Essay on What Shapes Pip’s Character in Great Expectations

What influences shape the character of young Pip in Great Expectations? â€Å"Great Expectations†, by Charles Dickens, is an enthralling tale of love and fortune. The story is set in the period of Dickens’ childhood, from 1810 to approximately 1830, and it is likely that memories of his own youth inspired Dickens to write the novel. The main character, Pip, is a gentle and humble boy whose character and personality undergo major transformations throughout the novel. He is influenced by many characters, in particular Estella, the hard-hearted girl from Satis House, and Magwitch, the convict from the marshes. From the first page of the novel, Pip is introduced as an orphan and he enlightens the reader â€Å"I never saw my father or my†¦show more content†¦This is apparent when Pip narrates: â€Å"every board upon the way, and every crack in every board, calling after me, `Stop thief! and `Get up, Mrs Joe!† It is due to Mrs Joe that Pip develops a conscience and as a result she is crucial to his upbringing. Joe builds a solid and amiable relationship with Pip. Pip depicts him as â€Å"a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow† and because of this, and also the fact that they are the only males in the household, Pip finds him easy to get along with. This can be seen when Joe covers for Pip when he is late home or when he says â€Å"ever the best of friends; an’t us Pip?† Joe is Pip’s first and closest friend who comforts the boy in hard times. However, to Pip, Joe is not just a companion but also in some ways a paternal and even a maternal figure. Their relationship means that Pip is able to talk to Joe openly about any subject and therefore Joe has a very positive effect on Pip through his love. Pip loves Joe for what he is and in his childhood dreams of becoming Joe’s apprentice to become a blacksmith. However, Pip’s relationship with Joe begins to change after Pip pays his frequent visits to Satis House. Pip begins to feel ashamed of Joe because he is illiterate and the young boy feels that becoming a blacksmith is not the right choice to make. Dickens writes that Pip hates working as Joe’s apprentice – â€Å"Once it had seemed to me that when I shouldShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1324 Words   |  6 PagesIn Great Expectations, Charles Dickens rejects conventional Victorian class stratification, using Pip s Bildungsroman to demonstrate that social mobility can be achieved through mor al education, experience and personal development, rather than the simple acquisition of wealth. 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