Character Log: Great Expectations Page #: 1 Pip- Pip is the main character of Great Expectations. He is the younger brother of Mrs. Joe Gargery and the brother-in-law of Joe Gargery. Pip is the nephew-in-law of Pumblechook. Pip is closely acquainted with Mr. Wopsle, a family friend who he becomes closer with as the novel progresses. Pip’s dream starts to come true as one Miss Havisham provides a social outlet for Pip. Pip is a potential suitor of Estella Havisham. Pip later becomes the legal child of Mr. Jaggers. Pip serves as an opposing force to Jaggers as well as to Dolge Orlick. Pip is the student of Biddy, and eventually becomes the brother-in-law of Biddy. Pip’s best friend is Herbert Pocket. Pip also befriends and is made an ally to John Wemmick, a man whom he meets in London. Pip has an arch enemy whom with he fights for Estella’s hand in marriage, named Bentley Drummle. Pip has a fellow classmate named Startop. Pip is the receiving end of a benefactor name Abel Magwitch, who later becomes friends with Pip and Pip aids in Magwitch’s escape. Pip is taught at an early age by Mr. Wopsle’s great aunt. Pip is teased by and is later rescue by Trabb’s boy. Pip is a guest in the household of the Pockets. Pip develops the plot because it is his dreams and ambition that create the plot and all plot subsets. He has many goals that develop the story, the first of which is marrying Estella. Pip spends the majority of the book trying to win Estella, attempting to impress both her and her mother, and it is in attempt to impress her that he creates a second goal, to become a gentleman in the upper class. Shortly after Pip is introduced to the book, he becomes inspired by his schooling by Wopsle’s aunt’s classes and decides he wants to be a gentleman to avoid having to live his life end like Joe’s, his brother-in-law. He takes classes from his friend Biddy and is sent to Miss Havisham so he can fulfill this dream. His desire to become a gentleman eventually leads him to be sent to London to receive a formal education and gentleman training, this being where he meets additional characters who develop the plot even further. After Pip has lived a good span of time in London, he develops yet another goal, saving his benefactor, Magwitch from the police. The last section of the book is entirely devoted to this goal, and without it, many plot details fail to tie together properly. Page #: 5 Mrs. Joe- Mrs. Joe is the older sister of the main character, Pip. She is married to Joe Gargery and it is speculated by Pip that it was a forced marriage. Although he is Joe’s uncle, Pumblechook and Mrs. Joe have a very close relationship. Mrs. Joe despises Joe’s apprentice, Orlick attacks Mrs. Joe mid-way through Pip’s childhood, leaving her with permanent injuries that later result in her death. Mrs. Joe is a family friend of Mr. Hubble as well as Mrs. Wopsle. Mrs. Joe is important to the plot because she also encourages Pip’s visiting of Miss Havisham which spurs his goal to become a gentleman. She also develops the plot by creating a toxic environment in her household, which makes Pip dream of a better life, thus leading him to pursue the idea of being a gentleman and having a better life. Page #: 5 Joe- Joe is the brother-in-law and father figure of Pip. He visits Pip during his stay in London and cares for Pip after Pip falls ill after Magwitch’s death. He is married to Mrs. Joe, and his marriage to her is allegedly forced by the latter party. Joe‘s uncle is Mr.Pumblechook. Joe is a close family friend of Mr. Wopsle as well as Mr. Hubble. Joe is the boss and mentor of his blacksmith apprentice, Orlick. After Mrs. Joe’s attack, his friend Biddy moves in to help him manage with Mrs. Joe and he and Biddy eventually end up married and have a child together, whom they name after Pip. Joe represents a symbol of love and devotion for the reader to compare other forms of love to the entire novel. Joe’s love for Pip never dies; he always is there for Pip, for Pip during childhood, as a young adult and as a full grown man. Joe also provides a basis for Pip’s goal on becoming a gentleman is born. It is Joe’s so called inadequacy in education and class statues that allows Pip to be motivated. Joe creates clash with Pip’s idea of class, Joe believes that he was meant to be lower