Chapter one also encourages sympathy in the audience as we witness Pip hopelessly in search of his identity, which may be why Dickens present him in a graveyard by his parent’s tombstones. We observe Pip trying irrationally to figure how his parents were, “The shape of the letters on my fathers gave me the idea that he was a square, stout, dark man…”this is more evidence of his longing for love and to discover his identity. Throughout the whole book Pip lacks this affirmation of who he is and can only keep learning through experiences such as his bewildering visit to Ms. Havisham. It is here he realises he is in “A low-lived bad way” and vows to gain great expectations. Chapter one sets the scene for his identity crisis and throughout the book he experiments with different identities which to his dismay are unsuitable. He achieves wealth only to realise he doesn’t want it; in becoming a gentleman he has lost much dearer things such as Joe, evidence for this is “Pip, dear old chap…divisions among such must come and must be met as they come,” this is a very emotional statement from Joy trying to take control of the melancholy departing forced because of class division.
Chapter one conveys the idea of loneliness, the very first scene of the whole book is a desolate marsh which is described in detail with Pip diminished at the end of the sentence “distant savage lair…wind was rushing as was the sea…small bundle of shivers…beginning to cry was Pip,” this presents the idea of Pip’s trivial existence and places him as an object in context. The convict then enters also in solitude and they both provide company for one another (which is perhaps why they make such an iron fast bond later on). During the book it appears that the convict’s only real friend, who bares resemblance to family, is Pip and likewise Pip’s entire life is based on the convict’s affection for him. Despite this fact Pip doesn’t realise the truth until “Yes Pip dear boy I’ve made a gentleman of you”! This demonstrates the convicts honesty and how his assertion and devotion to Pip has turned around Pip’s world just as he did one did literally when he “turned upside down Pip” in chapter one. Dickens effectively employs metaphoric links throughout the play to literal examples, this is just one case. The other part of the loneliness issue is that it is ironic that Pip was isolated as a small labouring boy and despite his massive metamorphic change into a wealthy man, he remains lonely, “It felt sorrowful and strange, that this first night of bright fortunes should be the loneliest I had ever known;” This quote finishes off the paragraph and is effective at creating fabulous impact for the readers that generates a sustained image in your mind for long after: it is very contemplative.
In many ways Dickens has included chapter one as a tantalising taster for the rest of the book as so much of what occurs in this vital chapter continues throughout and matures in different ways. For example chapter one has a very aggressive and loathsome atmosphere where the convict is initially tremendously frightening to Pip “hold you noise,” this is particularly efficient as it contrasts to the complex sentences previously shocking the audience at the abruptness. The convict is not the only one to be disdainful to Pip in the early pages as his mother figure, whose real identity is his unkindly portrayed sister. She severely disciplines Pip and frequently states that she has “brought him up by hand:” the actual meaning of this is ambiguous to both myself and Pip but is could reference to her bringing Pip up by herself, or as Pip suspects, bringing him up with brute force and painful inflictions or it could mean that she never breast fed him and she is referring to the title of an artificial feeding book “Rearing by Hand” as she wishes to make the distinction that she is not his mother. Either way Pip’s sister is cruel in her repetitive corporal punishment of Pip which is mentioned casually with humour and rhyme “Tickler was a wax ended piece of cane, worn smooth by collision with my tickled frame,” this implies that Pip is regularly beaten and is despondent to the pain anymore, it is also ironic at the reference to pain as tickling. Multitudinous characters are aggressive towards Pip: Estella is cruel to Pip on numerous occasions, as a boy when “she denounced him for a stupid, clumsy, labouring boy,” which consequently compelled Pip to cry (just as he did in chapter one when the text defined “beginning to cry was Pip;” this translates to the audience that Pip leads an intense depressing existence.) Estella also psychologically torments him later on in life when she refuses his gestures of love and “breaks his heart”. Ms. Havisham is also initially impending on Pip and makes him feel uncomfortable, as can be seen from “are you sullen and obstinate?” Pip feels very threatened and scared by Ms.Havisham and feels awkward to play in front of her. Mr Publechook is aggressive and patronising to Pip “Seven times nine boy!” the impersonality and the reference to Pip as Boy reduces him to an inferior; this is a similar to the patronizing mood that was created in chapter one by the convict “keep still you little Devil or I’ll cut your throat,” although the convict was perhaps more extreme in making Pip feel at unease. Even idle characters in the development of the plot such as Ms. Havisham’s acquaintances in chapter eleven mock and patronise Pip “poor soul!” This isn’t the only negative encounter Pip experiences in chapter eleven as later on he acquaints with a pale young gentleman who audaciously challenges “come and fight”, this is a shocking development in the plot and shocks us (again linking to the abrupt entry of the convict in a similar fashion in chapter one). To our even greater surprise for the first time in his life Pip prevails over the aggressive attack, overcoming his fear “I was secretly afraid when I saw him to dexterous.” This perhaps for the first time shows Pip’s strength of character.
