e6w0206: April 2009

Vocabulary
nettles – prickly plants
aforesaid – previously mentioned
briars – thorny plants
wittles – [dialect] food
weather-cock – a weather vane
gibbet – a device used to hang people, gallows
1. How does Pip get his name? Where is he at the beginning of the story?
2. Briefl y describe the convict. What evidence is there that the convict has “human”
qualities and is not merely a criminal?
3. Why do you think Pip believes the convict’s story about his accomplice?
4. Find an example of dialect in the convict’s dialogue which illustrates the way Dickens
separates the upper from the lower classes by their speech patterns.

CHAPTER II
Vocabulary
jack-towel – a towel hung on a roller
connubial – relating to marriage
trenchant – perceptive; vigorous
freemasonry – a fellowship
consternation – worry; paralyzing dismay
remonstrance – protest
boot-jack – a device used to hold a boot secure when taking the boot off
imbrue – to soak
accredited – credited with
interlocutor – a speaker
speaking-trumpet – a device used to amplify sound
mincemeat – fi nely chopped meat, sometimes mixed with other food
1. Dickens is well known for his revealing and amusing descriptions of the characters
in his book. How does the following description of Mrs. Joe Gargery help the reader
understand her character?
“My sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin, that
I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater
instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over
her fi gure behind with two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck
full of pins and needles.” (Pg. 13)
2. Dickens includes humor in his stories in several ways. One of them is through double
meanings, or puns. Find an example of a phrase in this chapter that can have two
meanings, one serious and one humorous.
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3. Briefl y describe Joe. List the ways Joe tries to protect Pip from his wife.
4. Why is Pip given tar water to drink?
5. Why does Pip wait until dawn to rob the pantry? What does he steal? What are the
Hulks?
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CHAPTER III
Vocabulary
rimy – frosty
cravat – a tie
ague – fever and chills
rheumatic – painfully arthritic
1. How does Pip’s convict react when he learns Pip has met another escaped convict on
the way to deliver the food and fi le? What evidence is there that Pip’s convict knows the
other man?
2. In what ways does Pip show himself to be a compassionate young boy?

CHAPTER IV
Vocabulary
conciliatory – willing to make concessions
Accoucheur – a male midwife
Reformatory – a reform school
banns – marriage announcements
vestry – a church room used for meetings
chaise-cart – a light and open carriage
Roman nose – a nose with a high, prominent bridge
N.B. – the Latin phrase: nota bene means to “note well;” a note to pay attention to something
bobbish – in good spirits
declamation – a speech
aspiration – a strong desire
homily – a sermon
prodigal – wasteful†
contumaciously – rebelliously
expectorating – spitting
1. Briefl y identify the following characters.
Mr. and Mrs. Hubble -
Mr. Wopsle -
Uncle Pumblechook -
2. How is Pip’s theft of food nearly discovered during the Christmas dinner?
3. Since Dickens wrote this novel in thirty-six weekly installments, there is often a “hook”
at the end of each chapter to keep the reader’s interest until the next installment. What is the hook at the end of this chapter?

CHAPTER V
Vocabulary
shaver – a young boy
stocks – gun barrels
1. What does Pip’s convict mean when he says the following to the soldiers after he is caught?
“Mind!” said my convict, wiping blood from his face with his ragged sleeves, and
shaking torn hair from his fi ngers; “I took him! I give him up to you! Mind that!”
(Pg. 40)
2. What is ironic about the capture of the two convicts?
3. What evidence is there in this chapter that Joe is a compassionate man?
4. What is the odd mannerism young Pip notices about the convict? Why do you think the
convict goes out of his way to clear Pip of any blame for the missing food?
CHAPTER VI
Vocabulary
pilfering – stealing
morbidly – gloomily
circumstantial – incidental, indirect
intercourse – dealings with; communication
1. Why does Pip love Joe? What reason does he give for keeping the truth of his crimes from Joe?

CHAPTER VII
Vocabulary
purblind – nearly blind
epistle – a letter
manifest – obvious
perspicuity – awareness; sharp insight
sagaciously – wisely
1. Dickens is noted for giving his characters names that are descriptive of their
personalities. The names often sound like other words or are a pun. How could Mrs.
Wopsle’s name be descriptive of her personality?
2. How are Biddy and Pip alike?
3. Why has Joe not learned to read as a child? What makes him marry Pip’s sister?
4. What reasons does Joe give Pip for not standing up to his wife?
5. Who is Miss Havisham? Why is Mrs. Joe delighted to send Pip to her house to play?
6. Dickens often uses a description of a natural scene as a means of explaining the
motivations or feelings of a character. How does the following description of the sky
help the reader understand Pip’s feelings about going to Miss Havisham’s house to play?
“…I could at fi rst see no stars from the chaise-cart. But they twinkled out one by one,without throwing any light on the questions why on earth I was going to play at Miss Havisham’s, and what on earth I was expected to play at.” (Pg. 55)

CHAPTER VIII
Vocabulary
farinaceous – starchy, stiff
gormandising – gluttonous
1. Dickens often uses satire to poke fun at groups of people. In what way does Dickens
poke fun at city businessmen in this chapter? What is learned about Mr. Pumblechook
when Dickens gives the reader a glimpse into his home life?
2. Why is the Manor House also called Satis House?
3. Briefl y describe Miss Havisham. What is unusual about her room? One of the recurring
symbols in this novel is Dickens’ use of light and dark. What is the signifi cance of the
lack of outside light in Miss Havisham’s room, which is lit, even in the daytime, only by
candles?
4. Why do you think Miss Havisham makes Estella play cards with Pip? Why is she
interested in Pip’s opinion of Estella?
5. What evidence is there that Pip is an insecure, impressionable young boy? Why does he blame his sister for his insecurities?
6. One of the themes of this story is the relationship between good and evil. It can be argued that the convict, although a criminal, does have some good qualities. Keeping this idea in mind, why do you think Dickens writes about Pip’s visions fi rst of Estella and then of Miss Havisham in the old brewery?

