he leaves, to which he happily accepts. Magwitch glad to find Pip’s interest on how he has been doing, continues with, “I’ve done wonderfully well. There’s others went out alonger me as has done well too, but no man has done nigh as well as me. I’m famous for it. I’ve been a sheep-farmer, stock breeder, and other trades besides, away in the new world.” Suddenly he asks, “May I make so bold...as ask you how you have done well, since you and me was out on them lone shivering marshes?” Pip starts to feel nervous as he is confused how he actually did manage to obtain such a good life.
Magwitch reveals to Pip that he’s the individual who made him a gentleman. This is because he never forgot Pip’s kindness to him and decided to do something for the boy, in part because he reminded him of his lost daughter, who would have been about the same age as Pip. He, at the time, swore that whatever he earns in Australia, he will dispatch it to Pip and make him a gentleman. “If I gets liberty and money, I’ll make that boy a gentleman! And I done it. I’ve put away money, only for you to spend.” Evidently, Magwitch didn’t care about himself and lived a hard life, shedding blood, sweat and tears in order to thank Pip and change his life for the better. After discovering Magwitch as his benefactor, Pip doesn’t feel warm nor is he grateful towards him, but is rather disgusted and repulsed to find out where his money came from. His life had reached a turning point partly because he had thought Miss Havisham had been assisting him in wooing her protégée Estella; nonetheless his feelings are thinly veiled.
To himself, he deems, “O, that he had never come! That he had left me at the forge- far from contented, yet, by comparison happy!” By this, Pip meant he rather just not be a gentleman; being poor is better than having a convict as his benefactor. However, by chapter fifty-six, his attitude is changed fundamentally towards Magwitch as he learns the convict’s history. This is shown as he recites that his first duty was to “say to him, and read to him” and what he knew Magwitch “ought to hear”.
In spite of this, the situation grows dangerous: Magwitch, as a deported criminal, would be without a doubt sentenced to death if recognized by the authorities. This is because, once a convict is transported to Australia they are not allowed to go to their native country (in this case being England) or else they will be hanged. Magwitch was not allowed to come back, he risked his life and came back to convene with Pip. However, to save Magwitch, and Herbert discover that they are being watched and lodge in the house of Herbert’s fiancée. An escape for Magwitch from England is prepared and Magwitch is put aboard a steamer bound for Hamburg. As it was not possible to board at a port due to Magwitch's wanted status, they tried to row to the steamer from the banks after the steamer had left the port of London. Positioned in this boat was Compeyson - Magwitch’s sworn enemy. They had both been accused of felony. At the trial, Compeyson appeared as a gentleman. The prosecution placed most of the guilt on Magwitch, who realized that Compeyson had always intended to scapegoat him should they be caught. Recollecting this, Magwitch goes to avenge him and shortly they both end up in the water where Compeyson is drowned. Magwitch is immediately arrested and clapped in irons, having suffered a bad chest wound during these events.
Due to this, Pip decides to stay with him before he dies. Throughout this event, Pip completely changes and dedicates all his time to his benefactor. He makes frequent visits to the ailing Magwitch and holds his hand throughout Magwitch's new trial, where Magwitch receives a death sentence. Magwitch , declining in health, is then sent to be held in the infirmary. Here, Pip tells Magwitch how grieved he felt knowing he travelled such a great distance for Pip’s sake. For this reason, Pip feels responsible and cares about Magwitch so he anticipates him to die in the infirmary rather than being hanged and having an excruciatingly painful death, because he knows that Magwitch is not going to be treated sympathetically.
However, Magwitch wishes Pip to not keep any relation with him because he does not want anyone to recognize Pip, a gentleman, is associated to a convict, bearing in mind the social class system that exists. Pip is flabbergasted and declares, ”I will never stir from your side...when I am suffered to be near you. Please God, I will be as true to you, as you have been to me!” Here, Pip is swearing a loving oath which contrasts the oath of fear he swore in chapter one.
Pip then continues by disclosing, “You had a child once, whom you loved and lost. She lived and found powerful friends. She is living now. She is a lady and very beautiful. And I love her!” Hearing this, Magwitch realises his daughter is alive and his beloved Pip is in love with her, assuring a good life ahead for both; with a last pressure on Pip’s hand, Magwitch dies a good and very content man. Mindfully then, Pip under Magwitch’s debt, knew there were no better words that he could say beside his bed than, “O Lord, be merciful to him a sinner!” Showing that ultimately, only God can judge and only God can forgive.
To conclude I personally have seen an extraordinary change in Magwitch as a character, from being a malicious convict who only demanded things from other people, he transformed to be so soft at heart. No one would have thought Magwitch would churn out to be so conscious about other people, especially Pip, because in the beginning, we see that he’s not concerned about Pip’s life at all. So, in my opinion, I think Magwitch developed into a very compassionate and caring character, who only wishes Pip to live a happy life with Estella. Also, throughout the novel, there has been a great deal of changes in Pip’s view of Magwitch. At the start of the novel, he considers him as a frightful man, then as Magwitch’s death approaches, he reminisces on how much Magwitch gave up in return for a small phase of kindness he showed to him. In the end Pip realizes that Magwitch was a more devoted friend to him than he ever was to Magwitch and with this realization Pip becomes, finally, a whole and decent human being.