Great Expectations Blog One

In Great Expectations, Pip, the main character, is an orphan who lives with his hostile sister, and he is forced to rob people so he can help a convict. He helped a convict by stealing bread and butter for him, and he helped him escape by stealing a saw for him to saw off his leg irons. Pip is portrayed by Charles Dickens as an innocent young child who's fear determines his actions, partly because of his relationship with his sister and the death of his parents. At the time, Pip thought that he was doing the right thing at the time by helping the convict. After stealing from his sister, he started to regret what he had done, and it really disturbed his conscience. "I felt fearfully sensible of the great convenience that the hulks were handy for me. I was clearly on my way there. I had begun by asking questions and I was going to rob Mrs. Joe."
When Pip was forced to steal for the convict, he made his decision because he was fearful of the consequences, and he did not think about the possible consequences of stealing. After committing a crime, Pip has major regrets towards what he did, and he worries about being sent on a prison ship. He feels so guilty about stealing, that he knows that he will be punished. The difference between a criminal and someone who commits a crime is that criminals rarely have regrets about their actions, unless they go to jail. This quote proves that Pip is not a criminal, rather he's an innocent child who has trouble making decisions on his own.