CHAPTER IX
Vocabulary
reticence – reluctance
fardens – [dialect] farthings; a small amount of money, less than pennies
caparisoned – a decorated horse; fi nery
sedan-chair – an enclosed portable chair
crevice – a crack
disputatious – argumentative
obstinate – stubborn
appendages – limbs
rank – offensive; very overgrown
contemptuously – feeling scornful; with disdain
genteel – refi ned
metaphysics – a type of philosophy; supernatural; beyond reality (See Glossary)
1. Why does Pip feel the need to lie about Miss Havisham when he is questioned about
her by Mrs. Joe and Mr. Pumblechook? Why is he confi dent Mr. Pumblechook will not
correct his story?
2. What advice does Joe give Pip when Pip confesses that the stories about Miss Havisham
are lies?
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Use the following passage from the book to answer the next three questions.
“That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any
life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have
been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of
thorns or fl owers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the fi rst link on
one memorable day.” (Pg. 72)
3. What changes in Pip are made the day he visits Satis House?
4. How is the narration in this passage different from that used in the beginning of the chapter?
5. Which sentence in this paragraph is an example of parallelism? In what way does this paragraph support the theme of good versus evil?

CHAPTER X
Vocabulary
felicitous – appropriate
nevvy – [dialect] nephew
conception – an idea
paroxysm – a sudden outburst; fi t
snuffers – devices used to extinguish candles
ophthalmic – related to the eye
stupifi ed – astonished
1. What steps does Pip take to improve himself?
2. Pip’s description of the stranger at the pub with Joe contains phrases which are more descriptive of the man’s character than of his physical appearance. Find an example of one of these descriptive phrases. What do you think Dickens is trying to reveal about the stranger?
3. List two things the stranger does that links him to the convict at the graveyard.
4. What evidence is there that the stranger is there to fi nd Pip?
5. What is the “invisible gun” referred to in Dickens’ description of the stranger? Why does Pip have nightmares after meeting the stranger in the pub?

CHAPTER XI
Vocabulary
superciliously – sneeringly; with contempt
pervade – to fi ll completely
toadies – fl atterers
burly – large, heavy
consolatory – offering comfort
stay-lace – the lace used to bind a corset
ineffi cacy – a lack of ability; ineffi ciency
countenance – the face
withered – wrinkled, worn
dexterous – skillful, deft
obtruded – imposed, interfered
sanguinary – bloodthirsty
1. What does Pip mean when he describes the people waiting to see Miss Havisham as
“toadies and humbugs”? What is revealed about Matthew Pocket, a relative who is not
present at the gathering?
2. Find an example of foreshadowing in the description of the man Pip meets on the stairs.
Why does Pip think he might be a doctor?
3. Dickens often uses personifi cation in his descriptions. Find an example of
personifi cation in the description of the wedding reception feast.
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4. Why does Miss Havisham refuse to let anyone acknowledge her birthday? What does
she do to make Estella more beautiful to Pip?
5. Briefl y describe the young man Pip fi ghts in the garden. Do you think that Miss
Havisham has arranged the fi ght?
6. How does the young man “inspire” Pip with great respect?
7. One of the reoccurring symbols in this novel is Dickens’ use of light and dark. In the following passage, what is the signifi cance of the light from Joe’s forge?
“…when I neared home the light on the spit of sand off the point on the marshes was
gleaming against a black night-sky, and Joe’s furnace was fl inging a path of fi re across the road.” (Pg. 89)

CHAPTER XII Vocabulary
ditty – a song
linchpin – the most important part; the element that holds everything together
unremunerative – not profi table
besought – requested
1. Why does Pip have the expectation that Miss Havisham will help him in the future?
2. Pip vividly describes Mrs. Joe’s reaction to Miss Havisham’s statement that Pip should be
apprenticed to Joe immediately. How do you think Pip and Joe feel about it?

CHAPTER XIII Vocabulary
augur – to predict
pattens – wooden-soled shoes for keeping out of the mud
indentures – papers; contracts
abject – low; miserable
rick – a stack of hay
inscrutably – mysteriously
benifi cent – acting with kindness
Rantipole – an unruly person; reckless
1. Why is Pip ashamed of Joe when he goes to meet Miss Havisham?
2. What does Joe mean when he says after leaving the house, “Pip, I do assure you this is as-TON-ishing!”? (Pg. 100)
3. Defi ne indentures. What restrictions does the law place on a boy who is bound?
4. Find a comment in this chapter that reveals how Pip feels about being bound to Joe.
5. Why has Pip’s view changed?

CHAPTER XIV
Vocabulary
sanctifi ed – made holy
retributive – well-deserved
chaste – holy, pure
1. Why does Pip hide his true feelings about his work as Joe’s apprentice?

CHAPTER XV
Vocabulary
sagacious – wise
gross – one-hundred forty-four
gridiron – a framework of metal used to cook fi sh
sprat – a type of fi sh
swarthy – dark
sluice – a channel for water for irrigation
howbeit – however
singular – specifi c; unique
disconsolately – gloomily, dejectedly
monomania – an obsession with one thing
ill-requited – poorly paid
1. Why does Pip try to teach Joe the lessons he learns at school?
2. Under what conditions does Joe agree to let Pip visit Satis House? Why does he think
Pip should stay away?
3. Briefl y identify Orlick. Why does he dislike Pip?
4. Why does Joe hit Orlick?
5. What possible explanation is given in this chapter concerning the identity of the person
who attacks Mrs. Joe? Who else could have done it?

