Chapters One and Thirty Nine of Great Expectations In the novel 'Great Expectations', chapter 1 and chapter 39 are both descriptions of Pip's encounters with Magwitch the convict. The two chapters have key differences and important similarities. In the first chapter, Pip is alone on the bleak and inhospitable marshes, the wind is cold and violent and creates a threatening and frightening mood for both Pip and the reader. Pip is a poor young orphan boy and is in the wild overgrown churchyard visiting his family's grave. From the fact that most of his family are dead, we learn that in the 19th century, the life expectancy was very low and infant mortality was very high. Pip feels alone and scared and is 'beginning to cry'. …show more content…
He is now a young gentleman of means, sharing rooms with a friend in London, whereas in Chapter 1 he was a poor, young boy living with his sister and her husband on the country marshes. In Chapter 1 when Pip first encounters the convict, he springs upon Pip without warning and begins to interrogate him. The convict is presented as 'a man with no hat', which in Victorian times meant a man who wasn't a gentleman. The convict also has a large list of sufferings, 'Soaked Smothered Lamed Cut' which Dickens uses to make us almost feel sorry for the convict, as we see he is in a lot of pain, even though in this chapter he comes across as evil and heartless. Pip feels very threatened and describes the man as 'fearful'. The convict has control over Pip and the situation right throughout, issuing commands and instructions rather than questions and queries; 'Tell us your name!' and 'Show us where you live!'. Pip is still polite to this fellow even though he is threatening and bullying Pip. Because Pip is so frightened of the convict he fully cooperates with him and agrees to everything the man asks of him. In chapter 39, when the convict returns , he is presented in a …show more content…
The change in the two characters circumstances is one of the main important differences between the two chapters. In terms of dialogue in chapter 39, Pip takes control of the conversation for the beginning of the confrontation, with Magwitch talking towards the end. The speech is also much longer in this chapter whereas in the first chapter the dialogue consists of small sharp commands and answers. When Pip finds out who the man is in Chapter 39 he is not at all pleased to see him and acts like a snob, trying to push the man away as he does not know that Magwitch has been his benefactor for most of his life and is the man who is responsible for the comfortable situation he is in now. He tries to keep him at distance, saying 'Stay!' 'Keep off!' This behaviour by Pip just shows how ungrateful and snobbish he has become. From the fact that Magwitch has given a lot of his hard earned money to Pip, purely because Pip was honest and true to his words back in chapter 1, shows that Magwitch himself is very honourable and has mended his once criminal ways. Dickens obviously wants his readers to now fully respect Magwitch for what he has done for
notices that he is "a man with no hat", the sign of a lower class
warns him that if he does not get any food for him, he will be in
Charles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringing. Charles Dickens’ life, full of highs and lows, mirrors that of Pip’s life. Their lives began the same and ended the same. To understand the difficulty of Dickens’ childhood is to understand why his writing focuses on the English social structure. Dickens’ life revolved around social standing. He was born in the lower class but wasn’t miserable. After his father fell into tremendous debt he was forced into work at a young age. He had to work his way to a higher social standing. Because of Dicken’s constant fighting of class the English social structure is buried beneath the surface in nearly all of his writings. In Great Expectations Pip’s life mirrors Dickens’ in the start of low class and the rise to a comfortable life. Fortunately for Dickens, he does not fall again as Pip does. However, Pip and Dickens both end up in a stable social standing.
After being forced to face the dark and humble reality of his "great expectations" and his behaviour, Pip is never. the same as the other. From this point onwards, Pip finds freedom in trying to help. Magwitch escapes and, also, begins to grow quite fond of him. The separate voices of the narrator and the leading character in the novel.
Magwitch has lived the life of crime. It wasn't until he meets Pip, that he begins to change. The reason Magwitch was sent to the Botany Bay penal colony was for "putting stolen notes in circulation" (323; ch. 42). His companion, Compeyson, and chief engineer of the project was given a lesser sentence due to his education and wealthy appearance. Magwitch was not so lucky and was forced to endure the trials and tribulations of servitude in the penal colonies. Not much is mentioned in Great Expectations regarding the actual colonies. It is interesting, however, that Dickens would chose to include a character that is not simply killed but transported to vicious and cruel servitude that turned his life around. Magwitch's past criminal record would have fit the normal stereotype of criminals sent to the colonies. He had a past record before being tried on felony charges and would have been deemed un...
