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Great Expectations - Three People Who Influenced Pip

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“Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.” - Anonymous Pip, the young orphan protagonist of Charles Dickens’ "Great Expectations" comes to understand how blood isn’t always the only thing that defines a family. Pip has many influential people in his life, but the three people who taught him about the true meaning of family were Wemmick, Herbert, and Magwitch. They showed him how what matters are the people who love him and sticks by him. Pip doesn't have many people watching out for him when he arrives in London, however this changes when he meets Wemmick, Mr. Jagger’s clerk. Mr. Jaggers is the lawyer who was hired to oversee Pip’s transition into the upper class. Wemmick befriends him and cares for him soon after they are introduced. Ironically, Wemmick doesn't seem to be the most friendly and accepting person when Pip first meets him in Jagger’s office. He behaves very cynically and wry towards Pip. During their first meeting, Wemmick shows little to no interest in Pip and very cold and harsh when addressing his work as clerk. Although later, Pip realizes how kind of a man he actually is after having dinner with Wemmick and his “aged parent” who Wemmick takes care of. After that night, the two develop a strong bond in which Wemmick consistently includes Pip in his family and home and he also invites Pip to spend a lot of time with the Aged. Their brotherly relationship is truly proven when Pip asks Wemmick for advice as to whether or not he should help his best friend and roommate Herbert financially. Pip feels that he can discuss this with Wemmick because of “Wemmick’s experience and knowledge of men and affairs and that there was no one else in the world with whom I [Pip] could advise” (295). Asking for advice about personal financial situations

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