CHAPTER XVI
Vocabulary
snuff – the burned part of a candle’s wick
asunder – apart; split
temporized – to postpone; debate
tremulous – trembling, shaking
conciliate – to gain friendship with
1. Why does Pip consider telling the truth about his encounter with the convict in the
graveyard? What reasons does he give for keeping silent?
2. How does Biddy come to live with Pip and Joe? What does the following passage suggest
about the reason Mrs. Joe asks to see Orlick every day?
“She watched his countenance as if she were particularly wishful to be assured that he
took kindly to his reception, she showed every possible desire to conciliate him, and
there was an air of humble propitiation in all she did, such as I have seen pervade the
bearing of a child towards a hard master.” (Pg. 120)
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CHAPTER XVII
Vocabulary
guinea – a coin with the worth of a British pound
patronised – treated in an inferior manner
vexation – frustration; worry
capricious – fanciful, impulsive
supposititious – hypothetical
1. Why does Pip confi de in Biddy and confess his admiration for Estella?
2. What advice does Biddy give Pip when he tells her he wants to become a gentleman
because Estella makes him feel common?
3. What evidence is there that Biddy might be hurt by Pip’s confession that he wishes he could love her instead of Estella?

CHAPTER XVIII
Vocabulary
imbrued – fi lled; saturated
abhorrent – despised
beadle – a minor offi cial
disaffection – a loss of loyalty
placable – calm; pacifi ed
fell – deadly
pugilistic – related to boxing
expostulatory – reasoning with someone in an effort to correct
valedictory – closing statement
obtruded – imposed; thrust forward
1. Why do you think Dickens includes the scene where the stranger grills Mr. Wopsle?
Where has Pip seen this man before?
2. Find the passage in this chapter where the title of the novel is fi rst mentioned. To what
expectations is Jaggers referring?
3. List the conditions imposed on Pip if he accepts the promised inheritance.
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4. What is Joe’s reaction to Pip’s impending “great expectations”?
5. What is Pip asking Mr. Jaggers in the following passage?
“I wish to be quite right, Mr. Jaggers, and to keep to your directions; so I thought I had better ask. Would there be any objection to my taking leave of any one I know,
about here, before I go away?” (Pg. 137)
6. How is Pip feeling in the last paragraph of this chapter?
“I put my light out, and crept into bed; and it was an uneasy bed now, and I never
slept the old sound sleep in it any more.” (Pg. 139)

CHAPTER XIX
Vocabulary
exultant – triumphant
miscreant – a villain
collation – a light meal
adjuration – a solemn appeal
fl accid – limp, weak
circuitously – in a roundabout manner; indirect
constrainedly – forced
portmanteau – a suitcase
twelvemonth – a year ago
hail-fellow-well-met – a friendly person; comrade
1. Why does Pip regret that Joe is unable to learn the lessons he tries to teach him during
their walks in the marshes?
2. What does Biddy think of Pip’s plans to help Joe?
3. How has Mr. Pumblechook’s attitude toward Pip changed since he learned of Pip’s great
expectations? What evidence is there that Pip believes Mr. Pumblechook is now his
good friend?
4. What does Miss Havisham say to Pip that contributes to his suspicions that she is his
benefactor?
5. Support or refute the following statement: Pip experiences the normal feelings of
homesickness most young people feel when they fi rst leave home.

PART II
CHAPTER XX
Vocabulary
hammercloth – a cloth that covers a coach
coronets – ornamental wreaths
Close – another name for place or avenue
harrow – a frame with sharp edges
supplicant – one who begs
1. Dickens’ descriptions of physical surroundings often contribute to the reader’s
understanding of his characters. What does the following description of Mr. Jaggers’
offi ce tell the reader about Mr. Jaggers?
“Mr. Jaggers’s own high-backed chair was of deadly black horse-hair, with rows of
brass nails round it, like a coffi n;…The room was but small, and the clients seemed
to have had a habit of backing up against the wall; the wall: especially opposite to Mr.
Jaggers’s chair, being greasy with shoulders.” (Pg. 154)
2. What does Pip think of London when he walks through Smithfi eld?
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CHAPTER XXI
Vocabulary
mottled – spotted
interment – a burial
frouzy – musty and rank
pottle – a pot that holds two quarts
castors – small containers for condiments
1. Find an example of parallelism in this chapter.
2. Why does Pip think Mr. Wemmick must have “sustained a good many bereavements”?
3. What does Pip do that surprises Mr. Wemmick? How does Mr. Pocket surprise Pip?
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CHAPTER XXII
Vocabulary
magnanimous – generous
inveterate – persistent
requisite – necessary, essential
incipient – beginning; not yet fully formed
fl uey – fi shing or boating
venerated – regarded with respect
prepossessions – preconceptions, prejudices
1. Write a brief character sketch of Herbert Pocket. How does he feel about Pip’s great expectations?
2. What do you think is the signifi cance of Herbert’s decision to change Pip’s name to Handel?
3. Why does Miss Havisham want to take revenge on all men?
4. Briefl y describe how Mrs. Pocket is raising her children.

