Jaggers
• Lawyer for the lowest of society- the
criminals
• Wallows in the filth of his business
everywhere, no separation
• Frightening- even the judge is afraid of his
“thunderous speeches”
Coldness of Jaggers
• Handling of people in the street.
• Such a feared man is not for no reason
• “I don't want to get into trouble. I know
him!" He darkly closed an eye at Mr
Jaggers's name, and shook his head.” (p.
171)
• "Don't.” "I'll show you a wrist, Molly let
them see your wrist“ (p. 225)
His Home
• Jaggers’ house is depressing and dim, shares it
with a downhearted Molly.
• Work follows him home
• There was a bookcase in the room; I saw, from
the backs of the books, that they were about
evidence, criminal law…(p. 222)
• In a corner, was a little table of papers with a
shaded lamp: so that he seemed to bring the
office home with him in that respect too, and to
wheel it out of an evening and fall to work.
(p. 222)
And So Is His Work
• “was a most dismal place”
• “pitched like a broken head”
• “distorted adjoining houses looking as if they
had twisted themselves to peep down at me
through it.”
• “several strange-looking boxes and packages”,
and two dreadful casts on a shelf, of faces
peculiarly swollen, and twitchy about the nose.
• “like a coffin”
Jaggers’ “other” Side
• Helps Miss Havisham to adopt the orphaned
Estella.
• Shows emotion towards Estella and saving her
• "Put the case, Pip, that here was one pretty little
child out of the heap, who could be saved” (Ch
51)
• “If you are saved, your child is saved too; if you
are lost, your child is still saved.” (Ch 51)
Object-SOAP
• First meeting-soap: all Pip realizes about
the man he passes in Mrs. Havisham’s
house is how much his hands smelled of
soap. – Later becomes a very important
point about Jaggers character.
• Compulsively washes his hands (Ch 26,
27, 36, 48) of the taint of his work- deals
with criminals, but is troubled by it.
Wemmick
• Jaggers’ clerk
• Friend of Pip (outside of work)
• Seemingly has multiple personalities
Wemmick At Work
• Only business
• Cold, sarcastic, rough
• “The client looked scared….unconscious of what
he had done. ‘Spooney!’ said the clerk, in a low
voice, giving him a stir with his elbow. ‘Softhead! Need you say it face to face?” (176,
chapter 20).
– Spooney means silly
• Wemmick is making fun of a man who is
cowering in Jaggers wake. He seems to
enjoy the fear of clients…
Out in the Open
• Right when they leave, Wemmick becomes a
different person.
• Invites Pip to dinner
• “Wemmick made a way among them by saying
coolly yet decisively, ‘I tell you it’s no use; he
won’t have a word to say to one of you;’ and we
soon got clear of them, and went on side by
side.” (178)
– This is very important. With the clients, Wemmick is
cold and compassionless, but once they got clear of
them, he walked side by side with Pip in what is
clearly meant to be determined as a friendly manner.
Home
• His house is a crazy castle, Walworth,. shared
with his “aged parent”.-hard of hearing father
• Cracks jokes and pokes fun
• Upon entering, Wemmick is a new person
• No more sarcasm or being cynical, Wemmick
becomes merry, entertaining, and fun to be
around.
• “Since it don’t interfere with business”. (p. 438)
- openly stating that he is different than
Jaggers in this respect
Object-letter box
• A way for Pip to show his
expectations.
• This case, it showed how the type of
life and job Wemmick had (justice
system) almost dehumanized him by
pressuring him to try and be and do
more.
Two Different People
• The differences are clear between Wemmick at
home and at work
• Great example= when Pip asks his advice about
whether or not he should invest with his friend
Herbert. At work-in his rough cynical stateWemmick says no, but at his house, in front of
his girlfriend and future wife, he says the exact
opposite!
• Wemmick even acknowledges the split, saying
in Chapter 36 that “my Walworth sentiments
must be taken at Walworth; none but my official
sentiments can be taken at this office.”
• Wemmick specifically is also used to relate
to Pip and his love life.
• Wemmick has Mrs. Skiffins, and even
Herbert has Clara, Pip is stuck wallowing
in self pity over Estella and Drummle.
Two Types of People
• There are those that love and live their work.
Their job is just a natural extension of their
personality.
• Others’ personalities are incompatible with a
boring office job. The job is kept for pay but I
don’t think there is enjoyment expressed.
• Jaggers Vs. Wemmick is this: That is why
Jaggers brings his work home, and Wemmick
specifically doesn’t.
Effect On Pip
• Pip sees both types of people- and how
people CAN act in reference to their
profession
• He could try and be dedicated to his work
and nothing else, or distance himself from
it when he can
• The lesson comes in the end when he is
trying to save Magwitch: Both Herbert and
Wemmick are instrumental to the plot to
rescue Magwitch. Wemmick even breaks
the division between his office self and his
Walworth self- truly showing what
friendship and loyalty can mean
Effect Continued
• While Jaggers may have a “lighter” side
for Pip, he receives help from Wemmick.
• Pip seemingly learns that it is more
important to have loyalty and respect, than
evoking fear and having power