Defining Magwitch in Great Expectations Essay - 1043 Words

Defining Magwitch in Great Expectations Great Expectations was written in the era of Queen Victoria; ironically a time of great progress and prosperity. Sadly, this was not the case for all. Education benefited the rich. As a result, there was a huge gap between the rich and the poor. The justice system was harsh, favouring the rich, two hundred men and women were put before the judge to be sentenced to death every week. It is clear that Dickens reflects on the society of the time, and shows the unjust, class divided society Magwitch was a part of and the need to reform a legal system which treated this man so unjustly. Knowing Magwitch grew up in this brutal society, it isnt surprising that†¦show more content†¦There is a sense of gratitude on his part which the reader has to respect. We see this kindness again when Pip goes to the pub with Joe, Mr. Wopsle and a stranger one night. During the course of the evening, the stranger brings a file out of his pocket to stir his drink. The file he uses is identical to the one Pip gave to Magwitch that night on the marshes. Later the stranger gave Pip a shilling rapped in two pound notes. This generosity soon becomes obvious to the reader and that the money is from Magwitch. It is these moments of compassion which alter the readers view of the violent bully and create a sense of respect for him. Magwitch describes his life as in jail and out of jail and in his own words he tells us that he is a criminal, but that he is not ashamed. It is not surprising considering that he was abandoned from an early age and so he was ill brought up and a thieving turnip was the only way for him to stay alive. Jail was his second home and he soon became a juvenile offender in trouble with the police all the time and eventually got the reputation of being hardened. You can hardly be envious of Magwitch life and you begin to pity him. Magwitch is prepared to stare death in the face to get what he wants and he isnt afraid of death because he has hadShow MoreRelatedVictorian Era Research Paper1048 Words   |  5 PagesCentury Criminal Profiling in Great Expectations In the nineteenth century, the harsh consequences for committing crimes depended on various factors, including social status, appearance, behavior and gender. The law was biased towards those who were both superior in appearance and thoroughly educated. Women were seen as respectable but naà ¯ve rather than murderers. Through his distinction of characters, Dickens shows his interest of profiling in his novel Great Expectations. Magwitch’s story of hisRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dicken1396 Words   |  6 PagesPublished in 1861, Great Expectations is considered to be one of Charles Dicken’s greatest works both overall and within the bildungsroman genre. This novel addresses many of the common concerns in bildungsromane, such as finding a place to belong, discovering who one can depend on, defining what really matters in life, and coming to peace with one’s self (Burton, 2013). While Great Expectations has many important characters participating in the story, Pip is, without a doubt, the main characterRead MoreDickens Creation of Sympathy for His Characters in Great Expectations2048 Words   |  9 PagesDickens Creation of Sympathy for His Characters in Great Expectations Charles Dickens was born on February 7th 1812, the son of John and Elizabeth Dickens. John Dickens was a clerk in the naval pay office. He had a poor head for finances and in 1824 found himself imprisoned for debt. His wife and children (with the exception of Charles) were, as was normal, imprisoned with him. Charles was put to work at Warrens Blacking Factory, where conditions were terrible. When his Read MoreGreat Expectations: Females Influence on Pip Essay2892 Words   |  12 PagesGreat Expectations: Females Influence on Pip In the opening of the novel, Pip is a naà ¯ve young boy who as been brought up in a traditional Victorian manner. He is a very innocent and kind-hearted boy who when asked brings the convict the file and food, here we also see that Pip is quite a gullible child as when threatened by the convict Abel Magwitch who says that he’ll get a fellow convict to ‘tear his heart and liver out while he sleeps’ unless he does as the convict