Great Expectations: ALL REVISION

Stage 2 - Joe changes the way that he addresses Pip: Pip realises that Joe calling him Sir is superficial and he prefers now being called Pip as genuine connection and love of people is more important than one's status

"...whenever he subsided into affection, he called me Pip."

All Stages - Mr. Jaggers can appear cold and calculating (surgical); he feels as if he needs to wash the sins of his clients off.

"He washed his clients of as if he were a surgeon."

Stage 1 - Miss Havisham's treatment of the lower class contrasts with Estella's and seems almost merciful. Dickens may be showing that we all have better sides to us; even the likes of Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham never outright humiliates Joe which is notable.

"...[something to Joe] said Miss Havisham without having taken much trouble to look at him."

Stage 1 - Pip's maltreatment: He is constantly silenced and patronised called "boy" it may be why he is so obsessed with class and people's perceptions of him

"...be grateful, boy, to them which brought you up by hand."

"...what a questioner he is."

"He was a world of trouble to you..." (Mrs. Hubble)

Stage 2 - Pip finds interactions with Estella painful but still remains desperate for her approval and affection

"...everything in out intercourse did give me pain."

Stage 2 - Pip associates Estella with death, lack of hope and apathy

"I looked at the stars... see no help or pity..."

Stage 1 - Pip's Empathy: Pip's empathy toward Magwitch, showing his innocence and kindness in a moment of fear

"...pitying his desolation" (Pip)

Stage 1 - Mimicking Estella's Cruelty: Pip mirrors Estella's language, highlighting his low self-esteem and class insecurity

"He..." >>> "I was a common, labouring-boy; my hands were coarse..." (Pip)

Stage 1 - Estella's Insult: Estella criticizes Pip's social status, reinforcing Pip's insecurities

"Coarse and common" (Estella)

Stage 1 - Estella's Beauty: Pip idealizes Estella's beauty, emphasizing her ethereal, distant nature

"her light came along the long dark passage like a star." (Pip)

Stage 2 - Pip's Superficiality: Pip hires a servant boy for status, showing his vanity and self-centeredness

"I had made the monster... he haunted my existence." (Pip)

Stage 2 - Pip's Guilt: Pip reflects on his mistreatment of Joe, realizing his mistakes and emotional growth

"...this was all my fault... I felt impatient of him and out of temper with him." (Pip)

Stage 2 - Pip's Obsession with Estella: Despite feeling miserable with her, Pip continues to long for Estella. Why is this ironic?

"I never was happy with her, but always miserable." (Pip) >>>> "I shall never be comfortable, only miserable." (Pip to Biddy about being common.

Stage 2 - Desire vs. Reality: Pip recognizes Biddy's warmth, yet continues to desire Estella, showing internal conflict

"...if Estella were beside me instead of Biddy, would she make me miserable?" (Pip)

Stage 2 - Estella's Manipulation: Estella's acknowledgment of her role in Pip's emotional pain reflects her own detachment (which connects to how Pip describes her)

"I am what you designed me to be. I am your blade. You cannot now complain if you also feel the hurt." (Estella to Ms. Havisham)

Stage 3 - Transformation through Magwitch: Pip grows emotionally, learning to love Magwitch despite his past fear of him (before and after)

"my blood ran cold when he took my hands" → "you've been more comfortable alonger me..." (Pip)

Stage 3 - Pip's Selflessness: Pip's dedication to saving Magwitch demonstrates his moral and emotional growth

"my mind was wholly set on Provis' safety." (Pip)

Stage 3 - The Final Line: Pip's closure with Estella, symbolizing the end of their painful relationship

"I saw no shadow of another parting from her" (Pip)

Stage 1 - Ms. Havisham's Manipulation: Ms. Havisham's cruel instruction to Pip forces him into a toxic, self-destructive love

"Love her, love her, love her! If she wounds you, love her." (Ms. Havisham)

Stage 1 - Ms. Havisham's Emotional State: Ms. Havisham reveals her disturbed, warped fantasies about love

"I have sick fancies" (Ms. Havisham)

Stage 1 - Ms. Havisham's Emotional Coldness: She admits to turning Estella's heart cold, reflecting her own emotional damage

"I stole her heart away and put ice in its place." (Ms. Havisham)

"At first I meant to save her from misery like my own."

