I Want To Do The Right Thing

Great Expectations is a classic novel that is an exciting whirlwind of emotion, drama, and suspense written by Charles Dickens. It takes us on a journey throughout the life of Phillip Pirrip, also known as Pip, who is an orphan growing up in England. He faces many issues in his lifetime such as an abusive sister, reappearing convicts, and unattainable romance, but through the chaos of it all, Pip just wants to better himself and his surroundings. Although he has good intentions, Pip’s choices do not always benefit everyone as much as he hopes they do. In this novel, Dickens expresses the idea that people want to do the right thing, although it may seem as if they are doing otherwise, through Pip’s feelings and actions. Ever since Pip went …show more content…
Magwitch has escaped from Australia to come see Pip and could be hanged if people are made aware of him being in England. This being said, Pip feels a major responsibility to make sure Magwitch is not caught. Although Pip wanting Magwitch safe is a good thing, the reason Pip wants this is because of the guilt he would feel if Magwitch was killed. “I was so struck by the horror of this idea, which had weighed upon me from the first, and the working out of which would make me regard myself, in some sort, as his murderer, that I could not rest in my chair, but began pacing to and fro.” (Dickens 315). The only reason he cared about Magwitch was because he was being selfish and did not want to deal with that guilt, not for Magwitch’s …show more content…
Because of Pip’s love for Estella, his whole world begins to crumble when he hears that she is getting married. And to make matters worse, she is marrying Bentley Drummle, a self-absorbed, inconsiderate, and childish man who was never on good terms with Pip. Immediately after hearing this news, Pip knows he has to stop their marriage, not because he is in love with her but because he knows that Drummle is a terrible person. “Put me aside forever-you have done so, I well know-but bestow yourself on some worthier person than Drummle….many far better men who admire you…there may be one who loves you even as dearly…take him, and I can bear it better for your sake!” (Dickens 333). As you can see, Pip just wants the best for Estella and tells her to reconsider as a selfless act. Estella does not see it that way, for Estella believes he is only trying to stop their marriage as an act of jealousy and love. His good intentions were once again seen as