His name, Phillip Pirrip shows insignificance as it is small but a “Pip” will grow to become strong and noticeable. This is introduced by Dickens as an omen for the future. Dickens also introduces humour in the opening paragraphs through Pip’s active imagination and how it imagines his deceased parents through their tombstones. “The shape of the letters on my fathers grave, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout dark man with curly hair.” During the course of the first chapter this is influential in the presentation of Pips present life. we see that he has lost his parents and five siblings to the scourges and ailments of the Victorian era and also show about how Pip desires to cave an identity for himself. He is secluded by his sister who a married blacksmith named Joe Gargery.
Pips relationship with the convict, although brief, reveals a lot about his personality and grows within statue and his future benefactor. We see that Pip, although being threatened constantly maintains discipline and replies with “Sir”. The convict, although portrayed as petrifying is seen to have a more humane side when Dickens says “and he smeared his ragged, rough sleeve over his eyes.” This makes him seem more humane because all humans cry and it is natural to let out your sorrow. During Pips meeting with the convict in chapter 3 Dickens uses many types of symbolism to get his views across. Magwitch, for instance, frightens Pip at first simply because he is a convict, and Pip feels guilty for helping him because he is afraid of the law, and he also feels as though he has stolen food from the household which puts a deeper remorse feeling into his head but also undergo the feeling that he is serving the convict.
“It was a rimy morning and very damp” justifies that Pip is in a durable situation and therefore demonstrates that he is poignant and immovable to his surroundings. As Pip gathers the food to take to the helpless convict we see that he is guilty and feels remorse that he has ‘stolen’ from the household. This shows he is a very credulous and gullible to do exactly what the convict tells him to do, meaning he is innocent but shows insignificance as it is diminutive but a “pip” will grow to become strong and noticeable. Earlier on the convict tells him explaining to him that there is someone else that lives with him and that he in addition to that could rip his liver out if the correct equipment is not delivered to him by morning, this makes Pip feel exceptionally terrified, which exemplifies the type of character that Pip is.. Dickens use of language is portrayed through several similes and alliteration, one of them being ‘Twig to twig and blade to blade’
We also see the great endeavour and determination that Pip experiences to carry the food to the convict ‘ however fast I went, I couldn’t warm my feet, to which the damp cold seemed riveted’ this shows that Pip went through the cold not taking into account the serious hazards that he could be causing himself to do. He also keeps his word to the convict, demonstrating he is trustworthy and an innocent little boy.
As Pip assembles himself to head towards Mrs Havishams, he soon discovers a ‘star ‘meaning a beautiful young, untouchable woman in Estella. We soon gather that she is exceptionally condescending towards Pip, as she expresses him as a “common labouring boy” this demonstrates to us how intimidating and disrespectful she is to poor old Pip, considering she is the same age as Pip, which illustrates the class division between upper classes and working class, which relates to Victorian society, and it also exemplifies how little she thinks of Pip as a lower class person. Throughout the novel, Dickens explores the class system of Victorian England, ranging from the most wretched criminals (Magwitch) to the poor peasants of the marsh country (Joe and Biddy) to the middle class (Pumblechook) to the very rich (Mrs Havisham)
Estella, the beautiful teaser quotes “so. what do you think about Estella then? Is she pretty?” by saying this she embarrasses Pip as she doesn’t give any option to Pip, none other than saying “yes.. Mrs Havisham....she’s very pretty”. Another way in which Estella shows her brutality to Pip is when they play the game called ‘beggar my neighbour’ it is a game where if Estella wins she takes everything, and the nature of the game is all about Acquisition and selfishness, which reflects to the Victorian society.
Concluding, we learn that Pip becomes more and more fragile, however his ego take him to another level and this is the reason which makes him so shameless in what he does.
