Great Expectations is a novel, set in the early nineteenth century.

The
main character, Pip is introduced as a young boy visiting the graves of
his parents and siblings.
In the first chapter of Great Expectations Dickens begins by
introducing Pip and his background as an orphan and also creates
the audiences sympathy for Pip as a lonely boy who is attacked by a
fearful man .
Dickens manages to make readers feel sorry for Pip s past, As I never
saw my father or my mother and never saw any likeness of them and
the memory of five little brothers of mine gives the impression that
Pip is alone in the world and this helps to make more sympathy for Pip.
Dickens also does this by describing Pip s surroundings this bleak
place overgrown with nettles and the dark flat wilderness .
describing the marshes. This way gives the reader the idea that they
are, dark, grey and something that would of scared Pip, as he is a young child. D
ark, flat
wilderness is a good way of describing the marshes as Dickens is
using a technique called the power of three, he s using three
descriptive words that would make the reader to go back, look and
take notice of it. By using such descriptive language Dickens helps
the reader visualise what a horrible, dull place Pip is living in, making the
reader feel more sorry for Pip.
In the first few chapters of Great Expectations Pip is on his own,
but by introducing another character (Magwitch) Dickens
helps increase sympathy for Pip, by having another character be cruel
to him. Although the Magwitch s appearance might make readers feel
sorry for him its quickly diminished, because of the way he treats
Pip. The convict shouts in a terrible voice Hold your noise! Keep
still you little devil or I ll cut your throat!
The way the convict approaches Pip is very aggressive, his language
and the punctuation makes it seem even more aggressive. The
exclamation marks are used to draw the readers attention to the page
and it makes the speech stands out. Combined with the convicts fierce
language the punctuation creates an effect that draws the reader in
and makes the feel increasingly sorry for Pip.
Later on in the first eight chapters, Pip is 'hired' to go and visit Miss Havish
am.
This is where he meets Estella, and falls in love quickly.
However, everytime they meet, Estella is always cruel to him.
I thought I heard Miss Havisham answer -
only it seemed so unlikely, "Well? You can break his heart."'
Pip learns early on what Estella and Miss Havisham's plans are,
yet he continues to pursue her. This introduction to Miss Havisham and Estella s
hows the reader
Estella and Miss Havisham are like from an early point, also aiding to create sy
mpathy for Pip.
Another way sympathy is created through Pips childhood is his closeness to Joe.
As his parents and most of his siblings
are dead, his only father figure in his life is his eldest sisters husband, Joe
Gargery. However, Pip, after becoming a
'gentleman' soon turns sour, and becomes ashamed of Joe, and his family and upbr
inging. This soon changes the sympathy into anger.
In conclusion, sympathy is created for Pip in many ways and techniques, for exam
ple, social context and
language/characters used. The novel is used to help childrens voices and opinion
s heard in a time when children
were prefered to be seen and not heard, and so the use of sympathy is needed for
the opinion to be effective.