rates that Pip’s character is changing because these ideals towards Joe, his best friend, would never have entered his mind before today. It is ironic that the cold environment of the Satis House is representative of the higher society where Pip wants to be. The relationships of the house are based on emptiness, money, and power, while the relationship at the forge with Joe is based on mutual respect. Pip does not feel natural in this setting, but his desire to enter into higher society allows him to go against his values and develop a facade. Pip feels that the only way to win Estella is to elude Joe and the commonness of the forge and enter high society. As the years pass, Pip becomes more ashamed of his home and his blacksmith apprenticeship . The forge is coarse and common, and he would never want Miss Havisham or Estella to see him there. He wants to be a part of the wealthy, lifeless environment that he had a small taste of at the Satis House. One day, Miss Havisham’s attorney, Jaggers, arrives at the forge to tell Pip that he does have “great expectations” thus facilitating Pip’s ever-growing faade in his quest to be a gentleman. An anonymous benefactor has kindly set aside money to help make Pip a gentleman, but he must go to London to accomplish this task. Of course, Pip assumes the benefactor is Miss Havisham, who plans to make an upper class citizen of him so he may wed Estella. Pip finally has the opportunity he has been wanting, for which he is quite proud, but he is also lonely for he has alienated those who love him. Pip’s outlook changes regarding Joe once he realizes he is to become a gentleman. He says that their friendship will never change, but it already has changed. He no longer has time to reflect on past experiences with Joe. He believes that he is above his former life and that of Joe and Biddy, his teacher and long-time friend. Pip becomes less common from this ...