After being very ill Pip realises that being a gentleman means more than having money and an education. Many of Dickens books are about childhood difficulties. Perhaps this is because he was drawing on the experience of his own difficult childhood and his own desire, like Pips to become a gentleman. Dickens books are also about the class struggle, cruelty, inequality and injustice. Punishment was harsh such as deportation to do hard labour in Australia for small crimes or public hanging.
Magwitch first meets pip at the graveyard on the marshes, from this we see that pip is a lonely child, who has lost his mother and father. Magwitch threatens to kill pip and " rip out his heart and liver" unless pip obeys Magwitch's orders to bring him some "wittles" and drink for him. The relationship as it first blossomed is full of fear and terror and we pick up immediately that Magwitch is in control of the situation, yet there is still the fear lingering over him being seen or handed over to the authorities if Magwitch made any mistake to be seen by anyone else, or if pip told somebody else where he was. Pip and Magwitch's first meeting place is highly ironic, because pip is visiting his parents graves and then ironically Magwitch turns up, who will later be pips benefactor and will act and play the role of Pip's surrogate farther. Pathetic fallacy is used in this graveyard scene as it is set in the marshes at the dead of night with " the cold air whipping" around them, to resemble the scary emotions that pip feels when he is being threatened by Magwitch pip passes a gibbet on the marshes which is also ironic as when Magwitch comes back to see pip later on it the novel there is the fear that he might be hanged. It also sets the setting to resemble death. The night black sky also will resemble death and deep dark fears. The graveyard is a " bleak over grown place, with nettles" the description makes the scene scarier, and the overgrown weeds could be where others are hiding. The setting is very gothic, in true Victorian style and when contemanoray readers read this they were automatically prepared for something unpleasant to happen. When Magwitch orders pip to get him some food and a drink for him from where he lived or where he could, pip could take the advantage of this situation, and tell the authorities or tell his guardians, but he doesn't.
Pip's Sister and his Mum and Dad died she had to bring Pip up by
A man from Pip’s past steps out, an ex-convict, named Magwitch, who he had fed many years
Great Expectations is essentially a novel of the education of a young man in the lesson of life. Pip is analyzing himself through his memories and from the point of view of maturity (“Charles Dickens” 1).
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens is a fascinating tale of love and fortune. The main character, Pip, is a dynamic character who undergoes many changes through the course of the book. Throughout this analysis the character, Pip will be identified and his gradual change through the story will be surveyed.
There are so many important characters in this book that it would take me longer to describe the characters and there importance than it would to summarize the book. So I will keep it to a minimum with just a few crucial people. First there is Pip he is the main character in this book. When he was very young his parents died and know he is raised by his sister and her husband Joe Pip is a very innocent and caring person who wants to have a greater fate than the one presently owned. But is burdened by the fact that he lives in poverty. Next there is Mrs. Joe who raised Pip but is very mean to him and controlling of everyone in her house. Then Joe he is the person that gives Pip help. They play games and explain a lot of things to Pip he is about the only nice person in Pips life. Mrs. Havasham she lets Pip come over to her house and is very wealthy and the people around him think that she will raise him to be a gentleman. But hates men and never changes out of her wedding dress. She also has a daughter named Estella that was adopted and is very beautiful. But is being raised to hate men as well and is using her looks to break there hearts. Magwitch escapes from prison at the beginning of Great Expectations and terrorizes Pip in the cemetery. But out of Kindness Pip still bring the man what he asks for. Pip's kindness, however, makes a deep impression on him, and he subsequently devotes himself to making a fortune and using it to elevate Pip into a higher social class. Herbert pocket who is a good friend of Pip's and gives him advice throughout the book.
The Victorian Era started in 1837, the year Queen Victoria was crowned. The Industrial Revolution also started in this era. Cities started to form and become heavily populated. In the novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens had the main character, Pip, live in two different life styles in the Victorian Era. Pip lived with both the poor and the rich population. Both life styles are very different and placing Pip in both societies helped to show that, while the wealthy people benefited from the industrial revolution, the poor people often paid the price.
find out he was a orphan when he was young as he said, "I never saw my
Throughout Dickens’ novel Great Expectations, the character, personality, and social beliefs of Pip undergo complete transformations as he interacts with an ever-changing pool of characters presented in the book. Pip’s moral values remain more or less constant at the beginning and the end; however, it is evident that in the time between, the years of his maturation and coming of adulthood, he is fledgling to find his place in society. Although Pip is influenced by many characters throughout the novel, his two most influential role models are: Estella, the object of Miss Havisham’s revenge against men, and Magwitch, the benevolent convict. Exposing himself to such diverse characters Pip has to learn to discern right from wrong and chose role models who are worthy of the title.