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In Charles Dickens’ masterpiece Great Expectations, the title character, Pip, is introduced as a young, fragile boy. However, as the story progresses Pip begins to change into a copacetic gentleman. Pip’s transformation is the work of Magwitch, benefactor/convict whom Pip meets in the beginning of the story, who show admiration toward Pip. As the story progresses, Pip’s regard for Magwitch shifts from terror to repugnance and, finally, to admiration.
We first meet Magwitch when he seizes Pip, while Pip was sitting in the isolated village churchyard, staring at his parents’ tombstones. Magwitch is introduced to Pip as a shock, at first he comes across as being manipulative and seems to be intimidating and oppressive due to his ominous facial
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expressions and raggedy clothes. The mysterious man gives murderous intentions, which are misleading to Pip because he is terrified. The boy reacts to Magwitch in a fearful and terrorized manner and obeys Magwitch's every word. In the beginning, it even looks like the convict enjoys torturing people, "Bring me the food or I'll have your heart and liver out.” Magwitch threatens Pip in order to get himself food, which makes Pip startled by Magwitch. This point in the story is where Pip’s fear of Magwitch originates from. At the time of this occurrence Pip is only 7 years old, which is why Pip is so terrified of Magwitch. In this stage of the novel, Pip finds Magwitch as an intimidating figure. Approximately 16 years have passed, and Pip has learned that the convict he was scared of is his benefactor.When Pip meets his benefactor, he only shows prejudice towards the convict even though Magwitch shows the highest generosity for Pip.
At one point in the story, Pip creates a fake name for Magwitch, the name is Provis, so people won’t infer that he is associated with a convict. Magwitch tries to find a way to tell Pip how much he loves him, Pip is an inspiration to him after he so kindly helped him 16 years ago. However, Pip only shows prejudice and repugnance towards Magwitch. This prejudice and repugnance emanated from Pip’s new ego that was created by becoming a gentleman. Now he isn’t terrified of Magwitch but he belittles him and he thinks of Magwitch as a lowlife and nothing …show more content…
more. But later, Pip does show sympathy for Magwitch because he offers him a room.
This happened because Pip felt guilty for Magwitch because he risked his life just to see Pip. Pip recognizes he should feel love for him. His heart tells him to love Magwitch but his head tells him to show abhorrence. Magwitch only feels happiness in this short space of his life, Pip realizes what freedom is to him and acknowledges that he has risked everything for a short period with Pip. When they are suspicious of the fact they are being watched and followed Magwitch is so content he doesn't even care one bit. He now calls the convict his real name Magwitch instead of his fake name, Provis, he now completely confides in him because he finally understands the benefactor’s love toward him. Pip calling Magwitch by his real name shows sincerity. All Pips repugnance towards Magwitch has gone, “For now, my repugnance to him had all melted away....” He now only shows the highest affection for Magwitch and now loves him like a son would love his father.
The novel Great Expectations, uses a very unique relationship between two characters to form the main “stem” of the book. Pip’s relationship with Abel Magwitch is extremely interesting because it is so significant. The relationship serves throughout the book as a reference point from which both the readers and the characters can view the changes of Pip’s moral and ethical standards. In addition, it is at the heart of the book mainly for the reason that
it is the closest and deepest relationship between any two characters in the whole novel. Their relationship truly forms the title, Great Expectations.
Magwitch explicitly states, “If I ain 't a gentleman, nor yet ain 't got no learning, I 'm the owner of such” (Dickens 300). By stating this, Magwitch demonstrates that although he has worked his way into becoming a bourgeois, he is still viewed as a low convict by society as they jettison him for his crimes and ignore his rehabilitation. Not only does this demonstrate his care for Pip beyond his social class, even if for exterior motives, but it also shows his attempt to escape his past offenses that have tarnished his reputation. He is a gentleman in that he attempts to provide Pip with copious amounts of money while simultaneously hiding his shady past. This past is brought up more, further displaying his duality of character, when Magwitch is about to meet Herbert. While waking up and creating a startling noise, Pip narrates, “Provis, who had been asleep too, staggered up at the noise I made, and in an instant I saw his jack-knife shining in his hand” (Dickens 312). Magwitch’s actions shows that although he is disguised to be prosperous, he is still armed and prepared to fight as he had presumably done in prison, shown by his encounter with Compeyson. Magwitch’s preparedness to fight demonstrates that although he appears to be a gentleman to society until compromised by
In the end of the novel, Great Expectations, Pip redefines himself as a dependable honorable character. For example, when Pip is hovering over Provis' deathbed he says, "Dear Magwitch, I must tell you, now at last, You had a child once whom you loved and lost, she lived and found powerful friends.
A second way a theme of redemption is developed is in Pip and Magwitch’s relationsh...
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.
...eturning from the penal colonies, Magwitch wants to start anew and chooses Pip as his benefactor.
Another human characteristic which Dickens appreciated was generosity. This trait appeared in Magwitch and Pip. Magwitch , the starved convict, was forever grateful to Pip for bringing him food in the opening of the book. Magwitch repaid Pip's kindness by opening a door to the young man's dreams. Pip suspected his dear friend, Herbert, would never become prosperous so Pip took some of the money he was receiving from Magwitch and used it as a stipend in Herbert's behalf. By doing this, Pip precipitated Herbert becoming a partner in a prosperous business. Having characters donate money and benefit from it, Dickens conveyed the goodness of generosity.
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.
The Relationship Between Pip and Abel Magwitch in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations In this essay, I am to observe the changes in the relationship between
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.
A man from Pip’s past steps out, an ex-convict, named Magwitch, who he had fed many years
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 main character, Pip, is a gentle character. His traits include humbleness, kindness, and lovingness. These traits are most likely the cause of his childhood poverty. In the beginning of the story, Pip is a mild mannered little boy who goes on with his own humble life. That, though, will change as he meets Magwich, a thief and future benefactor. Pip’s kindness goes out to help the convict, Magwich when he gives food and clothing to him. Magwich tells Pip that he’ll never forget his kindness and will remember Pip always and forever. This is the beginning of Pip’s dynamic change. Throughout the novel, Great Expectations, the character, Pip gradually changes from a kind and humble character to a character that is bitter, then snobbish and finally evolves into the kind and loving character which he was at the beginning of the story.
Pip’s transition into snobbery is, I believe, a steady one from the moment that he first meets Miss Havisham and Estella. Even before that Pip started to his fall from innocence when he steals from his sister to feed and free “his” convict. But that was not easy for young Pip as his conscience played on him as he heard the floor boards screaming in vain attempts to alert Mrs. Joe. It is obvious that Pip was not comfortable doing this deed for “his” convict as he thought for a while before taking the pork pie, which was so appreciated by Magwitch.
As a bildungsroman, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations presents the growth and development of Philip Pirrip, better known as Pip. Pip is both the main character in the story and the narrator, telling his tale many years after the events take place. Pip goes from being a young boy living in poverty in the marsh country of Kent, to being a gentleman of high status in London. Pip’s growth and maturation in Great Expectations lead him to realize that social status is in no way related to one’s real character.
In conclusion, Dickens portrays the novels title, Great Expectations, through Pip’s desires and dreams and luck. Once he finds out his secret benefactor was Magwitch, he is surprised. Pip has had many great expectations which he was able to fulfill through the aid of Magwitch. Apart from Pip’s expectations of riches and importance of being a gentleman, the readers have expectations of the novel having many turning points due to Dickens ability to craft a consistent plot in which there is a fluency in all angles. Pip had high hopes, or Great Expectations, for everything which blindly seems right to him were not carried out.