Great Expectations Character Development

Charles Dickens novel, Great expectations is an account that centres on the life of one man named Pip, as of the time he was seven years old until he was in his mid-thirties. Pip shows us imperative actions in his life that formed who he became. While developing he acquires a collection of different connections and friends that influence him in his decisions and goals for his life. This is a novel of development ,therefore understanding Pip and his evolution is key in developing an understanding of this novel (Grogan,2014).One of the major themes in this novel is Pips obsessions with gentility which Is the social superiority , demonstrated by genteel behaviour, manners and appearances ,his obsessions with class ,which can be defined as …show more content…
Pip makes many regular visits to “Satis house” but comes to a halt when Pip becomes Joes apprentice ,and learns Joes trade as a blacksmith (Grogan,2014).Due to his meeting Miss Havisham and Estella Pip changes, he becomes ashamed of his humble beginning, the trade he is learning and Joe whom he cares about ,he is so ashamed that doesn’t want Estella and Miss Havishm to find out “ now it was all coarse and common, I would not have had miss Havisham and Estella see it on my account” (86-87).Before completing his apprenticeship ,he is informed by a lawyer ,one Mr Jagger that he will receive “great expectations” in other words he will receive a “huge” amount of money. With this fortune Pip is required to become a gentleman. Here we see once again a change that Pips character and how Pip moves from being a poor orphan to being a wealthy individual this promotes the theme of gentility and class. Pip assumes that Miss Havisham has provided him with his “great expectation”. he assumes that Miss Havisham is grooming him to marry Estella here becomes obsessed with gentility and class in order to fit in to Estella’s world (Grogan, 2014).Pip, because of his new fortune becomes a bit of a snob, he becomes ashamed of the people he loves and forgets them (Grogan, 2014).When Pip eventually discovers who the provider of his fortune is world …show more content…
Joe and Magwitch for example play significant roles in Pips life .There are common dominators in Joes and Magwitch’s life stories, they both represent father figures to Pip. Pip at some point in the novel rejects, accepts and loves both of them (Grogan, 2014).By accepting Magwitch, Pip learns to accept his past. Magwitch appears at two different occasions in the novel and both of his appearances alarm Pip. When Magwitch returns Pip is forced to come to terms with certain realities, like his marriage to Estella is not promised and his supposed “gentleman” life is a lie (Grogan, 2014).Pip is faced with contrasting views about his life and himself “all the truth of my position came flashing …had to struggle for every breath I drew” (Dickens, p.240).This shows the impact Magwitch has on Pip. Pip has rejected a person of Joe’s good nature for being socially embarrassing .yet he is linked to Magwitch, who is a criminal an even greater embarrassment. Pip is then force to evaluate his behaviour (Grogan,