Pip’s expectations are acted upon many different characters throughout the novel, and nearly most of the time they have a negative effect on others. These characters which the expectations have a more dramatic effect on are Joe, Biddy and Herbert Pocket. Firstly Joe, Joe is Pip’s sister’s husband; he has taken up the role of caring for Pip and is a character that shows us all that is good in the book and what a true gentleman is. During the beginning of the book Pip’s expectations are fairly small and unnoticed by many of the characters; however as the novel progresses Pip’s expectations have a big effect on Joe. They seem to make the two characters drift away from each other, even Joe himself notices this as he says, “life is made of ever so many partings welded together,” however earlier on Pip tells Joe that they will be together forever. His expectations even make Joe fell uneasy and too “common” for Pip, “I want to be right as you shall never see me no more in these clothes.” The character and personality of Joe is a warm but relaxed and down to Earth, in a way this drives Pip to become obsessed with becoming a gentleman and he see Joe as, even though loving, a not very wealthy man or popular man. As I said earlier Joe is the real Gentleman but Pips expectations blind him from seeing this. Herbert Pocket or Handel is a very similar character to Joe, acting as a second Joe when Pip is in London. He is, although unintentional to Pip, treated as a man who is enslaved by Pip instead of is best friend. The role of Joe and Herbert in relation to Pip’s expectations is that they are the kind of people who act as a fallback to Pip if his expectations don’t work out. They help Pip realise that his expectations are not all they thought they would be. Often this is by either talking to him, helping him to overcome his current dilemma.
About Half way into the book we are introduced to a lawyer called Jaggers, he is a mysterious, cold and serious character who thinks he know what is best for Pip. He is Pips perfect idea of a Gentleman; he has a reputation and money. However he is the complete opposite to Joe. Joe, no matter how happy he is for Pip, does not try to persuade Pip to follow his expectations as he thinks he is fine the way he is, however Jaggers in a way forces Pip to undergo and fulfil his expectations. Jaggers is the epitome of Pip’s expectations. In chapter 20 whilst Pip is walking in the street even say that “Jaggers would do it, if it were to be done,” This is telling us that if needs be, Jaggers would and could do anything he wanted to. This tells us a lot about Dickens’ view of expectations and what there worth, it tells us that Pips expectations will fail and that some things are more important then them.
We know that the expectations were fated at the beginning of the novel because Mrs Gargery and Pumblechook instigate Pip’s obsession with them. In chapter 9 and 10 we see how selfish and community. They use pip as a pawn throughout the beginning of the book. “Mrs Joe and Mr Pumblechook looked up at each other, in utter amazement,” this is the reaction the two characters obsessive they are to try to boost their reputation and self image within the give when told about Mrs Havisham by Pip. Their caricatures are emphasised to create grotesque and selfish characters. Dickens does this to create a slight bit of humour but also to exaggerate their distinctive features. In a way they are the ones who force Pip to become obsessed with his expectations, as he was still only young, he thought this was the right thing to do and may have thought if he did not Mrs Gargery would punish him.
The expectations set the structure of the whole novel; it is set into three different stages of Pip’s life which expectations have a different effect on. The first Stage is where Pip is first undergoing the expectations, he is just getting to grips on what his are and how he will achieve them. Stage two is where Pip takes action on his expectation and travels to London. Stage three is where Pip finds out who is benefactor really is and how his expectations have affected his life.
Towards the end of the novel the expectations have been forgotten, and Pip has realised how unnecessary they were, he asks Joe and Biddy for their forgiveness. He finds out that they have named their little son Pip; he is very pleased about this. In the end pip walks out of Satis houses garden hand in hand with Estella and says, "Saw the shadow of no parting from her." In my opinion this tell us that Victorian values were a lot like Pip’s expectations, but in the end they aren’t all they what seem to be.
Overall throughout this book expectations play a big role, we see how they rule Pip’s life and how they can affect others in many different ways. We see how Pip’s life ends up in a good way and that how expectations can blind others from reality. Money can change anybody and Pip was no exception. When Pip is poor he truly wants to be a gentlemen, he has great expectations for himself. Pip feels embarrassed that his family has no money. Pips pride corrupts him and blinds him from how he is treating Joe. Expectations are extremely significant throughout this novel and they show us what they can do if you are obsessed with them. In Victorian society it was an extremely sought after dream to be wealthy and well respected, Pip was a victim of this view and eventually realised that a gentleman is something more than riches.
Total words: 1,277
