Pip goes to London and meets Jaggers in chapter twenty. Pip has high expectations of London but he is disappointed when he finds out that London is a miserable place full of odd characters. Pip’s first impressions of Jaggers’ office were not good either. It was a dark place lit by only one skylight and there were plenty of ‘odd objects’ – “Such as a rusty old pistol, a sword in a scabbard, several strange-looking boxes and packages and two dreadful casts on a shelf.” Pip became fascinated by the dismal atmosphere. This makes the reader think that Jaggers will also be dismal. “Mr Jaggers’ own high-backed chair was of deadly black horse-hair, with rows of brass nails round it, like a coffin.” This description makes the reader believe that Jaggers must be a deadly character and not a person to mess with.
The area around Jaggers’ office is even gloomier. The Smithfield part of London is seen as a dirty, dreadful place. It is crowded with people and buildings. Jaggers’ office is near Newgate prison and the law courts. The world of Little Britain (Smithfield) is a world of violence in which the law is seen as entertainment only.
Smithfield has a market, “I came into Smithfield being all asmear with filth and fat and blood and foam.” The blood is from the market meat but the blood links the market with the executions that also take place in the area.
Pip left the market and onto the outskirts of Newgate prison, “People standing about, smelling strongly of spirits and beers, I inferred that the trials were on.” This shows the reader that the trials are seen as entertainment. The word ‘spirit’ has two connotations it could mean a drink or it could mean the spirit of a dead person.
Pip was invited to go into the courthouse to see the trial. “A partially drunk minister of justice asked me if I would like to step in and hear a trial or so informing me that he could give me a front place for half a crown.” This shows that people make money out of people being sent to prison and being hung. People are prepared to pay money to see the trials it would be as entertaining as watching television nowadays. The minister then took Pip to see the gallows and where people were whipped. The minister must have thought that Pip was interested and wanted to see where people were humiliated and murdered.
Pip was horrified to see what the minister was wearing. “(From his hat down to his boots and up again to his pocket handkerchief inclusive) mildewed clothes, which evidently not belonged to him originally.” Pip thought that the minister’s clothes were bought from the executioner. This should have horrified the reader as they would not have liked to wear a dead person’s clothes.
Mr Jaggers is presented as a powerful man. He seems more powerful than the law. When the coachman took Pip to Jaggers’ office he asked for more than a shilling, Pip said no, so the coachman said, “Then it must be a shilling, I don’t want to get into any trouble. I know him” (Jaggers). This shows that Jaggers must be very powerful if the coachman thought he would get into trouble. Jaggers says, “Have you paid Wemmick?” many times. He will not help anyone until he is paid. This shows that he is always in control.
In chapter twenty-four we learn that Jaggers treats every human interaction as it was in a court of law. Jaggers made a strong impression on Pip when Pip asked for some money, “Mr Jaggers never laughed … with his large head bent down and his eyebrows joined together, awaiting an answer, he sometimes caused his boots to creak, as if they laughed in a dry and suspicious way.” This shows that Jaggers is cold and that he hides his emotions. We also learn more information about the casts. Wemmick told Pip, “These are two celebrated ones. Famous clients of ours that got us a world of credit.” The man was a person that murdered his master and did not get executed. The man then died later in New Zealand. Also, we find out that Wemmick is fond of jewellery. Wemmick gets the jewellery from the executed. “I always take ‘em,” he told Pip, “Get hold of portable property.” This shows the reader that Wemmick doesn’t mind taking a dead man’s possessions.
At the start of chapter twenty-six we see Jaggers washing his hands, “My guardian was in the room, washing his hands with scented soap.” He did this as he entered the office as if he was washing himself clean of his clients. We also meet Molly (Jaggers’ housekeeper) as Pip is invited to Jaggers’ house for dinner. Molly was once in love with the convict (Magwitch) and turns out to be Estella’s mother. Pip also sees some carved garlands when he enters the house. He says, “I know what kind of loops they reminded me of.” These loops have many possible meanings. This could mean that Jaggers also takes jewellery from the dead as well as Wemmick. However, these loops could also be the loops of rope that were used to hang the people he worked for. Also, the loops could have been bought using the money from the dead.
In chapter fifty-one we learn that Jaggers is not heartless. Pip tells Jaggers that he knows who Estella’s parents are. Jaggers knows that her mother is Molly but does not know who is the father, “So you know who the young lady’s father, Pip?” Jaggers asks Pip. Estella’s father is Magwitch. Pip then tells Wemmick, “I know you to be a man with a gentle heart. I have seen your pleasant home, and your old father, and all the innocent cheerful playful ways with which you refresh your business life.” After that Jaggers laugh which is very unlike him. Jaggers realises that Wemmick leads two lives just like himself. Jaggers then tells Pip his side of Estella’s story when he rescues Estella from her mean beginnings. This shows that Jaggers seems to have a conscience and a moral sense. However, this chat was very unprofessional so Jaggers and Wemmick were glad when a poor client walked in and they started to turn on him.
Wemmick as Jaggers’ clerk shadows his master and is compared to a pillar box but is very different when he is at home with his old father. He never shows emotions when he is at work as he sees it as being unprofessional and Jaggers would not like it if he showed emotions at work. I think Wemmick is a very emotional man at home but tries to lock up his feelings at work and does a very good job of it.
Dickens shows a disillusioned approach to society in which al of the great expectations become false. I think this is because Dickens thinks that society is disillusioned and that great expectations for him personally have never become true.
Jaggers works in this society but he tries to keep himself clean from it. I think this is shown greatly in chapter twenty six, “My guardian was in the room, washing his hands with scented soap.” He is trying to keep himself clean in a dirty society. Charles Dickens wants to do the same and make himself have a better life.
This makes Jaggers like Charles Dickens. They both wanted to try to change the world. They both use words and are both powerful. Dickens uses words to state how bad the world is and Jaggers is very blunt when he speaks and always gets to the point. I think Charles Dickens is very much like Jaggers.
Charles Dickens is very low at this time. Jaggers’ character of involvement and disengagement with society reflects this. Jaggers is very lonely as he sees most other people to be too poor and lower class than him in a dirty and corrupt society where he feels he does not belong. Charles Dickens was also very lonely with his wife which made him have an affair with Ellen Ternan.
The book is about how empty these great expectations turn out to be. Jaggers shows the central idea of what you can do with a corrupt society. Jaggers knows how bad the corrupt society is but he is always trying his best to improve it whatever way he can. Jaggers also becomes powerful as many people are scared of him as he is a very good and powerful lawyer.
