THEOPENINGOFGREATEXPECTATIONS

Pipisaboutsevenyearsoldwhenthenovelopens.Dickensskillfullycatchesthereader's
attentionandsympathyinthefirstfewpages,introducesseveralmajorthemes,createsamood
ofmysteryinalonelysetting,andgetstheplotmovingimmediately.GeorgeGissingasksthe
readerto"Observehowfinelythenarrativeiskeptinonekey.Itbeginswithamournful
impressionthefoggymarshesspreadingdrearilybytheseawardThamesandthroughout
recursthiseffectofcoldanddampanddrearinessinthatkindDickensneverdidanythingso
good."ForGeorgeOrwell,"Alltheisolationofchildhoodisthere"inthefirstchapter.
ThefirstchapterimmediatelyinvolvesthereaderbecauseofPip'sterrifyingencounterwiththe
convictandthehumorwithwhichthechapterisinfused.Dickensskillfullyintroducesseveral
majorthemesinit.Pipisalone,physicallyaloneinthecemeteryandsolitaryinbeinganorphan
hisalonenessprefigurestheisolationhewillexperiencelaterinthenovel.Hisillusionsabouthis
family'stombstonesarecomicandconvincingasthesortofmisreadingthatachildmightmake
theyalsointroducethethemeoffailuretocommunicate.
TheadultPipisrememberingamilestoneinhislife,amomentwhenhehadhis"firstvividand
broadimpressionoftheidentityofthings"(page1).Hisbeingturnedupsidedownashegains
thisinsightsuggeststhathisviewofthingswasdistorted,perhapsevenupsidedown.Theterror
andthehelplessnessofchildhoodarecapturedinPip'sidentifyinghimselfas"thesmallbundle
ofshiversgrowingafraid"(page2),aswellashisdepersonalization.Theconvictwhoterrorizes
PipistheogreofchildhoodfairytalesandintroducesthethemeofcrimeandPip'sconnectionto
criminality.WatchforthevariouswaysbywhichPipisconnectedtocriminalityasthenovel
progresses.
Severalsymbolsareintroduced:theriver,thegibbetorgallows,thesignpost,andthebeacon.
ThefirstchaptersofGreatExpectationssettheplotinmotionwhileintroducingPipandhis
world.Asbothnarratorandprotagonist,PipisnaturallythemostimportantcharacterinGreat
Expectations:thenovelishisstory,toldinhiswords,andhisperceptionsutterlydefinethe
eventsandcharactersofthebook.Asaresult,Dickenssmostimportanttaskasawriterin
GreatExpectationsisthecreationofPipscharacter.BecausePipsisthevoicewithwhichhe
tellshisstory,Dickensmustmakehisvoicebelievablyhumanwhilealsoensuringthatit
conveysalltheinformationnecessarytotheplot.Inthisfirstsection,Pipisayoungchild,and
DickensmasterfullyusesPipsnarrationtoevokethefeelingsandproblemsofchildhood.Atthe
beginningofthenovel,forinstance,Pipislookingathisparentsgravestones,asolemnscene
whichDickensrenderscomicalbyhavingPippondertheexactinscriptionsonthetombstones.
Whentheconvictquestionshimabouthisparentsnames,Piprecitesthemexactlyasthey
appearonthetombstones,indicatinghisyouthfulinnocencewhilesimultaneouslyallowing
Dickenstolessenthedramatictensionofthenovelsopening.
Pipssurroundingsinthissection,theshroudedmarshesofKentisalsoimportanttothe

