Great Expectations Characters
Pip: orphan, lacks knowledge of the world and people, views success in naïve ways, poor, wants to recreate his life after he meets Miss Havisham and Estella, mislead by Miss Havisham and Estella’s motives, mistreated, believes if he becomes a wealthy guy he will become a gentleman, believes becoming a gentleman will solve his problems, fails to see realities of the world, idealistic about the world
Mr. Jaggers: well-known lawyer in London, Pip’s guardian, middleman between Pip and his patron, rational, sharp-minded, prides himself in feeling and expressing no human emotion
Miss Havisham: wealthy, daughter of a brewer, gets abandoned on her wedding day by her fiancée, traumatized, shuts out the world, preserves herself and her house in wedding accessories and attire, seeks revenge on men, uses Estella (her adopted daughter) to get revenge on men, raises Estella as a heartless and beautiful woman, manipulative, bitter, unable to see others’ pain/feelings, self-absorbed, lonely, mysterious, demanding, peculiar, likes to watch Estella and Pip play cards
Matthew Pocket: Pip’s tutor, Miss Havisham’s cousin, Herbert’s father, upstanding, honorable, kind, Mrs. Pocket's husband
Mrs. Pocket: Matthew Pocket’s wife, helpless, horrible mother, title-obsessed
Pumblechook: Joe’s uncle, takes credit for parenting Pip, superficial, calculating
Molly: Mr. Jagger’s’ maid, escaped/freed conflict, Estella's mother, Magwitch's wife, “wild beast tamed”
Miss Skiffens: good-natured woman, Wemmick courts and marries
Wemmick: Mr. Jaggers’ clerk, rational and unemotional when in the office, empathetic and nurturing when at home, friend to Pip when at home, professional with Pip while in the office
Startop: studies with Pip, has an overprotective mother, helpful, friend to Pip
Drummle: studies with Pip, wealthy, upper class, pursues Estella, Pip does not like
Orlick: Joe’s journeyman, violent, devious, dislikes Pip, blames Pip for his problems, responsible for the attack on Mrs. Joe, tries to murder Pip, hurts people for joy
Mr. Wopsle: village’s church clerk, moves to London to pursue acting
Arthur Havisham: Miss Havisham’s half-brother, Compeyson’s partner
The Aged: Wemmick’s jolly, nearly deaf father
Clara: Herbert’s fiancé, had an abusive alcoholic father, does not care about Herbert's family's history and reputation, marries Herbert because she is gentle, caring, and loves him
Mrs. Joe: guardian to Pip after parents die, Pip's sister, abusive, obsessive of social class and titles, attacked by Orlick, after attacked by Orlick she is compassionate and patient, Joe Gargery's wife, passed away
Herbert: nicknames Pip Handel, wants to become a merchant so he can afford to marry Clara, loyal friend to Pip, pale young gentleman, rooms with Pip while Matthew Pocket tutors Pip
Joe Gargery: not polished, no education, blacksmith, simple, hard working, tries to protect Pip from Mrs. Joe's abuse, get abused by Mrs. Joe, uncomfortable in situations with luxury and expensive people and things, integrity, loyal, kind, still acts lovingly towards Pip when he is ungrateful, after Mrs. Joe dies Joe marries Biddy
Compeyson: villain in Great Expectations, reason why Magwitch was in jail, smooth talker, educated, high status/class, had a good upbringing, good looking, tricked Magwitch, jilted Miss Havisham, held false love for Miss Havisham, SNEAKY, looked like a gentleman
Magwitch: escaped convict, orphan, after found by authorities Magwitch works hard to obtain money, very grateful for Pip's assistance when he was an escaped convict, becomes Pip's benefactor, Estella's father, gets help from Pip to try and escape England without being caught, turned in by Compeyson (when in England), fights with Compeyson (after turned in in England), kills Compeyson while fighting, sentenced to death, dies of injuries in prison, Pip told Magwitch that Estella is still alive and that he is in-love with her
Estella: never gets the oppertunity to be herself (due to Miss Havisham), adopted by Miss Havisham at a young age, trained to trick men into loving her and then break their hearts, heartless, later stands up to Miss Havisham saying that who she [Estella] is is all her fault, beautiful, out of Pip's reach, original daughter to Magwitch and Molly, snobby, marries Drummle, does not end up staying together with Drummle, has a change of heart and eventually takes a liking to Pip
Biddy: simple, kindhearted, friend of Pip, attends school with Pip, after Mrs. Joe is attacked Biddy moves in to help care for her, marries Joe after Mrs. Joe dies, finally sees happiness with Joe, becomes more confident throughout the novel, has plans for her future