CHAPTER XXIII
Vocabulary
vellum – parchment
forelock – the front part of a horse’s mane
reproach – disapproval
preferment – advancement
toady – a fl atterer
prodigious – huge
dint – force, effort
artifi ces – tricks; distractions
billeted – given a place to stay; lodged
whitlow – a felon
wherry – a rowboat
1. Dickens frequently uses satire to poke fun at social institutions. What do you think
Dickens might be saying about social class by his depiction of the Pockets and their
peculiar relationship with their servants?
2. Briefl y identify Drummle and Startop.
3. Why does Pip decide to take rowing lessons?

CHAPTER XXIV
Vocabulary
acquiesced – agreed; gave in to
discomfi ture – embarrassment; unease
amenities – attractive or likable parts
publican – the keeper of a tavern
Bailey – an offi cer similar to an assistant sheriff
odious – disagreeable; horrid
diffi dence – timidity; shyness
1. What does the following comment by Wemmick tell the reader about Mr. Jaggers?
“Always seems to me…as if he had set a man-trap and was watching it. Suddenly—
click—you’re—caught!” (Pg. 187)
2. What is Wemmick’s “guiding star”?
3. Why does Wemmick want Pip to pay attention to Mr. Jaggers’ housekeeper when he is
asked to dine at Mr. Jaggers’ home?
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CHAPTER XXV
Vocabulary
niggardly – cheap
cupidity – greed
forbearance – tolerance
inveigled – lured
bower – a shady area
jocose – joking
hob – a mantle
bijou – a small, well-made ring
1. How does Mr. Pocket’s sister Camilla feel about Pip?
2. Briefl y describe Wemmick’s home. Find a comment in the book expressing how
Wemmick feels about his home.
3. What happens at nine o’clock at Wemmick’s house? Why does the Aged enjoy it?
4. How does Pip feel about his visit to Wemmick’s house? What do you think Dickens is
saying about the relationship between Wemmick’s business life and his home life?
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CHAPTER XXVI
Vocabulary
mutton – lamb
gird – to jeer, taunt
sluicing – wetting
festoon – a series of hanging objects
1. Compare Jaggers’ home with his offi ce. In what ways are they similar?
2. Startop and Drummle are both included in the dinner invitation. Why do you think
Jaggers prefers Drummle’s company over that of Startop or Pip?
3. Briefl y describe Jaggers’ housekeeper. Why does she keep watching Jaggers? Why do
you think he makes her show his guests her wrists? What is implied about her past life
by her wrists?
4. Who is responsible for the argument between Drummle and Pip? What happens at 9:30
in Mr. Jaggers’ house?

CHAPTER XXVII
Vocabulary
incongruity – the quality of not fi tting together
wicket-keeping – protecting a goal, as in cricket
shay-cart – a small cart drawn by one horse
whitesmith – someone who works with white metal
1. How does the following comment in the chapter help the reader understand Pip’s
apprehension concerning Joe’s visit?
“So, throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for
the sake of the people whom we most despise.” (Pg. 204)
2. What message does Joe deliver to Pip? Why does he come in person instead of writing?
What reasons does Joe give for stating that he will never visit Pip in London again?
3. Do you agree or disagree with Joe when he repeats the phrase that he is “awful dull”?

CHAPTER XXVIII
Vocabulary
bludgeon – a heavy club
choleric – foul tempered; easily angered
pernicious – destructive
slued – swiveled
poultice – a soft mass of something
baize – green cloth similar to felt
lethargic – lazy, sluggish; apathetic
artifi cer – a craftsman
1. Why is Pip, an older and more mature young man, still terrifi ed of the convicts on the coach?
2. Why does Mr. Pumblechook try to take credit for Pip’s good fortune? Is he justifi ed in taking this credit?

CHAPTER XXIX
Vocabulary
labyrinth – a maze
gentility – refi nement, well-mannered
imperiously – regally; in an overbearing way
vehemence – force
reticence – reluctance
whist – a four-person card game similar to bridge
1. How does Orlick behave toward Pip when they meet again at Miss Havisham’s house?
2. What does Estella mean when she tells Pip she has no heart?
3. What is troubling Pip in the following passage from the chapter?
“What was it that was borne in upon my mind when she stood still and looked
attentively at me? Anything that I had seen in Miss Havisham? No. In some of her
looks and gestures there was that tinge of resemblance to Miss Havisham.…And yet
I could not trace this to Miss Havisham. I looked again, and though she was still
looking at me, the suggestion was gone.” (Pg. 222)
4. Why does Miss Havisham want to see Pip?

CHAPTER XXX
Vocabulary
prostrated – placed horizontally
akimbo – spread out; open; hands on hips and elbows bowed out
dustman – a garbage man
victualling – providing with food
purser – an offi cer in charge of money
1. Why do you think Pip tells Jaggers that he believes Orlick is the wrong man to be the gatekeeper at Satis House?
2. Why do you think Dickens includes the amusing scene of the Trabb boy imitating Pip as he walks down the street? Sometimes Dickens’ character names sound like other words and are intended to be descriptive of the character’s traits. What might the name Trabb suggest?
3. What good advice does Herbert try to give Pip concerning Estella? Does Pip listen?
4. Briefl y identify Clara. Why can Herbert not marry her?

CHAPTER XXXI
Vocabulary
truncheon – a staff carried as a symbol of offi ce
derisively – sneeringly; with contempt
diadem – a crown
droll – oddly comical
latent – potential; probable, but not obvious
divesting – removing
approbation – approval; praise
malignity – hatred, ill-will
1. Compare the way Wopsle is heckled by the audience with the way the Trabb boy
mimics Pip. In what ways are the two incidents similar?
CHAPTER XXXII
Vocabulary
jocose – in a joking manner
turnkeys – jailers
1. What is Wemmick’s greenhouse?
2. Most of this chapter centers on Pip’s anxious wait for Estella’s coach. How does Dickens
use foreshadowing in this chapter to maintain the reader’s interest?

