In depth analysis of Pip

Pip

In the great expectations Novel by Charles Dickens Pip is a young Victorian boy who lives with his elder sister and her blacksmith husband after the loss of his parents, to me he would appear as a working class character. The novel starts as Pip coming across a man in a graveyard who he is slightly fearful of, his name is Magwitch , who escaped from the prison Pip ends up stealing food from his family to feed the prisoner. Pip one day visit  wealthy women and her adopted daughter Estella at Statis house, he is her apprentice, they come across quite intimidating and judgmental towards him, he appears quite uncomfortable and nervous. After visiting Miss Havisham for several weeks he decides he wants to become an apprentice of Joe the blacksmith and asks for her permission. After many years of working as a blacksmith and as Pip forms into a young man he decides he wants to liv up to greater expectations and become a gentlemen.

After moving to Hammersmith away from his family Pip starts to focus on working in a career with a more wealthy environment. After a while Pip decides to visit Miss Havisham and Estella, at Statis house he is stunned by Estellas elegance and starts to convey his love for her, however Miss Havisham has moulded Estella into a weapon of rejection and later on throughout the novel Pip discovers to his horror that Estella is to marry Bentley Drummle  a man who he dislikes.

After the death of Pips sister after she gets attacked Pip discovers that his good old friend Joe and his friend Biddy who educated him on how to read and write are to get married, Pip is more than happy for them but it is obvious that he is starting to feel lonely. After Miss Havisham dies of severe burns after her wedding dress catches alight in the fire and the death of Bentley Drummle Estellas abusive husband and Magwitch who pip finds out to be Estellas dad dies, the book concludes by Estella and Pip finally meeting again and reuniting as close friends.

page 79 ' I think she is very proud, pretty and insulting'
' I adore Estella'
page 298' the child you loved and thought you once loved, met the most powerful friends. I love her'(speaking to Magwhitch)
page 648' you have always held a place in my heart'

Here are a few quotes which I feel convey to the reader Pip's love and loyalty towards Estella.

In order to portray my understanding of Pip I created a brainstorm on his attitude and appearance .Pip portrays himself as a shy and frightened young boy, who is working class Victorian. Pip wants to become a blacksmith which is a job which involves a lot of labouring this also highlights his working class background, in the novel when Pip and Estella first meet she intimidates him making a joke of his lower class appearance.

 

As Pip grows into a young man he becomes more caring looking after Magwitch. He also falls deeply in love with Estella and experiences heartbreak and rejection from her , this also conveys there differences in socio economic backgrounds.

 

By Pip making the decision to live up to greater expectations moving away from his family in order to become a gentlemen also conveys he is unhappy with his life as a working class Victorian.

 

Before moving away to Hammersmith Pip explains to good friend Biddy that he could not love her, this may have ben due to only having feelings for Estella. Pip however appears lonely and unloved when Estella marries Drummle and he finds out that after the death of his sister Joe and Buddy are to marry.

Pip film interpretations

anonymous. (unknown). great expectations. Available: http://www.cinemum.net/index.php/faqs/item/248-great-expectations. Last accessed 16/03/15.

In the 2012 interpretation of the great expectations directed by Mike Newell, pip is portrayed as a lower class Victorian by the way the character is dressed, in comparison to the way Estella is dressed the film clearly conveys the differences between upper class and working class.

The way Pips hair is styled in the 2012 interpretation is curled with a side parting this highlights elements from the early to mid Victorian period due to hair becoming shorter as the Victorian period came to an end.

 

anonymous. (30/08/12). European premiere of the great expectations to closeBFI london film festival. Available: http://www.moviescopemag.com/market-news/featured-editorial/european-premiere-of-great-expectations-to-close-bfi-london-film-festival/. Last accessed 16/03/15.

 

The 2012 interpretation of the great expectations film Pip appears t be dressed slightly more wealthy due to going to moving away to become a gentlemen , whilst he is in London he gets his clothes specially tailored for him this can be conveyed also through the style of clothing.

As Pip has grown into a young man his hair has become straight and shorter and beards have also become in fashion this conveys the  late part of the Victorian period.

 

anonymous. (unknown). great expectations characters. Available: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/greatexpectations/characters.html. Last accessed 16/03/15.

 

In the BBC version of the great  expectations Pip is portrayed as a lower class boy in terms of his tatty clothing and untidy hair.

 

anonymous. (unknown). great expectations characters. Available: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/greatexpectations/characters.html. Last accessed 16/03/15.

 

The BBC version of the great expectations highlights the change in Pips appearance, since moving away from his family to London to become a gentlemen with a wealthy career his clothing has become more tailored and his appearance has become more groomed. In the film Pip as a young man is also seen supporting a top hat which also portrays wealth.

 

character styling

When recreating Pip as a young boy his hair would be slightly untidy, the longer curled locks with the side parting would also highlight the mid Victorian period. By making his face neck and hands appear dirty will also highlight the working class background. In terms of his clothing in order to convey a poor lower class Victorian tatty and oversized will help to convey to the audience Pips working class background.

 

When recreating Pip as a young man his hair would be groomed and tidy perhaps a shorter hairstyle to convey the later Victorian period. He would either be clean shaven or have a short and styled beard to portray wealth. His clothes will be tailored supported with a necktie and a top hat also to portray his change in career and his wealth. This will convey to the audience his signficant change in appearance as well as career.