novel.ThroughoutGreatExpectations,Dickensusessettingtocreatedramaticatmosphere:the
settingofthebookalwayssetsthetonefortheactionandreinforcesPipsperceptionofhis
situation.Whentheweatherisdarkandstormy,troubleisusuallybrewing,andwhenPipgoes
aloneintothemistshroudedmarsh,dangerandambiguityusuallyawait.WhenPipventuresout
aloneontothemarshes,heleavesthesanctuaryofhomeforvague,murkychurchyardsandthe
dangerofadifferentworld.Thissenseofembarkingaloneintotheunknownwillbecomea
recurrentmotifthroughoutthenovel,asPipgrowsupandleaveshischildhoodhomebehind.
Intermsofnarrative,theintroductionoftheconvictisthemostimportantoccurrenceintheplot
ofthefirstsection.ThoughPipbelievesthattheconvictsappearanceinhislifeisanisolated
incident,hewillfeelthischaractersinfluenceinmanywaysthroughoutthenovel.Theconvict
willlaterreappearasthegrimMagwitch,Pipssecretbenefactorandthechiefarchitectofhis
greatexpectations.ThoughDickensgivesusnoindicationofthemansfutureinPipslife,he
doescreatethesensethattheconvictwillreturn,largelybybuildingasenseofmysteryaround
themanssituationandaroundhisrelationshiptothesecondconvictPipencountersinthe
marsh.
DickensintroducesusimmediatelytoPip,whoservesasboththeyoungprotagonistofGreat
Expectationsandthestory'snarratorlookingbackonhisownstoryasanadult.Withthis
twolevelapproach,DickensleadsthereaderthroughyoungPip'slifewiththeimmediacyand
surpriseofafirstpersonnarrationwhileatthesametimeguidingwithanomnipotentnarrator
whoknowshowitwillallturnout.TheadultnarratorPipwillforeshadowfutureeventsthroughout
thestorybyusingsignsandsymbols.
Dickensusesthisdualitytogreateffectinthefirstchapter,wherewearepersonallyintroduced
toPipasifwewereinapleasantconversationwithhim:"IgivePirripasmyfather'sfamily
name..."Immediatelyafterthis,however,wearethrownintothepointofviewofaterrifiedyoung
childbeingmauledbyanescapedconvict.
ThenarratorPipthenpresentsaninteresting,andprophetic,relationshipbetweentheboyand
thebullyingman.Atfirst,therelationshipappearstobebasedsolelyonpowerandfear.The
manyellsattheboyonlytogetwhathewants,afileandsomefood,andtheboyonlyresponds
forfearofhislife.Andyet,aftertheypart,theyoungPipkeepslookingbackatthemanashe
walksaloneintothemarshes.Theimageofthemanholdinghisarmsaroundhim,aloneonthe
horizonsaveapoleassociatedwiththedeathofcriminals,isstrikinglyfamiliartotheinitialimage
ofyoungPip,holdinghimselfinthecold,aloneinthechurchyardwiththestonesofhisdead
parents.Foramoment,then,therelationshipseemstowarm.Theyshareacommonloneliness
andacommonmarginalizationfromsociety,theorphanandtheescapedconvict.Evenwhilehe
isafraid,Pipinstinctivelydisplaysasympatheticreaction.
Thisinitialmeeting,betweenasmallboyandaconvict,willdevelopintothecentralrelationship
inthebook.ItistherelationshipwhichwillcausePip'sgreatexpectationsforhimselftoriseand
fall.
ThefirstfewlinesofGreatExpectationsestablishwithimmediacythesadplotoftheorphanPip.

Hehasneverknownhisparentsandiscompletelyaloneinadesolatecemeterytryingto
imaginewhattheylookedlike.Nootherintroductionisneeded,sincethissituationisatonce
compellinganddramaticafterall,thechildisonlysevenyearsold.Itcanbeassumedhehas
littlehistorywithwhichtobeginhistaletherefore,thereaderisthrownatonceintohislifeby
meansofthenarrativeaction.
Structurally,thenovelestablishesitselfasafirstpersonretrospectivethatmeansthenarratoris
rememberingtheeventsofhislifeandhasarrangedthemtosuithisfashionintellingthetale.
Theimmediatesympathygainedbythesituation(anorphanaloneinacemetery)alsoreinforces
thecredibilityofthenarrator(theolderorphanlookingbackonhislife)theaudienceiscompelled
tolikethenarrator,totrusthimandwantthebestforhim.
Theauthor,CharlesDickens,displaysmasteryofsettingandtoneinthesefirstfewmoments,
describingvividlythemarshessurroundingthesmallvillageattheedgeofNorthKent.Inthis
lonelyandsereneenvironment,youngPipturnsintoabundleofshivers.Thestrangerwithleg
ironsstillattachedisominousandinstantlythreatening,causingPiptofearforhislife.Andyet
theconvictdisplayshisownvulnerabilitywhenheasksforafiletofreehimselffromhischains
andsomefoodtorelievehishunger.Healoneisnotstrongenoughtoseverhischains,norcan
hesurvivewithoutfood.Theseobservations,ofcourse,restsolelyinthemindsofthereaders.
YoungPipisnolessterrified.
YoungPipswillingnesstoprovideinformationabouthisfamilyandtodeliverhelp,albeitoutof
fear,reflectshisnaturalgivingnature.Aswell,itsetshimupforthefutureeventsofthenovel.
Interestingly,theturningupsidedownofPipbythestrangerbecomesasymbolicmomentinthe
boyslifeaftermeetingthisman,Pipsworldisturnedupsidedown.
Asanintroductiontothisserialnovel,thefirstchaptersucceedsadmirablyinestablishing
setting,tone,andcharacter.Atroublingdilemmahappensalmostrightaway,andtheentire
novelfollowsasaconsequence.