CHAPTER XXXIII
Vocabulary
superfl uous – unnecessary
confl agration – a blaze, fi re
ostler – someone who tends horses at an inn
chary – cautious
staid – dignifi ed
farthingale – a hoop worn under a skirt to extend it
solitaire – a gem that is set alone
1. What is revealed about Estella’s childhood which helps Pip understand her contempt for
her relatives? Why is Estella grateful to Pip?
2. Find an example of parallelism illustrating Dickens’ poetic style of writing.
3. Support or refute the following statement: Estella is aware that Miss Havisham’s plan to
take revenge on all men is wrong.

CHAPTER XXXIV
Vocabulary
descry – to see
magnates – infl uential businesspeople
remunerative – profi table
copious – abundant; a great deal
assiduity – a constant effort
1. Some critics believe the chapters set in London are evidence of Pip’s loss of moral
values. List some of the ways Pip and his friends are indulging themselves on his
unearned income. Other than getting into debt, how does Pip demonstrate his moral
decay?
2. What do Pip and Herbert do to try and resolve their money problems?

CHAPTER XXXV
Vocabulary
ostentatiously – showily; extravagantly
sawpit – a pit over which wood is placed to be sawed
obsequious – like a servant; fawning
vainglorious – having vanity; boastfulness
mummery – ridiculous and unnecessary ceremony
cogent – clear, convincing
1. Point out the way Dickens uses satire to poke fun at funerals.
2. What evidence is there that Biddy and Joe treat Pip differently since he is now a
gentleman?
3. What does Pip mean when he says that the mists were “quite right too”?
“Once more, the mists were rising as I walked away. If they disclosed to me, as I
suspect they did, that I should not come back, and that Biddy was quite right, all I can
say is—they were quite right too.” (Pg. 267)

CHAPTER XXXVI
Vocabulary
exemplary – extraordinary; well-done
auspicious – favorable
apoplectic – extremely angry
waive – to give up a claim; relinquish
injudicious – showing a lack of good judgment
1. Why is Pip looking forward to his twenty-fi rst birthday?
2. Why do you suppose Mr. Jaggers is determined to stay out of Pip’s business once his
benefactor makes himself or herself known?
“When that person discloses,” said Mr. Jaggers, straightening himself, “you and
that person will settle your own affairs. When that person discloses, my part in this
business will cease and determine. When that person discloses, it will not be necessary
for me to know anything about it.” (Pg. 272)
3. What do you think about Pip’s decision to use his money to help a friend? What does
this say about Pip’s character?

CHAPTER XXXVII
Vocabulary
ecod – [slang] egad; “Oh God;” an exclamation
jorum – a large bowl
cestus – something that encircles
rubicund – a healthy rosy color
1. Briefl y identify Miss Skiffi ns.
2. Why do you think Pip is comfortable at Wemmick’s house? Why do you think Pip
wishes at one point that Mr. Jaggers had an Aged at home?
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Vocabulary
staid – serious; settled
mumbling – chewing ineffectively
wreak – to infl ict, cause
staved off – repelled; avoided
addle – confused
impended – about to happen
rove – twisted
1. What is ironic about the scene between Miss Havisham and Estella?
2. Why does Estella permit Drummle to follow her around?
3. Is there any evidence that Estella cares for Pip and does not really want to hurt him?

CHAPTER XXXIX
Vocabulary
veinous – fi lled with veins
abhorrence – hatred
recompense – a payment
1. How does Pip behave toward the stranger in the stairwell? What do you think of his
decision to invite the man into his rooms?
2. How does Pip try to get the convict to leave? What evidence is there that Pip might
suspect the truth about the reasons for the convict’s visit?
3. Why do you think the convict wants to “make a gentleman”? In what ways are the
convict and Miss Havisham alike?
4. What is Pip’s “sharpest and deepest pain of all” after he realizes his good fortune has not
been the result of Miss Havisham’s money?

CHAPTER XL
Vocabulary
fain – gladly; prefer to
prolix – excessively wordy
physiognomy – facial features
pannikins – small tin cups
1. Why is Pip worried about the man he stumbles over on the stairs? How does he plan to
explain the convict’s presence to his housekeepers?
2. Names are signifi cant in this novel. Why do you think Dickens chooses Provis for the
convict’s new name? The convict’s real name is Abel Magwitch. Abel is a Biblical name
from the story of Cain and Abel. Abel is the good son who is killed by his brother Cain.
Why do you think Dickens selects Abel for Magwitch’s fi rst name?
3. Why is Magwitch so diffi cult to disguise?
4. How does Magwitch greet Herbert?

CHAPTER XLI
Vocabulary
raving – wandering
extricate – to release from
1. What are Pip’s prospects if he can no longer accept any money from Magwitch?
2. Why do Herbert and Pip plan to persuade Magwitch to leave England? What
information do they need from Magwitch before formalizing their plan?

CHAPTER XLII
Vocabulary
drivelling – drooling; talking senselessly
1. Compare Magwitch’s childhood with Pip’s. Why is Magwitch a criminal and Pip a lawabiding
citizen?
2. Who is Compeyson?
3. Why does Magwitch wish he had paid more attention to Compeyson’s dying partner,
Arthur? Briefl y describe the crime which is haunting Arthur.
4. Since the lives of the characters in Dickens’ works are carefully intertwined, whom do
you think Magwitch may be referring to in the following passage?
“My Missis as I had the hard time wi’–Stop though! I ain’t brought her in” (Pg. 324)
5. Dickens does not tell the reader what Pip is thinking when he reads Herbert’s note.
Speculate on his feelings after learning Arthur’s true identity.