Stage 2 - Class and Identity: Pip reflects on the importance of accepting one's roots, showing that no amount of wealth can erase one's past

"No varnish can hide the grain of the wood; and that the more varnish you put on, the more the grain will express itself." (Pip)

LAST SENTENCE OF Stage 1 - The Start of Pip's Journey: A symbolic moment where Pip transitions from innocence to the reality of adulthood

"And the mists had all solemnly risen now." (Pip)

Stage 2 - Pip's Realization: He becomes aware of the existential loneliness of his desires, especially in a cold world

"And then I looked at the stars, and considered how awful it would be for a man to see no help or pity..." (Pip)

Stage 2 - Magwitch's Life: Magwitch's repeated cycle of incarceration shows the hopelessness of his life and his complex bond with Pip

"In jail and out of jail; in jail and out of jail. That's my life pretty much." (Magwitch)

Stage 2 - Pip's Emotional Growth: Pip's initial fear of Magwitch fades as he learns to care for him

"My repugnance to him had melted away." (Pip)

Stage 1 - Pip's Ties to Magwitch: Magwitch represents both fear and care, shifting from a convict to a mentor figure

"my convict"/ "my gentleman" (Pip)

Stage 1 - Mrs. Joe's Control: Her strictness and lack of warmth shape Pip's sense of duty and fear and represent the oppressive authority figures in Pip's life (2 quotes)

"She's got Tickler with her!" (Mrs. Joe)" "brought up by hand" (Joe) “bib full of pins and needles.”

Stage 2 - London's Decay: Pip's initial view of London is one of filth and corruption, foreshadowing his struggles there

"the shameful place, being all a smear with filth and fat and blood and foam." (Pip)

END OF Stage 2 - Pip's Regret: Pip expresses his inability to reverse the damage he's caused, a key theme of remorse in the novel

"I could never, never undo what I had done." (Pip)

Stage 3 - Final Reconciliation: The novel closes with a sense of hope, as Pip and Estella finally understand each other's suffering. Estella's suffering has apparently awakened her heart to empathy and potentially love.

"I have been bent and broken, but -I hope -into a better shape." (Estella's final words)

Stage 1 - Pip's Idealism and Love for Estella: Pip's deep and unrelenting love for Estella demonstrates his idealism and innocence, despite the obstacles he faces.

"I loved her against reason." (Pip to Estella)

Stage 1 - Estella's Coldness and Emotional Impact: Estella acknowledges her upbringing by Miss Havisham and reveals how her emotional coldness was shaped by manipulation.

"I am what you designed me to be. I am your blade. You cannot now complain if you also feel the hurt." (Estella to Miss Havisham)

Stage 2 - Miss Havisham's Influence on Estella: Miss Havisham's bitterness and desire for revenge are evident as she encourages Estella to harm Pip emotionally.

"Break his heart, and if you can, steal it from him." (Miss Havisham to Estella)

Stage 2 - Pip's Internal Conflict Over His Social Status: This quote highlights Pip's internal conflict, as he views Joe as inferior due to his class status, yet struggles with feelings of guilt.

"I wanted to make Joe less ignorant and common, that he might be worthier of my society." (Pip)

Stage 2 - Estella shows that she does actually care about Pip and deeply desires to not hurt him through being with Bentely.

"Do you deceive and entrap him, Estella?"

"Yes, and many others,—all of them but you."

Stage 2 - Joe remains devoted to Pip throughout the novel and doesn't feel compelled to change for the sake of status.

"He would talk to me in the old confidence and with the old simplicity."

"...you and me was ever friends."

Stage 1 - Joe is willing to suffer for the sake of others as he grew up in a broken home; he values women and attempts to see the best in everyone, even Mrs. Joe.

"I'm dead afraid of not doing what's right by a woman..."

Stage 1 - Joe can become awkward when conversing with higher class as it is unnatural for him and Dickens exploits this to deepen Pip's contempt of him and to emphasise his internalised prejudice. Joe feels that he doesn't belong but still tries for Pip showing his selflessness and lack of care for what others think of him. However maybe also to show a better side to Miss Havisham as she never directly berates Joe for his lack of classy demeanour.

"I'm wrong out of the forge, the kitchen, or off th' meshes." [after visiting Miss Havisham]

Stage 2 - Pip's shame of Joe is incredibly poignant and becomes cruel; it isn't Joe's awkwardness to blame for Pip's discomfort but his internalised prejudice and classism.

"If I could have kept him away by paying money, I certainly would have paid money."

Stage 1 - Biddy loved Pip at one point

"I should have been good enough for you; shouldn't I Biddy?"

"Yes; I'm not over-particular."

Stage 1 - Biddy recognises that class and status is superficial and that one can be happy without those things. Biddy has the emotional maturity to not speak outright to Pip about his change of moral compass and instead sees that he needs to learn this lesson for himself. She is diplomatic and unreactive; the complete opposite to Estella with subtle mannerisms.

"...caring nothing for her words"

"...she was not worth gaining over."

"'How helping him on?'... she did not look at me."

"Are you quite sure, Pip, that you will come to see him often?"

Stage 1 and 2 - Miss Havisham has a twisted understanding of what romantic love is.

