Deception's Role In Great Expectations

Deception influences people’s decisions and outlook on life. Internal deceptions occur when someone tricks themselves into thinking something that is not true. External deceptions occur when a person or character tricks another person or character. Internal and external deceptions occurs in day to day life as well as in literature. Deception plays a significant role in Great Expectations because it both internally and externally affects characters.

Deception plays a significant role primarily because it internally affects characters. Pip demonstrates internal deception by deceiving himself about his living conditions, economics, and feelings for Estella. The main character that is internally affected is Pip. Pip deceives himself into thinking

that he is in a better situation than he is actually in. In chapter 34, Pip and Herbert discuss their financial situation. They are very much in debt and still spend money like it grows on trees. They tell themselves they will be fine spending more money than they can afford. Pip narrates, “There was a gay fiction among us that we were constantly enjoying ourselves, and a skeleton truth that we never did”(487). Pip tricks himself into thinking that his life is more positive and enjoyable, when in reality, he has many problems. Pip telling himself that the situation was better than it appears and that everything will come out fine illustrates that Pip internally deceives himself.

One of the problems Pip is facing is that he is economically struggling and extremely high in debt. Pip and Herbert exercise the action of “leaving a margin.” For example, when Herbert's debts equal 164 pounds, Pip says to Herbert, “Leave a margin, and put them down at 200”(492). Again 50 seats himself about his status. Each time, Pip and Herbert would get into more debt by meeting the margin then making the margin larger. He makes himself think that he is in a better situation than he actually is. The margins and their effects exemplify how deception plays an internal role in Great Expectations and how it affects him. In addition to Pip deceiving himself about his conditions and economic standing, he to see some self about his feelings of a Stella. Estella frequently puts Pip down and has even made him cry, yet still says he loves her. At Miss Havisham’s house, Estella makes Pip cry after beating him in the cards. “‘You have been crying till you are half-blind, and you are near crying again now.’ She laughed contemptuously, pushed me out, and locked the gate upon me”(113). Not only does Estella make Pip cry, she mocks him

for it as well. Throughout the book Pip tells himself and others that he loves Estella and that they are meant to be together. He says to Herbert “‘Herbert,’ said I, laying my hand upon his knee, ‘I love-I adore-Estella’”(438). Pip deceives himself Estella is his soulmate even though she treats him poorly. This demonstrates how deception internally affects Pip. Pip internally deceives himself about his living conditions, economics, and feelings for Estella.
In addition, deception plays a significant role by externally affecting characters. External deception and it's effects can be seen in relationships between Pip and Miss Havisham, Pip and the public, and Estella and Drummle. Pip thinks that Miss Havisham is his benefactor for many years of his life. He believes that is the reason he goes to Satis House. Also, Pip believes that Miss Havisham wants him to become a gentleman so he can rise up in social class and status in order to marry Estella. Pip says, “‘But when I have come into the mistake I have so long in the remained in, at least you led me on?’ ‘Yes’ she returned again nodding steadily ‘I led you on’”(638). Miss Havisham admits to Pip that she led him on. Before Miss Havisham admits to deception, Pip spends his whole life basing his goals off of a fantasy and that negatively impacts Pip. Miss Havisham leading on Pip portrays an example of external deception and how it influences characters. Furthermore, Pip deceives the public when he rows everyday to try and get Magwich to safety. Magwich needs to escape London. He rows daily so that when the time comes to try and get Magwich out, it would look normal for him to be rowing a boat and that way Magwich could safely escape. “and we were in the habit of rowing up and down the river? You fall into that habit, and then who notices or minds? Do it twenty or fifty times, and there is nothing special in your doing it the twenty-first or fifty-first”(673). Herbert comprises this plan. Herbert and Pip use deception as a scheme and it illustrates how deception is externally used and affects people. Moreover, Estella deceives many people, such as Drummle. She makes Drummle think she loves him but in reality, she has no feelings for him. She even admits it. “‘Do you deceive and entrap him, Estella?’ ‘Yes, and many others…’”(555). Estella admits she is deceiving towards others. The deceptions change peoples’ views and influence people like Drummle to believe certain ideas. This depicts external forces of deception are demonstrated and that they affect characters’ lives. Characters and their relationships such as Pip and Miss Havisham, Pip and the public, and Estella and Drummle, are externally involved in and influenced by deception.
In the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, characters are both internally and externally affected by the topic of deception.

Deception causes characters to feel pain and to have lowered self-confidence. It also causes people in real life pain. Therefore, deception versus reality needs to be recognized in real life and its effects on people can be seen from characters in Great

Expectations.