CHAPTER XLIII
Vocabulary
extenuated – lessened the seriousness of
engendered – created
manifest – obvious
1. Why do you think Dickens may have chosen Drummle for the nobleman’s name?
2. What is Drummle implying when he says to Pip, “But don’t lose your temper. Haven’t
you lost enough without that?” (Pg. 330)
S-44
CHAPTER XLIV
Vocabulary
haggard – tired, worn
superseded – replaced
embodiment – the physical that represents the abstract; manifestation
spectral – like a ghost
superscription – something written above another thing
Esquire – an title indicating that a person is a gentleman
1. Why do you think Pip glosses over the harm Miss Havisham has done him by allowing
him to believe she has been his benefactor?
2. What do you think is the reason Miss Havisham is fi nally able to grasp the level of pain
she has caused Pip?
“I saw Miss Havisham put her hand to her heart and hold it there, as she sat looking
by turns at Estella and at me.” (Pg. 336)
3. What evidence is there that Estella cares for Pip in a limited way?
4. What does Pip’s expression of love in the paragraph beginning with “Out of my
thoughts!” (Pg. 338) tell the reader about Dickens’ defi nition of true love?

CHAPTER XLV
Vocabulary
chamberlain – the chief servant
despotic – tyrannical
doleful – sad, mournful
plaited – braided; twisted
rakish – stylish
tacit – unspoken
postern – a small rear gate
forbore – resisted
1. Why does Wemmick leave notes at the gates telling Pip not to go home? What else does
he do to help Pip and Magwitch?
2. List the reasons Pip approves of hiding Magwitch at Clara’s house.
3. What advice does Wemmick give Pip just before they part? For what reason might Pip
not take Wemmick’s advice?
CHAPTER XLVI
Vocabulary
superannuated – discarded as obsolete
gout – a disease that causes painful swelling of the leg
chandler’s – candlemaker’s
truculent – stubborn
1. What is Pip’s plan to get Magwitch out of England if it becomes necessary?

CHAPTER XLVII
Vocabulary
rent – torn
starlings – protective pilings around piers of a bridge
boatswain – an offi cer on a ship in charge of the other crew
Swab – a sailor
confute – to prove wrong
plenipotentiary – a diplomat authorized to represent his or her government
Union Jack – the fl ag of the U. K.
hornpipe – a folk dance done to the music of a pipe made of animal horn
worsted – a hard woolen fabric
phosphoric – phosphorescent
sententious – tending to pompous moralizing
antipodes – direct opposites
entreated – begged
1. Why does Pip not move Magwitch after learning from Wopsle that Compeyson sat
behind Pip in the theater?

CHAPTER XLVIII
Vocabulary
bo-peep – peekaboo
intimation – a hint
1. What does Jaggers say about Drummle’s character that is disturbing to Pip?
2. How does Pip recognize Molly as Estella’s mother?
3. Why was Molly’s case important to Jaggers?
4. How does Pip know it is safe for him to visit Miss Havisham?

CHAPTER XLIX
Vocabulary
refectories – rooms where meals are served
priory – a monastery
commiseration – having pity
vestige – a remnant, small amount
vivacity – vividness, clarity
1. One of the overall themes of this book is the blurred lines between good and evil. In
what ways can Miss Havisham be considered evil? Why does Pip quickly forgive her?
2. Remembering the symbols of light and dark, what do you think is the signifi cance of the
fi re that destroys Miss Havisham’s wedding dress?
3. In what ways can Pip be considered the adult now and Miss Havisham the vulnerable
child?
CHAPTER L
(No Vocabulary)
1. How does Magwitch fi rst know Mr. Jaggers’ name? What “barbed the point of Provis’
animosity” toward Compeyson? (Pg. 379)
2. What does Pip ask Herbert that confi rms his suspicions that Magwitch is Estella’s
father?

CHAPTER LI
(No Vocabulary)
1. What devices does Pip use to try to get Mr. Jaggers to confi rm his belief that Molly is
Estella’s mother?
2. Why does Pip’s betrayal of his knowledge of Wemmick’s home life fi nally pierce Mr.
Jaggers’ armor?
3. For what reasons does Jaggers decide to give Estella to Miss Havisham to raise? Support
or refute the following statement: Jaggers is another example of one of Dickens’
characters who is both good and evil.
CHAPTER LII
Vocabulary
retrospectively – thoughtfully referring to the past
1. Why does Pip decide to go to the old marshes to meet the anonymous letter writer?
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CHAPTER LIII
Vocabulary
truckle – a low bed meant to be slid under a higher one
weazen – small, shrivelled; [slang] throat
besetting – troubling
presentiment – a feeling about the future; omen
1. How does Dickens’ use of light and dark in this chapter signal to the reader when
something good or bad is going to happen to Pip?
2. What is far more terrible than death to Pip?
3. List three mysteries Orlick solves for Pip while he is working up the courage to kill him.
4. What resolution does Pip make once he understands that Orlick intends to kill him?
What do you think this resolution says about Pip’s character?
5. Why is Startop with Herbert when they rescue Pip?

