Philip Pirrip or Pip is the central character in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. Throughout the novel, he has relationships with many of the other characters, a good deal of whom can be described as father figures. Pip’s biological father is dead and Pip’s only understanding of him, is obtained from reading the inscription on his gravestone. ‘The shape of the letters on my father’s, gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man, with curly black hair.’ (Great Expectations, p.3). Immediately, a link is made (certainly in the child Pip’s mind) between him and Magwitch, whose introduction is gothically portrayed as an emanation from the graveyard, ‘“Hold your noise”, cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the graves.’ (p.4). This gothic imagery of this initial meeting between is revived later on when Magwitch has returned from Australia, ‘… at eleven o’clock… Saint Paul’s, and all the many church-clocks in the city – some leading, some accompanying, some following – struck that hour. The sound was curiously flawed by the wind; and I was listening… when I heard a footstep on the stair.’ (p.309). Eventually, Magwitch ascends the stairs and again reveals himself to Pip. Upon realising that this convict, his convict, is also his benefactor, Pip’s abhorrence of him allows no room for gratitude. Dickens goes further, to have Pip imagining Magwitch in what could be described as über-gothic terms, recalling Frankenstein’s monster, ‘The imaginary student pursued by the misshapen creature he had impiously made, was not more wretched than I, pursued by the creature who had made me…’ (p.335). The realisation has also dawned upon Pip that Magwitch has been using him.
To examine the reasons for Magwitch’s vicarious use of Pip, it is necessary to examine the former’s relationship with Compeyson in order to understand his motives. In telling his story to Pip and Herbert, Magwitch states that, ‘He set up fur a gentleman, this Compeyson, and he’d been to a public boarding-school…’ (p.343). Later on, when telling of their trial, this is Magwitch’s reason why Compeyson’s sentence was only half of his own, ‘And when the verdict come, wasn’t it Compeyson as was recommended to mercy, on account of good character and bad company…’ (p.347).
Of course we also see Pip living vicariously through Herbert Pocket. Quite early in their acquaintance, upon attending with Herbert at the latter’s place of work, Pip concludes that ‘Herbert Pocket would never be very successful or rich.’ (p.181). Upon Pip’s coming of age, it is through Wemmick’s Walworth connections that Pip is able to set Herbert up in partnership with Clarriker.
Joe Gargery, Pip’s surrogate father is of course a contrast to Magwitch. Joe has no ulterior motive, just the fact that he is married to Pip’s elder sister. On a superficial level this would appear to complicate matters – she sees them as co-conspirators against her, ‘“Churchyard, indeed. You may well say churchyard, you two.”’ (p.10), However, Joe is the main source of food, warmth, and shelter, throughout the early part of the novel. He also provides Pip with unconditional, fatherly affection (even if they are brothers-in-law!).
Unwittingly, Joe also provides Pip with an acute sense of shame. Perhaps, stung by Estella’s jibe of ‘coarse hands… thick boots’ (p.59), Joe seems to represent all that Pip feels ashamed about his upbringing to date. He is unable to function as normal when he is taken outside of his comfort zone. If he could he would sit or stand and be silent. The episode at Satis House on their taking Pip’s indentures to Miss Havisham is an example ‘It was quite in vain for me to endeavour to make him sensible that he ought to speak to Miss Havisham.’ (p.99). Later on, in the comparatively comfortable surroundings of Pip and Herbert’s lodgings at Barnard’s Inn Joe is also uncomfortable, ‘I presented Joe to Herbert… Joe backed… and held on by the bird’s-nest.’ (p.218).
Joe’s father is more than just his biological father – there is symbolism in his presence on the novel. If Magwitch sets Pip’s expectations, then he certainly sets Joe’s, ‘My father, Pip, he were given to drink… he hammered away at my mother, most onmerciful… a’most the only hammering he did… ‘xcepting at myself… with a wigour only to be equalled by the wigour with which he didn’t hammer on his anwil.’ (p.45). Whilst Joe doesn’t apply such a set of expectations upon Pip, his horizons are limited to the extent that he is unable to pass on sense of academic desire to Pip. Upon the receipt of his great expectations, Pip becomes exposed to many father figures with the ability and inclination to assist him in his learning – from Jaggers to Wemmick to Matthew Pocket.
Running in parallel with Pip’s relationship with Magwitch, we also see Estella’s relationship with Miss Havisham. Although they never meet, their stories are intertwined – and of course Magwitch is Estella’s biological father. Also, although he is able to provide for Pip, there is another echo of Pip’s father in Magwitch, for just as Pip’s father is unable to provide for Pip, Magwitch is similarly unable to do the same for Estella.
The lawyer Jaggers performs the role of legal guardian to Pip upon his expectations. A veritable repository of knowledge, Jaggers performs the role of father figure to a great many characters, due to his lawyerly abilities. For example, he has held the power of life and death over Molly – the ultimate father figure. In his capacity as Pip’s guardian, Jaggers is aloof, to the point of speaking in the third person, especially regarding his knowledge of Pip’s benefactor. Perhaps this is the lawyer in him, but we see a great contrast with the character Wemmick, his clerk.
Unlike Jaggers, Wemmick is able to separate his professional life in Jaggers’s office in Little Britain from his private life at Walworth. Indeed, it is his personal capacity that he helps Pip set Herbert up, and becomes involved in the escape plan for Magwitch. And of course, Wemmick is one of the few characters with a living biological father – the Aged P. Dickens’s use of realism (and comedy) is perhaps strongest in describing the relationship between Wemmick and the Aged P. The wrestling match at the church as the Aged is helped into his gloves is a case in point, ‘Wemmick found it necessary to put him with his back against a pillar… get behind the pillar himself and pull away at [the gloves]’ (p.448). The Aged P is perhaps the nearest thing to an ideal father. Dickens emphasis this point, to the extent that it is he who gives Miss Skiffins away at her marriage to his son. Thus, we also see Skiffins as another orphan and although older, still in need of a father figure.
Herbert’s biological father, Matthew Pocket also fulfils the role of tutor to Pip, as well as Startop and Drummle. However, when we see just how his own family are being brought up ‘… the nurture of the little Pockets, consisted alternately tumbling up and lying down.’ (p.186), we begin to doubt that Mr. Pocket is a good role model for these young gentlemen. He is strong on theory ‘Mr. Pocket was out lecturing… a most delightful lecturer on domestic economy…’ (pp.267-268), but it seems exceedingly weak on the practice of fatherhood. When Pip is in need of a father figure rather than a brother figure to confide in with regard to Estella considers Mr. Pocket, but eventually decide against the idea.
In common with both Pip and Joe’s fathers, we also hear about another father who is not present in the novel’s timeline. As opposed to Joe’s father who was neglectful of his son’s upbringing, Belinda Pocket’s father had obviously attempted to bring her up rather too rigidly. Consequently it was quite a shock to him when she married, apparently beneath her station, ‘the judicious parent… having nothing… but his blessing… had handsomely endowed [it]… upon them after a short struggle’ (p.187).
Pip’s metaphorical journey and rebirth is completed when he returns home from overseas to find Joe and Biddy with children, one of whom is a male child called Pip. We also see Joe fulfilled – in giving succour to Pip there was always a fraternal element to their relationship.
With the exception of the Aged P and perhaps Joe, Dickens portrayal of father figures uses several different characters to make a composite. Many characters have the capability to father a child, Pip’s biological father, Magwitch, the Aged P, Joe, Matthew Pocket, etc but apart from the Aged P and Joe none can contribute all that is necessary to be a ‘good’ father.
Quotations are taken from Oxford World’s Classics, 1998 edition of Great Expectations.