Linking on from the aggression displayed is the issue of danger in the book. As Pip develops he himself becomes disdainful of certain characters, which could be expected as a result of all the bad treatment he has received. Pip disliked Bentley Drummel and although to an extent Pip provokes Drummel, he still receives unnecessary aggression from him in quotes such as “go to the devil and shake yourselves.” In a twist of dramatic irony Drummel later marries Estella, thus deeply wounding Pip’s heart almost as if out of malice in vindictiveness in their tense and unspoken hatred for each other. It could have been very dangerous to gain enemies. Perhaps the most obvious aggressive dangerous act is in chapter 53, which is drawing close to the conclusion of the book as opposed to the danger at the beginning of the book. The event is when Orlick captures Pip, this is similar to the convicts clasp of Pip in chapter one. In both cases Pip had no power and was at mercy for his life although Pip is no longer courteous to his assaulter and no longer presents his fear as obviously. Also unlike the bewildering thoughts of guilt Pip shared from the encounter with the convict, Pip is now contemplating his friends and his good intentions that he had never made known, this puts a new amiable light on Pip, “Joe and Biddy would never know how sorry I had been,” which is an example of his priorities changing. Although there are similarities between these two crucial encounters they are very different in many ways, especially in motive: the convict was scared himself and looking for help where as Orlick in cruel and tortures Pip mentally for several pages creating tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. Part of the tension is Orlick’s attempt at making pip feel guilty “I tell you, it was your doing,” this is a vigorous attempt at making Pip dissatisfied with himself, but it goes mostly unheeded which is extremely different to chapter one when Pip is in two minds with his own conscience at whether to help the convict of not. Again this shows Pip’s development in the bildungsroman novel, where the irony and strong connection of aggression both starts and finishes the novel.
It is not only in themes of emotions that chapter one relates to the rest of the article it is also the way in which the weather and place mimics the atmosphere in chapter one and then again throughout the novel in a technique known as “emphatic fallacy”. The surroundings of chapter one is very desolate and illustrates perfectly the dark, mysterious and sinister graveyard on the bleak marshes. This serves significantly at reducing Pip’s size and importance to us all, which is ironic as Pip is the vital character in the book who entertains us all in first person. Also the scene heightens the suspense and untrustworthiness of the convict’s appearance. The technique introduced to us is reused in chapter eight when Pip visits Ms. Havisham; Pip finds the house uninviting and comments how “the wind seemed to blow harder here,” which is a descriptive method of showing unpleasantness. Inside the mansion descriptive language is employed once more describing the beautiful white clothes she wore (the colour of purity and happiness) although the visual imagery is soon dashed by reality by the decay and hard sounding words such as “ghastly waxwork.” This is different to the introduction of chapter one when soft lengthy words such as “rushing was the sea” were used for a different effect. This effect is noticeably also used in chapter 53 “dark night, thought the full moon rose…beyond their dark line there was a ribbon of clear sky…”this sets the scene for danger and for the unknown whereas chapter one sets the scene for mystery and isolation. What is thought provoking however is the way in which Dickens experiments with scenes: In chapter 59 Pip describes the cemetery with sentimentality and fondness of the place I’d once known “sacred to the memory of Phillip Pirrup,” suddenly it doesn’t appear so dangerous now compared to chapter one. On a similar issue Pip was diminished once at the end of a scene in chapter one to diminish him and this setting of scene technique is used again near the finale of the book “looking at the fire-was I again!” this is striking as it is the same technique or word structure as beforehand but it has confidence this time.
