Pip's Manipulation

Pip was a young boy who lived in the marshes of England. His parents were deceased so he lived with his sister and brother in law, Joe. While visiting his parents graves a convict took him, and threatened him into bringing a file and some food. Pip stole this from his family. Later on the convict is captured ,and for Pip’s sake, lies and says he stole the tems and is carried away to jail. A few weeks later, Mr. Pumblechook, Pip’s uncle, carries Pip to Mrs.Havisham, an old widow, to play at her house. Pumblechook and Joe hope that Pip will inherit Havisham’s fortune. An illuminating moment in Great Expectations is when Pip, while in London training to become a gentleman, learns his benefactor, all these years, has been the convict that he encountered as a young boy, which in turn follows

the theme of what goes around, comes around, whether it be bad or beneficial.

Pip initially thinks his benefactor is Miss Havisham, but all of that is dashed from his mind once he encounters Magwitch, the convict who is the actual benefactor and has been sending Pip money and the resources throughout his time in London.Pip discovered that Magwitch was “his convict” when Magwitch came into the Inn where he resided one night.

“I relinquished the intention he had detected, for I knew him! Even yet I could not recall a single feature, but I knew him! If the wind and the rain had driven away the intervening years, had scattered all the intervening objects, had swept us to the churchyard where we first stood face to face on such different levels, I could not have known my convict more distinctly than I knew him now as he sat in the chair before the fire. No need to take a file from his pocket and show it to me; no need to take the handkerchief from his neck and twist it round his head; no need to hug himself with both his arms, and take a shivering turn across the room, looking back at me for recognition. I knew him before he gave me one of these aids, though, a moment before, I had not been conscious of remotely suspecting his identity.” (Chp. 39, pgs.

118-119)

This is the night Pip realizes who Magwitch really is. He is the convict Pip helped escape so many years ago. At first, Pip is puzzled at the strange burlish and old man that has strided into the Inn at such an ungodly time of night. As the stranger talks, Pip starts putting the pieces together and slowly starts having flashbacks of when he was young, reliving the incident of his younger years. As he recalls his memories, Magwitch, the convict, calmly tells Pip how he has been since he last saw Pip as a young boy. After speaking of his endeavors, Magwitch reveals to Pip that he has been his benefactor this whole time.

After Pip helped Magwitch while he was a convict, Magwitch was forever indebted to the young boy. He remembered the boy’s act of kindness, and was sure to repay him in the long run. Sometimes things come from those who you least expect it from.