Parallels Between Pip, Orlick, Or Drummle?

In Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, the main character, Pip might seem like an innocent boy growing up to be a respected gentleman. However, in Julian Moynahan’s literary criticism “Parallels Between Pip, Orlick, and Drummle,” different sides to this fundamental character are shown. At first sight, Orlick and Drummle seem like complete contradictory characters to Pip. They could be portrayed almost as villains compared to the innocent Pip. Nonetheless, when different parts in the novel are studied, this opposite comparison changes to an eerily similar one. In Dickens novel, Great Expectations, Pip shows striking parallels with both Orkick and Drummle, even though he disapproves of actions that they take and how they handle themselves.

However, the lives of Pip and Drummle, although they seem like they could be opposite, are actually extremely similar. In the essay, Moynahan describes this striking similarity by saying, “Orlick seems not only to dog Pip’s footsteps, but also to present a parody of Pip’s upward progress throughout the novel.” This parody is created because of how Orlick seems to almost follow in Pips footsteps through the novel. Pip moves around quite a bit working for and associating with different people in different locations. When looking at both characters paths, they are almost identical. Pip works for Ms. Havisham at Satis House, then Orlick becomes the gatekeeper at Satis House. Also, Pip gets his money from Magwitch, and Orlick ends up revealing that he has a connection his enemy, Compeyson. Even though Pip believes that Orlick has no right to be associated with anyone who he is close to, Orlick seems to be living an eerily similar life to Pip. Even with neither of them being fond of each other or with what they are doing, they always stay connected through the novel. Thus, Pip has more parallels to Orlick than he would like to admit, and Orlick has more parallels to Pip than he would like to