Great Expectations is a masterful story by Charles Dickens of Phillip Pirrip. Popularly known as ‘Pip’, he is the protagonist and narrator of Great Expectations. He is an orphan boy of humble origins who lives with his sister and brother in law in the marsh countryside of Kent, west of England. Pip is a lonely, nervous, passionate, romantic boy. However, we later learn he has a powerful conscience and genuinely wanted to improve himself both morally and socially.
As a young boy living with his bad-tempered rude sister, he wanted to be an apprentice of his brother-in-law, Joe Gargery who is the village blacksmith. Joe is one of the kind people in Great Expectations who acts for the good of the one he loves. In the novel, Dickens speaks of Pip’s initial humble origins which are later clouded by his unwavering ambitions for self-improvement. His ambitions rise him to wealth while deserting his true friends and later becomes humbled by his arrogance.
In the beginning of the novel, Pip is a humble, innocent, caring, and harmless boy. During one of Pip’s visits to his parents’ graveyard, he comes across an escaped convict whom he helps by stealing food and file and bringing the food to him albeit secretly. The convict, Abel Magwitch, although fearsome, is touched by Pip’s kindness and in return, he shows him his friendliness.
Although Pip is helping Abel out he feels very guilty because he is stealing food from home, he however manages to keep the secret. Having not known any other life, Pip’s ambition at this point is to become an apprentice of his brother in law. Later, his fortunes turn as an arrangement by uncle Pmblechook between Pip and Miss Havisham to have him play in her house according to her orders is made (Ahmed, 2017, p.2). Miss Havisham is a wealthy old lady who lives in a manor called Satis House near Pip’s village. Havisham is a strange woman who often seems insane having been abandoned by her fiancé minutes before their wedding.
Since then, she has had a vendetta against all men. Havisham lives with Estella, her young and beautiful adopted daughter. Having been jilted by her lover, Miss Havisham has taught young Estella to be cold, cruel, and heart breaker of men. In this period, Phillip meets Estella and falls in love with her. Pip helps Miss Havisham around the house and eventually rewards him by offering a helping hand to the apprenticeship program as a blacksmith. However, Pip’s ambition was greater than this. Pip wished to raise his social class and become a gentleman to be accepted by Estella as an equal.
He says “The beautiful young lady at Miss Havisham’s, and she’s more beautiful than anybody ever was, and I admire her dreadfully, and I want to be a gentleman on her account” (Dicken, 1861, p.126). Estella however, rejects him. Pip, however, is determined in his quest to be a gentleman, which makes it more likely for Estella to accept him. Fortunately for Pip, a benefactor, whom he believes to be Havisham offers him help to start a new life in London. This greater reinforces Pip’s belief that he is destined to end up with Estella. Before Pip he leaves, Biddy, Havisham’s niece provides him with books and materials that help him furnish his knowledge and mannerisms to that of a true gentleman. The fact that Pip believes he can change his social status is a testament to his unwavering ambition.
In London Pip furthers his education with help of his tutor Matthew Pocket. He forms a friendship with Herbert, his tutors’ son who also helps him act like a gentleman. Herbert and Pip live a carefree and undisciplined life in London racking up debts. Pip gets himself used to this kind of life and develops disdain for his former friends and loved ones especially Joe.
This is especially true after it is revealed that he will inherit property from an unknown rich man. which Pip agrees to. Resultantly, Pip becomes tremendously arrogant and his disdain for his former friends and family is bigger especially towards Joe (Nasrin and Halim, 2016, p.81). Once when hears of Joe’s coming visit he says ‘If I could have kept him away by paying money, I certainly would have paid money.’(Dickens, 1861, p.215) By now, he has realized what an unpleasant man he had become. He had betrayed Joe and his previous morality
As Pip’s ambitions for self-improvement to a higher social class, money, and power continue to cloud his judgment, certain events occur that lead to his self-realization. The first disappointment he got was when he discovered his real benefactor was indeed Abel Magwitch. Magwitch turns up after Mrs. Joe’s burial revealing to Pip how he was moved by his kindness in their earlier encounter. He further reveals how from then henceforth, his dedication towards making Pip a gentleman.
On the realization of the identity of his benefactor, he was greatly disappointed, partly because the money came from a person of a lesser social standing than he initially expected (Luo, 2016, p.500). On further realization that the distance between him and Estella was much bigger than he had thought shattered his dreams. He says “All the truth of my position came flashing on me; and its disappointments, dangers, disgraces, consequences of all kinds, rushed in such a multitude that I was borne down by them and had to struggle for every breath I drew’ (Dickens, 1861, p.314). Ironically, it was unbelievable that the person who had supported him to be a gentleman was a criminal.
He later discovered that Abel was the father to Estella, thus humbling him more. After getting to know Abel a little much better he develops a liking for him although he is a criminal and of a lesser social standing. At this point, Pip’s unrealistic expectations came down crashing on him and his initial good nature started to overcome his undesirable traits.
In conclusion, in Pip’s ambition for self-improvement, he desires the social and educational improvement and is extremely hard on himself. As a result, he acts immorally, seldom giving himself credit for his good deeds.
Simultaneously, we reflect on Pip’s compassion and kindness especially towards Magwitch in their first encounter and after he realizes he was his benefactor. Also, we reflect on his forgiving nature as later in the book as he forgives Miss Havisham for being partly responsible for his identity distortion. In addition to this, Pip is not entirely responsible for his character distortions. Social injustice can be blamed as Pip is part of a society that has a mentality that makes it members search for power and money at all costs.
