Part of the genius of Dickens is that he is able to develop well-rounded characters with elaborately constructed relationships which interweave expertly within the text. The relationship between the characters in ‘Great Expectations’ is a clear example of this.

Estella is the ward of Miss Havisham. She is an adopted child who came to Miss Havisham in an arrangement by Mr Jaggers, Miss Havisham’s lawyer. Estella is the daughter of Molly, Jaggers’ housekeeper. Molly was charged with the murder of a love rival but was acquitted of the crime due to Jaggers’ cross examination. Estella’s father is Magwitch, the convict whom the young Pip meets on the moors. Having been helped by the young boy, Magwitch becomes Pip’s anonymous benefactor. The funds are managed by Mr Jaggers. Pip has assumed that as Jaggers manages Miss Havisham’s affairs, she is his benefactor. In fact, she only arranged to have Pip visit Satis house to allow Estella to break Pip’s heart, as Miss Havisham’s heart was broken years earlier.