"There is no doubt that she perfectly idolized him. [Herbert]"

"...real love is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation..."

Stage 1 - Miss Havisham doesn't allow herself to move on from the betrayal; she is stuck in the past. This is also why she is obsessed with Estella; she disagrees that she never loved Estella and while she did it was in her own way; her definition of love is obsession with the past not true love.

"...stopped at twenty minutes to nine."

"Did I never give her love!"

Stage 1 - Biddy realises what will happen to Pip later in the novel.

"I shall always tell you everything."

"Till you're a gentleman,"

"[Biddy tells Pip of a lesson she would have taught him] it's of no use now."

Stage 1 & 2 - Pip regrets the way that he has treated Biddy and wishes that things were different. He knows that deep down he is in the wrong (or he wouldn't be hurt) and that Biddy is much better for him than Estella. And here these moments parallel as he is presented with both women but chooses Estella.

"If I could only get myself to fall in love with you." "But you never will you see."

"You may kiss me, if you like." "I have no heart."

All Stages - Pumblechook is a shameless hypocrite and sycophant who craves validation and to gain status from others. Despite his bad presence in Pip's childhood, he takes credit for his expectations.

"...abject hypocrite"

"We shook hands for the hundredth time at least."

"...told me that Pumblechook was the founder of my fortunes."

All Stages - Mr. Jaggers believes that it is extremely ridiculous to make judgements on appearance; we gain respect for him as he isn't shallow or vain in the way that Pip is despite Pip's initial daunting perception of him.

"...burly... exceedingly dark... exceedingly large head."

"Take nothing [oxymoronic] on it's looks; take everything on it's evidence."

All Stages - Herbert is certainly a 'gentleman' seen in the way that he reacts to Provis with respect despite his criminal status and the way he treats Pip like a true friend (INTHAF vibes all the way). He also plays an integral role in smuggling Provis out of the country. And saves Pip from Orlick's kidnapping.

"friendly uneasiness" [reaction to Provis randomly present in his flat]

"...stood leaning on Herbert's arm."

"Herbert and I agreed that he should board the steamer with me."

All Stages - Orlick is a piece of shit. He kidnaps and almost kills Pip. Batters Mrs. Joe because of his resentment of Pip due to his relationship with Biddy. And is very questionable toward Biddy as he is infatuated with her. Basically working class version of Compeyson ngl.

"I left her for dead."

All Stages - Wemmick is eccentric and becomes a different person when he returns home to care for The Aged (arguably essential for someone who works in close proximity to Jaggers). He is a kind person though and helps Pip many times: Provis escape, Herbert's corporate ascension. He has traits of both Mr. Jaggers ('Portable Property' thing is pretty calculative) and Joe (hard-working and humble) and teaches Pip the value of hard-work.

"The office is one thing, and private life is another."

"...my guiding-star always is, 'Get hold of portable property.'"

"I am my own Jack of all trades."

Stage 1 - Magwitch initially bestial and sub-human.

"You fail and your heart and liver shall be torn out."

Stage 2 - Dickens uses Magwitch to question the justice system. Would Magwitch have turned out to be a criminal if he had a better upbringing with love and compassion? No. But the odds were stacked against him and society played a role in his criminality as they saw him as a threat through prejudice and he became what was projected onto him.

"...there warn't a soul that see young Abel Magwitch... I reg'larly grow'd up took up." [Nobody saw him for who he was; just a poor, starving boy. He became what society made him much like Estella which is ironic as Estella turns out badly despite not being exposed to Magwitch's life and parenting]

Stage 2 - Despite his upbringing however, Magwitch also still has humanity in him and is extraordinarily generous to Pip.

"All I have isn't mine; it's yourn."

How does Dickens present Love in Great Expectations?

- D believes that successful relationships are difficult to obtain

- We see this through Mrs. Joe and Joe ("Joe looked at her in a helpless way."), Mr. Pocket and Mrs. Pocket ("Mr. Pocket got his hands in his hair again."), Estella and Bentley ("I have been bent and broken.")

- However we do witness some happy relationships

- We see this in Clara and Herbert ("something so loving in her modest manner of yielding herself to Herbert's embracing arm"), Joe and Biddy ("Biddy cried in a burst of happiness, "I am married to Joe!"), Wemmick and Miss Skiffins ("Mrs. Wemmick no longer unwound Wemmick's arm when it adapted itself to her figure.") --- BUT these are all in their earlier stages

- Pip is also fixated by Estella but was this ever true love?