CHAPTER LIV
Vocabulary
colliers – coal ships
tithe – one-tenth
hawsers – ropes used to moor or tow a ship
capstans – devices used on ships to pull up ropes for sails and anchors
respondent – answering, responding
lightermen – sailors
gunwale – the side of a boat
thowels – oarlocks
vacillating – hesitating; being indecisive
cheeky – bold; rude
adjured – commanded solemnly
1. Briefl y describe Pip’s plan to get Magwitch out of England.
2. What does the following passage reveal about Magwitch’s philosophy of life?
“…we can no more see to the bottom of the next few hours, than we can see to the
bottom of this river what I catches hold of. Nor yet we can’t no more hold their tide
than I can hold this. And it’s run through my fi ngers and gone, you see!” (Pg. 408)
3. What precautions do Pip and his companions take to avoid the boat that Jack thinks
belongs to the customs offi cers?
S-52
4. Pip says that he has no reason to doubt Magwitch’s story that he did not kill
Compeyson. What evidence is there that Pip may be refusing to see the truth? Why do
you think he wants to believe Magwitch’s story?
5. Why does Pip decide to stay by Magwitch’s side after his arrest?
6. What happens to Magwitch’s money now that he has been arrested? Do you think Pip
cares? Why can Pip be considered noble at the end of this chapter?

CHAPTER LV
Vocabulary
querulous – grumbling; complaining
exordium – the introductory part of a speech
discreet – restrained; modest
bagatelle – a game similar to pool
1. Some critics speculate on how Dickens feels about money. Cite incidents from the story
to support or refute the following statement: While Dickens thinks money can be used
for both good and evil, he sees money as a necessary part of living a happy life.
2. Why does Wemmick try to conceal his wedding to Miss Skiffi ns from everyone except
Pip and the Aged?
3. Dickens is a master at foreshadowing and creating suspense. Knowing this, why do you
think he lets the readers know Pip’s friends both live happily with their wives?
CHAPTER LVI
Vocabulary
thriven – lived
nosegays – bouquets
gewgaws – trinkets
propensities – tendencies
malefactors – criminals
1. What emotions do you think Dickens wants the reader to experience at the time of
Magwitch’s death? What do you think he is saying about redemption?
2. Why do you think Pip decides at the end to tell Magwitch about Estella?

CHAPTER LVII
Vocabulary
indite – to compose
cumbered – weighed down
orthographical – related to spelling
coddleshell – [dialect] codicil, an addition to a will
bilious – having problems due to a disease of the gastrointestinal system
rushlights – candles made from animal fat with wicks made from plant stems
diffi dence – having a lack of self-confi dence
1. Why does Joe begin to call Pip “sir” when Pip begins to regain his strength?
2. What does Pip plan to do to demonstrate how humble and repentant he has become?
Do you think this action is a sign of maturity or immaturity?

CHAPTER LVIII
Vocabulary
knock-knee – slanted; curvy
watercress – an aquatic plant used in sandwiches, generally by the rich
clemency – mercy
debilitating – weakening
prodigygality – [dialect] prodigality, wastefulness
behoof – benefi t
deal – fi r or pine wood
inaptitude – inappropriateness
1. How does Pip handle Mr. Pumblechook when Pumblechook tries to gloat over Pip’s
misfortune?
2. What evidence is there in the story that Pip may be really happy for Joe and Biddy
rather than feeling sad for his own loss?
3. List the reasons Pip fi nds happiness in his new life.

CHAPTER LIX
Vocabulary
avarice – greed
1. Why do Joe and Biddy name their son Pip?
2. In the following passage, Estella is talking to Pip after spending many years apart. What
do you think Dickens is saying about the importance of suffering in our lives?
“And if you could say that to me then, you will not hesitate to say that to me now–
now, when suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to
understand what your heart used to be.” (Pg. 450)
3. Read the following excerpt from the novel. Many critics debate whether Pip and Estella
fi nally end up married. How do you interpret this ending?
“We are friends,” said I, rising and bending over her, as she rose from the bench.
“And will continue friends apart,” said Estella.
I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; …and in all the
broad expanse of tranquil light they [the mists] showed to me, I saw no shadow of
another parting from her.” (Pg. 450)
4. In what ways can this story be considered a coming-of-age novel?
Posted by fraser at 7:47 AM 0 comments
great expectations

Vocabulary
nettles – prickly plants
aforesaid – previously mentioned
briars – thorny plants
wittles – [dialect] food
weather-cock – a weather vane
gibbet – a device used to hang people, gallows
1. How does Pip get his name? Where is he at the beginning of the story?
2. Briefl y describe the convict. What evidence is there that the convict has “human”
qualities and is not merely a criminal?
3. Why do you think Pip believes the convict’s story about his accomplice?
4. Find an example of dialect in the convict’s dialogue which illustrates the way Dickens
separates the upper from the lower classes by their speech patterns.

CHAPTER II
Vocabulary
jack-towel – a towel hung on a roller
connubial – relating to marriage
trenchant – perceptive; vigorous
freemasonry – a fellowship
consternation – worry; paralyzing dismay
remonstrance – protest
boot-jack – a device used to hold a boot secure when taking the boot off
imbrue – to soak
accredited – credited with
interlocutor – a speaker
speaking-trumpet – a device used to amplify sound
mincemeat – fi nely chopped meat, sometimes mixed with other food
1. Dickens is well known for his revealing and amusing descriptions of the characters
in his book. How does the following description of Mrs. Joe Gargery help the reader
understand her character?
“My sister, Mrs. Joe, with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin, that
I sometimes used to wonder whether it was possible she washed herself with a nutmeg-grater
instead of soap. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron, fastened over
her fi gure behind with two loops, and having a square impregnable bib in front, that was stuck
full of pins and needles.” (Pg. 13)
2. Dickens includes humor in his stories in several ways. One of them is through double
meanings, or puns. Find an example of a phrase in this chapter that can have two
meanings, one serious and one humorous.
S-3
3. Briefl y describe Joe. List the ways Joe tries to protect Pip from his wife.
4. Why is Pip given tar water to drink?
5. Why does Pip wait until dawn to rob the pantry? What does he steal? What are the
Hulks?
S-4
CHAPTER III
Vocabulary
rimy – frosty
cravat – a tie
ague – fever and chills
rheumatic – painfully arthritic
1. How does Pip’s convict react when he learns Pip has met another escaped convict on
the way to deliver the food and fi le? What evidence is there that Pip’s convict knows the
other man?
2. In what ways does Pip show himself to be a compassionate young boy?

