Which of the main characters most influenced the main character Pip during Great Expectations? They all mold and shape Pip into the character he is at the end of the novel. As the title suggests, great expectations are a vital part of the plot. Every character in the novel expects something of themselves and of others. These all influence Pip in some way or other. From Pip's humble beginnings to a life of wealth and luxury, there are 5 main influential forces he confronts along the way: Herbert Pocket, Miss Havisham, Estella, and Abel Magwich, and his own innocence.
Herbert Pocket, One of Pip's great influences, is the son of Pip's teacher and mentor. He and Pip fought at the beginning of the novel once. Pip arrives in London to realize that his new roommate is the pale young gentleman that challenged him to a fistfight at the beginning of the novel. He influences Pip by becoming basically a full time tutor and friend to Pip. During Pip's first few weeks as a “gentleman,” Herbert teaches Pip about business and gentility. For example, Herbert teaches Pip a little about the shipping business.
“”And the profits are large?” said I.
“Tremendous!” said he.
I wavered again, and began to think here were greater expectations than my own.”
Herbert saves pip from Orlick in Chapter 53. Orlick asked Pip to meet him in the marshes. Pip goes alone, and finds himself bound up, with Orlick threatening to kill him. Herbert rushes in with a group of men and saves Pip. In this way, Herbert's influence on Pip extends from a mentor to a lifesaver.
Miss Havisham is probably the biggest influence on Pip's character during the beginning of the novel. Havisham invites Pip to her house when he is a boy. Here he meets Estella and sees what it is like to be rich and powerful. She has trained Estella to be cruel to men, and teases Pip with her. Later in the novel, as Pip is learning to become a gentleman, she purposely allows Pip to get a taste of how nice life is for gentility. This sparks Pip to want to become a gentleman. If he hadn't been to Havisham's and seen Estella, he wouldn't have had the motivation to learn to be a gentleman.
Pip first meets Estella at Miss Havisham's house. He is instantly attracted to her beauty. She teases him and treats him poorly because he is of the working class. Pip then realizes that he is living in poverty and is determined to become a gentleman. Through his whole life he never forgets about Estella, and is devastated when she marries Drummle. At the end of the novel, it is revealed that Estella and Drummle are no longer together. Her and Pip agree to be just friends. Her biggest influence on Pip was making him believe that by becoming a gentleman everything would be easier and he would get whatever he may want. Without Estella's manipulation, Pip may not have become a gentleman, and probably would have had different expectations.
One of the most influential characters in Great Expectations is Abel Magwich. From when Pip was a child, he wanted to be a gentleman. It was his dream. Despite this, he probably wouldn't have been able to achieve this without the help of his benefactor. When Pip was young, he met a convict and gave him food and a file to free himself. The convict remembered this act of kindness and worked as a sheepherder in Australia to repay Pip. It turns out Pip's benefactor is actually a convicted criminal named Abel Magwich.
Pip's very own innocence as a child set him up for his success as an adult. Without knowing it, the day he came upon the criminal and gave him food and a file set him up to do well later in his life. Pip could have run off and never come back, but his fear of the criminal, and compassion for others led him to help Magwich the convict. Also, Pip first experiences richness and high society at Miss Havisham's and like any little child would, dreams of being able to live like that. It is partly his drive for success, and partly his kindness to Magwich that make him the businessman he is at the end of the novel.
In short, Pip's development as a character and success as an adult is all dependent on other characters as well as himself. The great expectations of himself and others all combine to create the Pip at the end of the novel out of the simple Pip that is met at the beginning.