Chapter one is full of secrecy and guilt and of suppressed emotions. In chapter one the convict threatens “never dare to say a word or dare to make a sign concerning you have seen such a person as me,” this impacts Pip’s innocent youth and leaves him for many years in doubt. This issue of innocence is another link in itself, as in chapter one Pip is negligible to the assertive behaviour and always replies over kingly “good night, sir,” this is very polite and genial behaviour that is derived from his youthful innocence and when Pip later becomes a gentleman he loses his innocence and starts having emotions of jealousy and vindictiveness, for example towards Bentely Drummel and yet outwardly he doesn’t change much, which implies that the only margin between polite and gentleman like behaviour is your outward actions that have been taught (to the upper classes of wealth normally) and that in fact it is your inner being that establishes you from the rest. Returning to the main issue of secrecy started in chapter one which can be seen that several times throughout the novel, for example in chapter 16 Pip comes close to revealing the convict’s secret to Joe, an option that has been forced by the incapacitation of his sister in a mysterious circumstance whereby the convict’s cut irons were left at the scene of the crime. Pip feels guilty as he believes he may have provided the murder weapon, a similar emotion to when he provided the convict with food earlier on. Naturally Joe is upset “eyes moistened” just as was Pip in chapter one which makes the decision for Pip even more difficult, “for was I not wavering between right and wrong?” nevertheless Pip remembers his decision as a young youth and honours his previous decision later on in the novel when the convict reveals himself as Pip’s benefactor, a remarkable and amazing discovery which forces Pip once more to suppress his fears and keep his knowledge secret.
There are so many constant and continuous themes introduced in chapter one that can be interpreted in different ways, this shows the complexity of the plot. Themes such as misconception where in chapter one Pip wrongly assumes that the identity of his parents based on simple gravestone calligraphy, then later on in the book he wrongly assumes once more that Ms. Havisham is his secret benefactor who is not to be made known to him (an obvious conclusion for most of us, but Dickens surprises us all by placing the convict, Abel Magwitch into the role.) Character development is essential to the book’s success in that we can see the changing of the characters all through the book. Pip in chapter one is polite, scared, confused and looking in vain for an identity, “small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all…was Pip.” The image of Pip develops into a satisfied, determined and distinguished figure at the end of the book, “suffering has been stronger than all the other teachings and has taught me…I have been bent…into a better shape,” a summary quote from Pip himself clarifying to himself and the readers his immense happiness at finding himself (and it wasn’t what he had originally desired). The convict who appeared cruel in his first appearance begins to appear kind and gentle. Estella who appeared factitious at first is portrayed as a good woman in the end with good intentions “God Bless you,” the reference to religion is also relevant as religious teachings of reform and forgiveness are being displayed, it is a subtle message from Dickens to society that they can change. Even the sister changes from an over strict, anxious tormentor to a vulnerable women who relies on Pip.
We see loss in this book; the convict loses a daughter (Estella) but gains a son (Pip). Pip loses his parents at the start of the book and then following on he is arguable unfortunate to lose his parental figure of his sister as well. Joe loses his wife and leaves his once unhappy marriage with her to start a new life with Biddy in an apparently joyous life with a child for the first time.
Great Expectations is in my opinion a marvel of literature that manages to stand the test of time and remain interesting to modern day experiences. We can all relate to themes of failure and vulnerability, of guilt and of secrecy. The book is intensely engraved at every point with moral issues, surprise and a brilliant contrasting plot that positions it apart from all other books published at the same time. A lot of its success is the incessant repetition and development of themes commenced in chapter one.
