Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, everything happens twice. Even if you don't notice at the beginning, or ever, by the end you can see the pattern.

There are two women who Pip shows interest in (Estella and Biddy), two women who cannot walk (Mrs. Joe and Mrs. Havisham, two convicts near his house (Magwitch and Compeyson), and two secret money- givers (Magwitch and Pip--  Magwitch gives Pip his money and Pip buys Herbert's way into business.) There are also, most signifigantly, two adults who want to selfishly control and manipulate children for their own satisfaction-- Mrs. Havisham and Magwitch. Magwitch controls Pip-- he wants to have his own gentleman, while Mrs. Havisham controls Estella-- she wants her own little heartbreaker.

Funnily enough, these two figures desires for control are both spouted from one man-- Compeyson. Though Pip is the main character, I feel that Compeyson is a hidden central figure. Because without some of these other characters, the story could still go on. In the end, Estella is just a love interest, Mrs. Havisham is just her cruel mother- type person, Magwitch is just a convict with a longing for riches, and Pip is just a boy.
Compeyson leaves Mrs. Havisham at the alter, causing her to adopt and to raise Estella as she is. Compeyson's grandeur make Magwitch want some, and Pip is turned from a boy by Magwitch, and so, if you dig, Compeyson.  The two people who Compeyson really effect are another example of the doubles motif.

Also, the relationship between Mrs. Havisham and Compeyson (a rich woman, and a common man), reflects the relationship between Estella and Pip.

What Dickens does with these doubles, is create a feeling of orderly chaos. The different things going on, and slight repetitiveness of it can make it chaotic, but the definitive idea that it will happen twice really pulls the story together. This makes the plot more complicated, the coincidences better plannned out, and the characters incredibly intricate. It furthers along the idea that Dickens is creating of connection-- everything is connected-- and therefore supports a major theme.