class and he is unmotivated to change his position, but he is happy where he is, the opposite of Pip’s unhappiness in a higher class that he had to work hard at to achieve. Page #: 18 Mr. Pumblechook- Pumblechook is the uncle of Joe, and the great uncle of Pip. He is responsible for bringing Pip to Miss Havisham’s house. He is significant to the plot because of this important action, Pip’s meeting of Miss Havisham spurs Pip’s creating of his goal of meeting Estella and becoming a gentleman. Pumblechook also represents a part of what Pip wants to become when he’s older, a successful business man, but shows how this goal may require some sacrifices of personality and degradation of one’s character, as seen by Pumblechooks pompous and greedy habits. Page #: 18 Mr. Wopsle- Mr. Wopsle is a close family friend of the Gargery’s when Pip is a child and later becomes somewhat as a close friend when Pip and he both move to London to pursue their dreams. He also has a great-aunt, who dies shortly after the book begins. Wopsle is meant to show many different things in the plot, the first of which is how one’s goals, when oblivious to the absurdity, can be catastrophic. Mr. Wopsle’s perusal of a failed acting career shows that Pip’s goal of being a gentleman could easily disintegrate and fail, and his entire life’s course would have to be changed. Another thing Wopsle shows is how ridiculous it is sometimes to desire to be in a class above your own, as seen when Wopsle complains of his fellow clergymen being advanced in the church while he remains in his lower position. He shows that one has to earn a higher position, and that lack of skill and effort leads you nowhere. Page #: 43, 44 Miss Havisham-Miss Havisham is the adoptive mother of Estella Havisham. Miss Havisham has a lawyer named Mr. Jaggers who brought her her daughter originally. Miss Havisham was once engaged to a man named Compeyson who leaves her at the altar on their wedding day. Miss Havisham has a cousin named Matthew Pocket. Miss Havisham serves as a sort of influential mentor and companion to Pip in the months leading up to his departure to London. She is thought, for the majority of the book, to be the mysterious benefactor of Pip. Towards the end of her life, she is saved by Pip in a large fire. Miss Havisham is one of the main reasons for Pip’s gentleman training. It is she who introduces Pip to Estella and creates Pip’s insatiable desire to be with Estella, so serving her goal of having Estella break hearts. Pip’s obsession with Estella is what turns him to pursue higher status to impress Estella and to become more worthy. Miss Havisham also exemplifies the idea that apology and penitence are all that is needed to solve misdoings. Miss Havisham shows that lying and greed very effectively allow someone to achieve their goals, but that there can be negative consequences to acting this way after the goal is achieved. Page #’s: 45 Estella Havisham- Estella is the adoptive daughter of Miss Havisham. Estella is the actual daughter of Molly the housekeeper and Abel Magwitch. Estella is the wife, and later ex- wife of Bentley Drummle. Estella is the object of desire for Pip throughout the entire novel. Although she denies him her love for the majority of the book, in the last chapters, she finally accepts Pip and the two appear to have a bright future. Estella develops the plot by creating a goal for Pip to base his entire life upon. She is an object of desire for him and all his thoughts and actions revolve around her. She is the reason for Pip’s gentleman training, which is done mostly to impress her and win her heart. She also develops the plot by showing how class can be changed quickly and for little apparent reason, seen when she begins as the daughter of Molly and Magwitch but quickly becomes the upper class daughter of Miss Havisham. This gives some contrast to Pip’s entire life struggle to become a gentleman in the higher class. Page #: 154 Mr. Jaggers- Mr. Jaggers is the lawyer of Miss Havisham and is responsible for bringing Miss Havisham her adoptive daughter. Mr. Jaggers is the lawyer of Magwitch as well, and attempts to do his best to spare Magwitch from the death penalty. Mr. Jagger’s maid is Molly, and it is suggested he cares more deeply for her than shown on the exterior.