Though I understand that she may have felt hostile towards men, there was no reason to involve others and destroy their lives, for her own feelings. Being left at the altar on her wedding day must have been a traumatic experience, and though I believe no-one should go through that shame, I do not believe that influencing someone to grow up to have the same views as her is at all right. I do not feel sorry for Miss Havisham, as she has done too much damage to others, as well as to her own life to be able to repent until it’s too late. Once Pip tells Miss Havisham that she has succeeded, she cries, “What have I done?” She understands that she was extremely wrong, but I don’t think this confession is enough to forgive her.
Bentley Drummle is of the aristocracy, ‘next in line to baronetcy’. He is everything a stereo-typical aristocrat is – “idle, proud, niggardly, reserved, suspicious and a blockhead.” Though he is a minor character in the novel, Drummle represents a key factor – class distinction. He is a “gentleman” by wealth, but not by nature. Drummle wants to marry Estella for her beauty and riches, which is to say that he is a very shallow man. He does not truly love Estella, and the marriage is not a happy one, as he mistreats her and they are miserable. The marriage fails in the end, due to Estella’s mission to break men’s hearts and because Drummle found out whose Estella’s real parents were – a convict and a murderess. After discovering this, Drummle abandons Estella because of his shallowness, and does not want others to know of his association to a criminal class. In the end, he dies in a riding accident because he mistreated a horse.
I think that Dickens had a negative view of money and those with status. Almost all the characters with wealth and social status in this novel end up destroyed. This could relate to the fact that Dickens, himself was initially subject to a life of poverty.
Joe Gargery is a character who is always represented by Pip in a positive light. Joe is loving and kind to Pip from the moment he is introduced; to the time when he nurses Pip back to health. He constantly gives out his love to his brother-in-law, even when he is not receiving any in return. Joe Gargery is a blacksmith, which places him in the working-class. But though he is of a lower-class, he is truly a “gentleman” by nature.
When he visits Pip in London, he realises that he is out of place. Joe knows that Pip is embarrassed by his presence and leaves telling Pip that they will never meet in London again. Unlike Mrs. Joe (who, by this time has died), Joe does not want to climb up the social ladder, which shows that he understands that there is more to life than mere ambition. Whilst in London, Joe feels that the gap between Pip and himself has grown further apart and Joe does not how to act towards Pip anymore. Joe actually calls Pip, “sir” as he is unaware of how he should act and behave in front of one who is socially higher than him.
Pip falls ill after Magwitch’s death and Joe, who has never stopped caring for Pip, brings him back to the marshes to care for him. We can see Joe has high morals and this can be linked to Eva Smith from “An Inspector Calls” – J.B Priestley, who was, like Joe, one of the working-class but with clearer morals than those belonging to others of higher-class.
Pip narrates this story and shows Joe in a favourable light, as if he were confessing his treatment towards Joe. Pip realises now that Joe had always been there and had always loved him and by writing Joe in such a positive way, he is trying to admit and atone for his mistakes.
I think this is an important aspect in life to recognise and to act upon, even today. People should not be judged on their class, money or even looks but on criteria other than these attributes. A person’s true self is only expressed through their compassion and personality, and Pip realises this through Magwitch and Joe.