Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, and Money

Money is a very prevalent item in the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. It appears nearly everywhere, from the way it organizes the social hierarchy, to the way it is used as a payment for services rendered, or the way it is inherited from other people. There are two main types of money implemented by Dickens, these types being "earned" and "unearned."

"Earned" money is generally considered to be money that is honestly acquired after doing some service, or making sales, that render a payment. Pip learns a little bit about earned money early on in his life.

"Therefore, I was not only odd-boy about the forge, but if any neighbour happened to want an extra boy to frighten birds, or pick up stones, or do any such job, I was favoured with the employment. In order, however, that our superior position might not be compromised thereby, a money-box was kept on the kitchen mantel-shelf, into which it was publicly made known that all my earnings were dropped." (44)

Pip knows that working odd jobs will cause an increase in the contents of the money-box, and that this increase is a positive happening. Although Pip never saw use of this money, which we know because he admits he "had no hope of any personal participation in the treasure"(45), one could hope that Mrs. Joe used is as supplemental funding for the family or for something beneficial to Pip.

An unusual case of earned money was the two one-pound notes and a shilling that were given to Pip by the convict at the Three Jolly Bargemen. It appears at the time to be a gift of the shilling wrapped in paper (the notes).
" 'Stop half a moment, Mr. Gargery,' said the strange man. 'I think I've got a bright new shilling somewhere in my pocket, and if I have, the boy shall have it.' "(81)

Pip is aware that this is possibly more than just a present from a generous stranger, for he carries Joe's file, which had previously been left in the possession of the convict who we later know as Abel Magwitch. We only know for certain that the pound-notes were given intentionally much later in the novel. Mrs. Joe had had Joe run the notes back to the Three Jolly Bargemen with the intention of returning them to the strange man, assuming that it was entirely accidental that Pip had ever come into possession of them.

However, an older Pip realizes exactly what occurred - Magwitch's messenger "came faithfully, and he brought me the two one-pound notes."(338) Magwitch had sent money to young Pip in payment and gratitude for the food and file Pip had provided. Pip earned money also from Miss Havisham. She had requested a boy be brought to her manor so she could watch him play, and Pip had been the boy sent to fulfill this whim. However, eventually Pip came of age to be apprenticed as a blacksmith to Joe.

"Pip has earned a premium here,' she said,˜and here it is. There are five-and-twenty guineas in this bag.' "(107)
Pip's presence in the Satis House was no longer required as he would be busy in the forge, so Miss Havisham provided the twenty-five guineas as a payment for Pip's "services" - appearing at the manor house when requested to provide company and a sort of entertainment to Miss Havisham and Miss Estella.

Certain people have set minimums for what they expect to be paid. A coach driver brought Pip all the way to London, and upon Pip's inquiry of how much he should issue to the coachman, he was replied with "A shilling - unless you wish to make it more."(172) After expressing his wish to pay no more, Pip hands over the shilling and the matter is done with.

Jaggers works as a lawyer. He is always paid for his work, and some (if not most) would consider him a good businessman. On pages 175 and 176, Jaggers asks two different clients the same question - "Have you paid Wemmick?" Wemmick being a clerk in the firm, Jaggers is ensuring that he is paid before attempting to prove a court suspect as innocent or providing legal services.

"I am not paid, Pip,' said he, coolly, to carry your words to any one;' and then gathered up his coat-tails."(306)
This remark helps further the implication that Jaggers is a money-focused, calculating businessman. "I execute my instructions, and I am paid for doing so."(306) Jaggers is commenting how he is being compensated for overseeing Pip's expectations, and considering the amount of time he spends on Pip individually, it is most likely well earned profits. In this comment, Jaggers considerably distances himself from a close friendship and towards more of a businesslike relationship with Pip.

Unearned money is largely accounted for by inheritance in Great Expectations, although is could also be stolen. Magwitch had a history of stealing money, among other dishonest deeds, while he was consorting with Compeyson.
"At last, me and Compeyson was both committed for felony - on a charge of putting stolen notes into circulation- and there were other charges behind."(371)

Magwitch had been making a habit of supporting himself on other people's money, technically unearned by him, but the effect was his becoming a convict.

