How Charles Dickens Creates Sympathy for Pip in the Novel Great Expectations Essay Example

grave, leading the child to believe he was a stout, dark man with curly black hair. Growing up alone and miserable, the child had to nickname himself and create images of absent parents to comfort himself.

Referring to the five graves as little stone lozenges highlights that the protagonist had five younger siblings who died young, resulting in him being an only child with a longing for companionship and affection. In Great Expectations, Magwitch is a significant character, portrayed as a menacing and enigmatic convict who confronts Pip in a secluded graveyard. His threatening words "Hold your noise or I'll cut your throat" reveal his vindictive and vicious nature, instilling fear and trauma in Pip, who becomes compliant to avoid harm. Magwitch's hunger is evident when he comments on Pip's "fat cheeks," emphasizing the great extent of his desperation.

Pip becomes afraid and intimidated in the presence of the Convict. The Convict's aggressive behavior, including glaring and growling at Pip as if he were a starving animal, causes Pip to feel uneasy. The situation confuses Pip, as he is in the company of a dangerous criminal who bombards him with questions, demanding to know his name. The Convict's menacing nature intensifies as he speaks about eating Pip's cheeks and threatens that his accomplice will come to tear out Pip's liver and heart if he does not cooperate. Magwitch manipulates Pip's thoughts to make him believe his deceitful words.

Estella, the adopted daughter of the echelons, is roughly the same age as Pip but behaves maturely beyond her years. When Pip politely offers to let her go first with "After you Miss", she responds haughtily and impolitely with

"Don't be ridiculous boy, I am not going in." Estella sees Pip as a lower class and considers him beneath her, remarking "With this boy? Why he is a common labouring boy." Due to her wealth and status, she refuses to associate herself with him. Estella lacks manners and repeatedly refers to Pip as a "boy," overlooking him as an equal. She is spoiled and accustomed to getting her way without any repercussions. Anyone who insults her would face retaliation from both her and Miss Havisham.

Miss Havisham is a powerful figure in Society, both in terms of her position and her unwavering presence. She is known for her bitter and cold personality, which is evident when she commands Pip to play cards with Estella and entertain her. Because of their class differences, Pip is unable to refuse her request and must follow her rules, or face punishment from Mrs. Gragery in the form of physical discipline. Miss Havisham's cruelty is also evident when she urges Estella to "break [Pip's] heart," suggesting that their combined efforts in bullying him will crush his self-esteem, confidence, and pride. This calculated approach ultimately leads to Pip's emotional breakdown without any justification for his mistreatment.

Despite her appearance resembling a skeleton with sunken eyes, Miss Havisham continuously asks Pip for his thoughts on Estella, adding a sense of uneasiness and discomfort as she repeats the question "Anything else?" three times. Her aversion towards him only adds to Pip's troubled and upset state, considering all the negative things she has said in the past. Additionally, the raw and bitter cold of the harsh wind in The Graveyard only intensifies the

physical discomfort experienced by Pip.

Despite the freezing cold weather, Pip finds himself in a neglected, abandoned graveyard instead of the warmth of a home. Unlike other well-maintained graveyards with neatly-trimmed grass, weed-free grounds, and floral arrangements, this burial ground portrays a dismal atmosphere, unloved and forgotten because it serves as a final resting place for the low class. The desolate site features intersecting dykes, mounds, and gates, with cattle roaming about on the marshes. The gloom and loneliness of the place are palpable. Just like the graveyard, Satis House appears desolate too. Constructed with old bricks and numerous iron bars reminiscent of a prison, the house seems as though it has been abandoned for many years, accentuated by its walled-up windows and rusty, barricaded lower windows.

When an object becomes rusty, it typically indicates that it has been in place for a significant period of time. The courtyard surrounding the house was also barred, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of imprisonment, with no one entering or leaving. The name of the house, Satis House, translates to "Enough House", implying that its original owner had experienced a fulfilling life with no further desires. However, the current owner, Miss Havisham, has not achieved everything she had hoped for in life, as it all fell apart on her wedding day, leaving her feeling content with what she has. Dark passages and corridors within the house were not illuminated by candles, leaving visitors entirely reliant on their guide to know what was to come.