Great_Expectaions

A character can be latent and seemingly random to the story plot, but in Dickens’s case, the character’s role is clearly evident. He proves that even the most “random” characters can be pivotal to the main character and the plot. Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations has two characters, Ms. Havisham and Biddy, who both have pivotal roles towards the main character, Pip. Dickens’s Great Expectations has a character, Ms. Havisham, who has a vital role in the novel. Ms. Havisham insists on making Pip shower Estella with compliments on her beauty and talent. By this, Ms. Havisham is trying to take revenge on men, and tries to make Pip fall in love with Estella. Also, she insists on him to play games and be around Estella, regardless of what he truly feels about her, practically forcing him to fall in love. In addition, Ms. Havisham encourages Estella to make Pip feel uncomfortable about his social status, for example when Pip is remembering how “she denounced me for a stupid, clumsy, laboring boy”. This makes Pip have second thoughts about his happiness, and these comments ultimately alter his life. Also, Dickens shows the reader that a social status was very important back then and that the poor were always looked down upon and had no evident capability of changing their status. Through Ms. Havisham, Pip becomes uncomfortable with his relationship with Estella and his social status, therefore changing his view on life. Another essential character in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is Biddy. Biddy is kind and compassionate towards Pip, as seen when she is giving advice to him and states “don’t you think you are happier as you are…I only want you to do well and be comfortable.” Biddy shows Pip that she cares very much for him and that she wants him to be felicitous and she would not like anything bad to happen to him. Also, she is hinting that she loves him and that she would like him to stay near to her, and not to stray away where he will be harmed. Another example of her important role towards Pip is when Pip and her go for a walk and see Orlick, and Biddy whispers to Pip “don’t let him come…I am afraid he likes me!” Biddy is hinting to Pip that she needs Pip to protect her from everything that she cannot handle, for she does the same for him. Also, she is causing Pip to realize that he cares for her, and that he would not like to see Biddy scared and defenseless, especially since they are close friends. Biddy is a fundamental character towards Pip because she changes him from having young and shallow ideas to being more open-minded and profound. Ms. Havisham and Biddy both have imperative roles toward Pip, one in a negative way, and the other in a positive way. Pip has to choose whether or not he would like to become a gentleman and get the uncaring woman of his dreams, or stay where he is and be happy with his own life. Two characters in Great Expectations make Pip go through a midlife crisis, not knowing whether to go for his dream, or to be content with what he has, which mirrors the same type of crisis that we go through.