Great Expectation Essay: Critical Analysis of Pip

In the novel Great Expectations, Pip’s life is all about becoming better than he is for someone who will never appreciate or care for him. He creates these expectations of what his life will be based off a lie that Miss Havisham allows and encourages him to believe.

When Pip was a young boy he was often expected to go over the Satis House to visit Miss Havisham and her adopted daughter Estella. Pip didn’t know the real reason behind these visits till later in life. Miss Havisham raised Estella to have a cold heart, not showing emotion for any one. Miss Havisham wanted to Pip to fall in love with Estella just so she would break his heart. He spent his life trying to become a worthy gentleman for her, but she never felt the same way. Pip believes that all this time, Miss Havisham has been his benefactor. He thinks that she is the one supplying the wealth that he needs to become a gentleman and that she intends for him to marry Estella one day.

Miss Havisham never directly lies about her being his benefactor, but yet it is still a lie. She lets the lie go on and manipulates him so that he will fall hopelessly in love with Estella only to have his heart broken. It is a lie because it isn’t the truth, and the truth has remained hidden.

When Pip comes up with the theory that Miss Havisham is his benefactor, he spends his entire life trying to be good enough for Estella. As he grows in his class, his attitude changes and so does his relationships. He begins to become too good for the people he cares about most. His relationships are becoming destroyed. Joe, his oldest friend, is suddenly too embarrassing to be around, and he has conflict with Biddy. He has all these expectations of what his life is going to be, but they are all crushed when the truth is revealed. Since he believes that he was intended for Estella, he is heartbroken that Miss Havisham is not his benefactor.

Pip’s life was centered on his “great expectations. He became so focused on what he planned for his life that he lost sight of the other people in his life; he lost sight of himself. Later on, Pip realizes the truth about Miss Havisham and his benefactor; this causes him to change heart and view of the world.