- ("You are part of my existence, part of myself.") He constantly declares his love for her despite knowing that she is incapable of love and that she will marry someone else

- Dickens also celebrates love in the form of friendships

- We see this in Herbert's loyalty to Pip and vise-versa ("Herbert, I shall always love you.") where Pip secretly helps Herbert financially and Herbert rescues Pip and helps Provis

- We also witness times where love can be superficial and sycophantic (looking at you Camilla) ("I think with anxiety of those I love!")

How does Dickens present Upbringing in Great Expectations?

- Actions towards children highly affect them ("It may be a small injustice... but the child is small, the world is small.")

- Genuine loving and parental devotion is rare in the novel (and why we love Joe all the more)

- This is seen with Mrs. Pocket's hopeless parenting due to her self-proclaimed nobility ("Mrs. Pocket... didn't quite know what to make of them."), Mrs Joe's abuse, Miss Havisham's projected prejudice onto Estella ("You can break his heart!")

- Dickens also comments on the suffering of many children in Victorian London ("...he often saw children tried at a criminal bar... growing up to be hanged... made orphans.")

- Magwitch's upbringing is what caused him to become the way he has

- Estella's upbringing also ironically has negatively impacted her despite her higher class

How does Dickens present Class in Great Expectations?

- Loads of characters in Great Expectations place too much value on class

- Mr. Pumblechook's change in attitude toward Pip

- Magwitch's sentence of 14 years compared to Compeyson's 7 years ("...him who the Judge is sorry for because he might a done so well, me who the Judge perceives likely to come to worse.")

- Pip learns that being a gentleman is about respecting others, not vanity

- Mr. Pocket knows all too well that a deluded obsession with class can only result in dissatisfaction ("That will be his place,—there... at my head! [Matthew]") he also feels frustration at Belinda for not being able to raise the children ("Are infants to be nut-crackered into their tombs and is nobody to save them?")

- Estella and Biddy despite their differing classes, Biddy ends up the happiest

- How a change in class changed Pip

Stage 2 - Dickens shows through the Pockets how some are obsessed with class and status and how this only leads to disappointment.

"I think with anxiety of those I love!"

"That will be his place,—there... at my head! [Matthew]"

"Are infants to be nut-crackered into their tombs and is nobody to save them?"

How does Dickens present Crime and Justice in Great Expectations?

- Victorian London seems awash with crime ("he showed me the Debtors' Door, out of which culprits came to be hanged... this gave me a sickening idea of London.")

- Dickens seems to think that many criminals are merely victims of poverty and awful upbrining as well as societal prejudice ("But what the Devil was I to do? I must put something into my stomach, mustn't I?")

- Without money, there is no chance of justice ("...insufficient money produced. 'It's no use, my boy. I can't take it.'")

All Stages - Unlike Magwitch, Compeyson is a truly bad person who lacks empathy and takes from others where Magwitch gives.

"I was always in debt to him... and no mercy."

"Compeyson's business was the swindling... [meaning deceive for money]."

Stage 1 - Mrs. Joe was a controlling and abusive woman who was self-pitying. But despite this, she still always stood by her role as wife and older sister turned guardian. How she brought up Pip could reflect why he turned out the way he did; constantly seeking validation. She also does show some humanity by the end as she apologises in her last words. Pip also feels a fondness for her because she represents a simpler time in his life where he was going to become a blacksmith and work hard.

"...she pounced on me, like an eagle on a lamb."

"My sisters bringing up had made me sensitive."

"...such a fine figure of a woman as she once were, Pip."

"Joe... pardon... Pip."

Stage 1 - Shows how despite Estella's treatment of him, he still sees her as a ethereal and positive figure

"...light in the darkness."

Stage 1 - Gives insight into how Estella has emotionally developed

"...wits sharpened."

Stage 1 - Estella manipulated Pip BY acting passive around him

"...calm face." , "...gliding away the instant...."

Stage 2 - Pip sees Estella as an object rather than a person + Religious connotations

"Estella was not designed for me."

Stage 2 - Biddy is seen as less because of her social status in Pip's eyes + Using Estella's language and projecting it

"...common and very unlike Estella."

Stage 3 - Pip realises that Biddy would've made him happy

"You have the best wife in the world in Biddy."

Stage 1 - Shows Biddy's diplomacy and understanding that pip needs to learn what a true gentlemen is on his own

"You know best Pip."

Pip admits to making up stories about what went on at Miss Havisham’s Joe scolds him for this

“Don’t you tell no more of them, Pip. That ain’t the way to get out of being common, old chap.”

Joe forgives Magwitch for eating the pie

“God knows you’re welcome to it.”

Shows Mr. Trabb’s complete change in attitude once he finds out of Pip’s expectations.

“A change passed over Mr. Trabb… My dear sir!”

Mr. Trabb treats his boy completely differently than Pip

”Hold that noise!” > “Do me the favour of being seated Mr. Pip.”