Great Expectations Stage 1 Quiz

Who is the narrator of 'Great Expectations'?

Pip (Philip Pirrip)

Where does Pip first encounter the convict?

In the churchyard near his parents’ graves.

What is the convict’s name, as Pip later learns?

Abel Magwitch.

Why is Pip afraid of the convict in the beginning?

He threatens Pip with violence and claims to have a young man hiding who will harm him.

What item does the convict demand Pip bring him?

A file and some food.

Who is Joe Gargery? What is his relationship to Pip?

Joe is Pip’s brother-in-law and a blacksmith; he is kind and caring toward Pip.

How does Mrs. Joe treat Pip and Joe?

Harsh, abusive, and controlling.

What is the 'Tickler'?

A wax-ended cane Mrs. Joe uses to beat Pip.

What holiday is being celebrated in Chapter 4?

Christmas.

How does Pip feel during the Christmas dinner?

Nervous and guilty about stealing from the pantry.

How is the convict recaptured?

He is found by soldiers searching the marshes.

What does the convict say to protect Pip when caught?

He claims he stole the food and file himself.

What trade does Joe practice?

Blacksmith.

Who is Mr. Wopsle?

The church clerk and a pompous figure.

What is the name of the wealthy, reclusive woman Pip is taken to visit?

Miss Havisham.

Who is Estella? How does she treat Pip at their first meeting?

She mocks and insults Pip for being 'common.'

What game does Pip play with Estella at Miss Havisham’s?

Cards (beggar-my-neighbor).

What time are all the clocks set to in Miss Havisham’s house?

Twenty minutes to nine.

What does Miss Havisham wear? Why is this significant?

A faded wedding dress – symbolizing time frozen at the moment of heartbreak.

Why does Pip cry after visiting Miss Havisham and Estella?

He feels ashamed of his social class after Estella’s insults.

Describe Pip’s character at the beginning of the novel.

Innocent, impressionable, kind, and obedient.

How does Dickens use setting to create mood in the opening scene?

The bleak marshes and graveyard create a sense of fear and vulnerability.

What is ironic about Pip’s 'great expectations' as they begin to form?

They come from a mysterious benefactor and bring internal conflict, not joy.

How is social class portrayed through Estella and Pip’s interactions?

Estella looks down on Pip because of his lower status, showing class prejudice.

Explain the symbolism of Satis House.

A decaying house stuck in the past – symbol of Miss Havisham’s emotional state.

What literary device is used when Pip imagines the convict’s leg-iron as a shackle on his own conscience?

Metaphor (symbol of Pip’s guilt and moral burden).

What theme is introduced by Pip’s shame after meeting Estella?

Social class, identity, and self-worth.

Compare Joe’s kindness to the behavior of other adults in Pip’s life.

Joe is loving and loyal, in contrast to many others who mistreat Pip.

What does Pip mean when he says he was 'a common labouring-boy'?

That he is of low social status and unrefined.

How does Pip’s attitude toward Joe change during the first stage?

He becomes embarrassed by Joe’s manners and starts to look down on him.

What does Pip steal for the convict?

Bread, butter, cheese, mincemeat, brandy, and a file.

Who is Mr. Pumblechook?

Joe’s pompous, self-important uncle.

What role does Mr. Pumblechook play in Pip’s introduction to Miss Havisham?

He recommends Pip to Miss Havisham for her amusement.

What does Pip lie about after his first visit to Satis House?

He tells elaborate lies about the visit, saying he saw dogs and swords.

How does Joe respond when Pip confesses the truth about his visit?

Joe gently tells Pip that lies are not good, but doesn’t scold him.

What is the nature of the fight between Pip and the 'pale young gentleman'?

Pip punches a strange boy (Herbert Pocket), and wins – to his own surprise.

What is surprising about Miss Havisham’s encouragement of Estella’s behavior?

She trains Estella to break men’s hearts for revenge.

How does Pip’s apprenticeship with Joe begin?

Mr. Jaggers brings the paperwork, and Joe signs Pip’s apprenticeship.

Why does Pip feel dissatisfied with his life at the forge?

Because he feels common and unworthy after visiting Estella.

Who visits Pip and Joe with the news of Pip’s 'great expectations'?

Mr. Jaggers, a lawyer representing the anonymous benefactor.

Define 'expectations' in the context of the novel.

Wealth or status someone is expected to receive in the future.

What is significant about the use of first-person narration in the novel?

It allows readers to experience Pip’s inner growth and reflections.

How does Dickens use humor in the portrayal of the Christmas dinner?

Through exaggeration of characters’ behavior and awkward dinner conversation.

Give an example of a metaphor used in Pip’s descriptions of Estella.

Pip describes Estella’s eyes and looks in romanticized, poetic terms.

Identify and explain an instance of foreshadowing in the first stage.

The leg-iron from the convict showing up later foreshadows the convict’s return.

What does Pip’s desire to become a gentleman say about Victorian values?

It shows the value placed on wealth and refinement over character.

What is Dickens criticizing through the character of Mrs. Joe?

The cruelty and repression in Victorian domestic life.

What role does guilt play in Pip’s development in the early chapters?

Pip is haunted by guilt, first over the convict, later over his shame of Joe.

How does the setting of the marshes reflect Pip’s internal state?

The bleak, flat marshes reflect Pip’s isolation and fear.

In what ways does the First Stage set up the major themes of identity and self-worth?

Pip’s changing identity, guilt, social shame, and desire for improvement begin here.