The main inheritance in Great Expectations is the one received by Pip and given by Magwitch. Magwitch had earned all the money he used to make Pip a "gentleman."

"I lived rough, that you should live smooth; I worked hard, that you should be above work."(340)
Magwitch describes how he spent his salary to fund Pip's expectations. Magwitch earned these funds honestly and through hard work, and wanted to see where his funds were going. "And this way I held steady afore my mind that I would for certain come one day and see my boy, and make myself known to him, on his own ground," remarks Magwitch. (342)

Although the use of the money satisfies Magwitch, it does not exactly make Pip happy. Rather, it makes him increasingly snobbish. For example, he allows Joe to treat him differently now that he has come into his small fortune, and he hardly remembers that he should be visiting his family and friends back in his hometown. Only once Pip's sister dies does he decide that he was "not going to leave poor Joe alone" (302), which was rightly met with cynicism by Biddy, since Pip did not return to the forge until his illness in which Joe cared for him. Part of Pip's attitude possibly stems from the fact that he does not realize the value of his money, and is also fairly loose with it, as evidenced by his high debts.

"We spent as much money as we could, and got as little for is as people could make up their minds to give us."(291)
This habit, paired with socializing with the Finches, who "spent their money foolishly" (290), are what encouraged Pip to begin "to contract a quantity of debt."(289)

An interesting aspect of money is the way Pip feels different about the cash depending on who gives it to him. For most of the time, Pip believes that Miss Havisham was the source of his expectations.

"He as perfectly understood Miss Havisham to be my benefactress, as I understood the fact myself."(193)
Pip lets himself believe that Miss Havisham has set up plans for himself, that she has destined him to be with Estella. "Miss Havisham's intentions towards me, all a mere dream; Estella not designed for me."(344) Pip never expected to pay back Miss Havisham, had she truly been his benefactor. This is probably because Miss Havisham's money was also inherited. "Miss Havisham was now an heiress." (190) Her father had been a well-off brewer, which was where his money had been earned, and upon dying, had left most of his estate to Miss Havisham.

However, when Pip discovers that Magwitch is his benefactor, Pip immediately assumes that he will find need to pay the ex-convict back. "After all, stopping short here, never taking another penny from him, think what I owe him already!"(362) Pip despairs that he had already used such "dirty" or "tainted" money, even though Magwitch had in fact earned the money he gave to Pip honestly, and with good intentions. "Even though I was so wretched in having him at large and near me, and even though I would far far rather have worked at the forge all the days of my life than I would ever have come to this!" (364) partially describes Pip's despair.

The purpose of money is to buy things. Money was used to buy Pip's early education:
"Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt kept an evening school in the village; that is to say, she was a ridiculous old woman of limited means and unlimited infirmity, who used to go to sleep from six to seven every evening, in the society of youth who paid twopence per week each, for the improving opportunity of seeing her do it."(45)

It buys social rank, as proved by the fact that once Pip comes into his expectations, he is automatically a "gentleman," although a less wealthy character could behave far more genteel. Money can also buy loyalty and relationships, especially in the case of Pip and Magwitch.
"Look'ee here Pip. I'm your second father. You're my son - more to me nor any son." (340)

In the days before Magwitch dies, Pip visits with him constantly. This is a large change from the previous attitude of Pip, who wanted only to get rid of Magwitch. When Magwitch is in his dying scene, he inquires to Pip, "You always waits at the gate, don't you dear boy?" to which Pip answers, "Yes. Not to lose a minute of the time." (489) Obviously Pip holds some kind of love for Magwitch, since he wanted to spend all possible time keeping Magwitch company, which would not have occurred had Magwitch not funded Pip's expectations and then come to England to see Pip and his expectations in fruition.

Money is a powerful force in people's lives. It was a very powerful force in the life of Pip and also the lives of those who surrounded him. Earned or unearned, spent wisely or foolishly, money effected every character in Great Expectations whether directly from Pip's expectations, indirectly, or from an entirely different source.