Pip, of a working-classed family, gets invited to go and play at a middle-classed women’s house. He is forced to accept by his sister and he goes to Miss Havisham’s house. There he sees a better standard of living than the one he is experiencing. He meets a girl of similar age there named Estella. She insults Pip all the time and makes him feel very small and inferior to her. When Miss Havisham proposes that she play a game with Pip she responds by saying “Why, he is a common labouring-boy” Eventually she agrees to the request but while playing she constantly notices the lack of education Pip has. “He calls the knaves, Jacks,” she says. Estella, unlike Pip had been brought up courteously. She often rubs it in the face of Pip. Pip blames Joe for his upbringing and thinks to himself “I wish Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up”. He feels if Joe had been better educated he would have inherited the wisdom and politeness. This inspired Pip to want to become something better than he had hoped for previously. He thought to himself “I was much more ignorant than I had considered myself”.
Pip had been brought up by his sister. She was very strict in what she allowed Pip to do and what he was forbidden to do. In the times of the story children were not allowed to break the rules, and if they did they were disciplined very harshly. If Pip was disobedient he would get struck with a weapon he referred to as the “tickler”.
He tells us that the “tickler was a wax-ended piece of cane” and goes on to say he had encountered it many a time. This taught Pip the difference between right and wrong and how he should and shouldn’t behave. This resulted in Pip showing his sister a great deal of respect: he always referred to her as Mrs Joe Gargery instead of her own name. When Pip wanted to ask Mrs Joe a question he added, “if you wouldn’t much mind” before it. He addresses her very politely. Mrs Joe, like many of the adults at the time, scared Pip by telling him terrible things that happen to disobedient people. This was a typical Victorian parent’s approach to quieten their children. This also made Pip reflect on his behaviour and steer clear of misconduct.
Towards the beginning of the novel Pip is approached by a convict at the cemetery. The criminal demanded that Pip should bring him some food and drink. He told Pip that if he should choose to ignore him then he would come looking for him. Pip steals a pie and some whiskey for the man. During the stealing experience Pip’s conscience comes into play but inevitably he carries out the act. I think this encounter makes Pip see the effects of wrongdoing and how bad one feels after purposefully doing the iniquitous act.
Pip starts developing feelings of admiration for Estella. He falls in love with the beautiful young lady. He likes her so much that he fights another boy for her. After he defeats Herbert Pocket he is allowed to kiss Estella. This makes Pip feel happy with himself and thinks he can have a future relationship with Estella. However, she decides to go to Austria to study and Pip is left lonely once again.
Mrs Joe Gargery had Pip attend a local tuition group, run by an elderly lady and her granddaughter. Pip was eager to learn but the teacher wasn’t much of a teacher. The old woman used to fall asleep regularly, resulting in chaos in the classroom and little productive work happening. Pip wanted to enhance his education so much that he asked Biddy, the granddaughter, to teach him all that she knew. Pip hoped that once he became clever he could get a real job with prospects of opulence.
As Pip grows up he gets an urgent message from London to see a solicitor. When Pip goes he finds out that he will receive a suitable education along with maintenance if he allows the solicitor, Mr Jaggers to become his legal guardian. Another clause in the contract was that Pip must continue to be known as Pip and not anything else. Pip then finds out that Mr Jaggers will not be the one paying for it and instead, a benefactor will. Joe sees this as Pip’s chance for fortune so agrees to allow Pip to accept. Pip feels very happy with this arrangement and feels he can really build something of himself. He ends up sharing a flat with Herbert Pocket and they become friends.
I think towards the beginning of Pip’s adult life he is an independent, strong character with aspirations of making it to the top. Many different people have contributed to the way Pip has ended up, most notably Miss Havisham. She showed Pip a better life and he decided it was for him. I think throughout the story, though, Pip just wants to be with someone else. He lost his parents from birth, his sister during his adolescence and Estella in his late-teens. Pip wants to rid himself of solitude and seclusion and find his soul mate or life partner. This theme runs throughout the whole of “Great Expectations”.