Great Expectations Volume 1 Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering key literary concepts, character roles, motifs, and themes from Volume 1 of Great Expectations.

Propaganda and Critique

The overarching purpose of the story, designed to deliver social and political criticism.

Mists

A motif representing uncertainty when present; when it lifts, it represents certainty and an open door for Pip toward new opportunities.

Satire

The use of humor for political criticism, specifically targeting the police, the government, and the education system.

Police Incompetence

A satirical element shown when constables knock on Joe's door to ask for help repairing their handcuffs and take up several obvious wrong people.

Biddy

A kind, friendly girl a few years older than Pip who is a student herself, yet becomes the person who actually teaches Pip.

Mrs. Havisham

A spinster who resembles a spider spinning a web to catch prey, viewing Pip as her prey.

Spinster

An unmarried woman; the term used to refer to Mrs. Havisham.

Satis Manor

Satisfaction Manor; a dull old house where all clocks are frozen at twenty minutes to nine and Pip encounters a man smelling of scented soap.

Twenty Minutes to Nine ($8:40\text{ am}$)

The specific time at which every clock in Satis Manor has been set and stopped.

Mr. Jaggers

The gentleman Pip meets on the stairs who carries the scent of perfumed soap on his large hand and later announces himself as Pip's guardian.

Innocent Eye

A narrative perspective where the story is presented through a child's point of view and narrated very childishly.

Loyalty

A major theme demonstrated by Joe advising Pip as a true friend and claiming to have eaten the pie himself to shield Pip.

Guilt

A central theme manifested through Pip fearing the police have come for him, his remorse after fighting the pale young gentleman, and his terror at having provided the weapon.

Climbing Up the Social Ladder

A key theme highlighted by Pip's desire to become a gentleman, his awareness of his own ignorance, and his shame at calling knaves Jacks.

Subversion of Gender Roles

A theme illustrated by Pip's sister, who is not good-looking and takes on the harsh role of raising him by hand.

Pale Young Gentleman

A boy whom Pip fights at Satis Manor, leaving Pip plagued by guilt as he recalls him lying on his back in stages of puffiness.