Great Expectations

In the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, there are many characters with a meaningful purpose. These characters include Estella, Miss Havisham, Able Magwitch, and Philip Pirrip, better known to himself and to the world as Pip. Pip is by far the most important character in Great Expectations. Pip's actions and thoughts make up the main plot in the novel, making Pip key in understanding the novel. Another important point in the story is knowing that Pip is a good character with a good personality, and his honorable qualities create the main focus of the book.

As a character, Pip's most significant trait is his good conscious. He has a strong desire to improve himself in anyway possible, whether educational, moral, or social. His longing to marry Estella and join the upper class acts as a motivator for Pip to become what he desires to be.

Although Pip treats Joe and Biddy snobbishly and acts coldly to them, Pip is at heart a very generous and sympathetic young man. This can be witnessed in different ways. The helping of Magwitch, secretly buying Herbert's way into business, and his loving for those who love him.

Pip is a very understanding person; this is recognized when Pip loses Estella to the arrogant Drummle. Because Pip loses Estella, he is forced to realize that his social quality is not his most important one, and that his behavior as a gentleman has forced him to hurt the people that care about him the most. After realizing this, Pip matures into a person that accepts his place in the lower class.

Finally, after realizing his place and returning to England after eleven years in Cairo, he speaks to his lost love Estella, but does not seek revenge on Estella. Making him a good character with a good personality. Pip realizes that her life isn't that good after all. They part, never see each other again.