Archetypes
Hero - Pip - for obvious reasons
Shadow - Orlick - Tries to murder Pip
Mentor - Magwitch - Pip's aim in this journey is to become a gentleman. Although some may say that
Herbert was a mentor, I think Magwitch played a better mentor role. Herbert taught Pip manners and
how to be a gentleman, but this did not lead Pip to the right path. He became a snobbish gentleman
despite Herbert's training. Herbert wasn't a good mentor, and I think he wasn't a mentor at all. The real
person who led Pip to become a wise, educated, true gentleman was none other than the convict
Magwitch. Also, one of the jobs of the mentor is to provide aid in the form of gifts. Magwitch was the
one who gave Pip the job in London. If not for Magwitch, Pip would never have been able to embark on
his hero's journey. Magwitch was the one who provided aid, secretly, and convince Pip to start his
journey.
Shapeshifter - Miss Havisham - Pip is decieved by Miss Havisham throughout the story. He assumes that
she is his benefactor, and that this wealthy lady is who has expectations for him to become a gentleman.
Pip therefore gets the wrong idea about a gentleman by seeing Miss Havisham. He feels that he can no
longer affiliate himself with people such as Joe and Biddy. He is pushed away from his journey to
become a proper gentleman, and he is blinded by the acts of Miss Havisham. I initially thought Estella
would be a shapeshifter, but there was one quote that changed my mind. ""Do you deceive and entrap
him, Estella?" "Yes, and many others—all of them but you (Pip)." This shows that Estella never intends
to deceive Pip, which is why I don't think she is a shapeshifter.
Threshold Guardian - Have no idea about this one. Maybe Drummle (according to my proposed stage
order?)
Trickster - I think this is Estella, since she disrupts Pip's journey a lot. He is always thinking about her,
and how he should be like in order to impress her. The trickster, unlike the Shapeshifter, doesn't
necessarily deceive the hero. The trickster simply leads the hero away from his main path. Pip is lead
away from becoming a true gentleman, by his obsession with Estella.
Herald - Magwitch. He brings about the call to adventure.
Allies - Herbert, Joe, Biddy, Wemmick, maybe even Jaggers? All these people aid him through the
journey, and provide good advice.
Stages of the Journey
The Ordinary World - Pip is introduced to the reader as an orphan, living in a small town, who thinks
there isn't much that is going to happen in his life.
The Call to Adventure - Pip meets the convict, Magwitch, who demands Pip to get him some food, and a
file.
Refusal of the Call - A brief moment, where Pip is afraid of stealing from Joe and going back to the
convict.
Meeting a Mentor - He gains enough confidence to trust the convict, and hands him the food.
Crossing the First Threshold - I'm not completely sure about this one. I have two ideas. Either when he
gives Magwitch the food, and unknowingly accepts his journey. OR, When he chooses to go with Jaggers
to London. Comment on which one you think it is... or if you think it's something totally different.
Meeting the Threshold Guardian + Test, Allies, Enemies - Pip meets Herbert and Wemmick, two of his
allies. He also meets Drummle, an enemy, and possibly his threshold guardian?
Approach to the Inmost Cave - Not sure of this one either, but I think that the approach is the
transformation of Pip into a false, snobbish, pretentious gentleman?
Supreme Ordeal - Finding out Magwitch is his benefactor. This is not necessarily a life or death situation,
but it definitely turns his whole world around. I was also thinking however that Pip's debt problem, and
the time period where he is sick could be a supreme ordeal. But if we chose that, then I have no idea
where "finding out Magwitch is his benefactor" would go, which we need to put somewhere, since it's a
really big part of the story.
Reward for Seizing the Sword - Developing the true skills, and attitude of a gentleman. Achieving his
great expectations that Magwitch had set upon him. He changes the heart of Magwitch when he is a
little boy, and now Magwitch changes the heart of Gentleman Pip.
Road Back - Tries to save Magwitch, but fails. Goes back to ordinary life. His debts become an obstacle,
and he falls very ill.
Resurrection - Joe saves Pip, and resurrects him by paying off all the debts. Pip then goes to work with
Herbert and he has the right attitude of a gentleman. He is no longer a little boy, or a wealthy, snobbish
individual. His old self is gone. However, he still has the obstacle of being poor. So he goes off to work
hard in order to pay back Joe.
Return with the Elixir - Pip returns to his old town Pumblechook. He is a gentleman, and he can work
hard. He shows this by paying back Joe the money used to recover his debts.