CHAPTER IV
Vocabulary
conciliatory – willing to make concessions
Accoucheur – a male midwife
Reformatory – a reform school
banns – marriage announcements
vestry – a church room used for meetings
chaise-cart – a light and open carriage
Roman nose – a nose with a high, prominent bridge
N.B. – the Latin phrase: nota bene means to “note well;” a note to pay attention to something
bobbish – in good spirits
declamation – a speech
aspiration – a strong desire
homily – a sermon
prodigal – wasteful†
contumaciously – rebelliously
expectorating – spitting
1. Briefl y identify the following characters.
Mr. and Mrs. Hubble -
Mr. Wopsle -
Uncle Pumblechook -
2. How is Pip’s theft of food nearly discovered during the Christmas dinner?
3. Since Dickens wrote this novel in thirty-six weekly installments, there is often a “hook”
at the end of each chapter to keep the reader’s interest until the next installment. What is the hook at the end of this chapter?

CHAPTER V
Vocabulary
shaver – a young boy
stocks – gun barrels
1. What does Pip’s convict mean when he says the following to the soldiers after he is caught?
“Mind!” said my convict, wiping blood from his face with his ragged sleeves, and
shaking torn hair from his fi ngers; “I took him! I give him up to you! Mind that!”
(Pg. 40)
2. What is ironic about the capture of the two convicts?
3. What evidence is there in this chapter that Joe is a compassionate man?
4. What is the odd mannerism young Pip notices about the convict? Why do you think the
convict goes out of his way to clear Pip of any blame for the missing food?
CHAPTER VI
Vocabulary
pilfering – stealing
morbidly – gloomily
circumstantial – incidental, indirect
intercourse – dealings with; communication
1. Why does Pip love Joe? What reason does he give for keeping the truth of his crimes from Joe?

CHAPTER VII
Vocabulary
purblind – nearly blind
epistle – a letter
manifest – obvious
perspicuity – awareness; sharp insight
sagaciously – wisely
1. Dickens is noted for giving his characters names that are descriptive of their
personalities. The names often sound like other words or are a pun. How could Mrs.
Wopsle’s name be descriptive of her personality?
2. How are Biddy and Pip alike?
3. Why has Joe not learned to read as a child? What makes him marry Pip’s sister?
4. What reasons does Joe give Pip for not standing up to his wife?
5. Who is Miss Havisham? Why is Mrs. Joe delighted to send Pip to her house to play?
6. Dickens often uses a description of a natural scene as a means of explaining the
motivations or feelings of a character. How does the following description of the sky
help the reader understand Pip’s feelings about going to Miss Havisham’s house to play?
“…I could at fi rst see no stars from the chaise-cart. But they twinkled out one by one,without throwing any light on the questions why on earth I was going to play at Miss Havisham’s, and what on earth I was expected to play at.” (Pg. 55)

CHAPTER VIII
Vocabulary
farinaceous – starchy, stiff
gormandising – gluttonous
1. Dickens often uses satire to poke fun at groups of people. In what way does Dickens
poke fun at city businessmen in this chapter? What is learned about Mr. Pumblechook
when Dickens gives the reader a glimpse into his home life?
2. Why is the Manor House also called Satis House?
3. Briefl y describe Miss Havisham. What is unusual about her room? One of the recurring
symbols in this novel is Dickens’ use of light and dark. What is the signifi cance of the
lack of outside light in Miss Havisham’s room, which is lit, even in the daytime, only by
candles?
4. Why do you think Miss Havisham makes Estella play cards with Pip? Why is she
interested in Pip’s opinion of Estella?
5. What evidence is there that Pip is an insecure, impressionable young boy? Why does he blame his sister for his insecurities?
6. One of the themes of this story is the relationship between good and evil. It can be argued that the convict, although a criminal, does have some good qualities. Keeping this idea in mind, why do you think Dickens writes about Pip’s visions fi rst of Estella and then of Miss Havisham in the old brewery?

CHAPTER IX
Vocabulary
reticence – reluctance
fardens – [dialect] farthings; a small amount of money, less than pennies
caparisoned – a decorated horse; fi nery
sedan-chair – an enclosed portable chair
crevice – a crack
disputatious – argumentative
obstinate – stubborn
appendages – limbs
rank – offensive; very overgrown
contemptuously – feeling scornful; with disdain
genteel – refi ned
metaphysics – a type of philosophy; supernatural; beyond reality (See Glossary)
1. Why does Pip feel the need to lie about Miss Havisham when he is questioned about
her by Mrs. Joe and Mr. Pumblechook? Why is he confi dent Mr. Pumblechook will not
correct his story?
2. What advice does Joe give Pip when Pip confesses that the stories about Miss Havisham
are lies?
S-10
Use the following passage from the book to answer the next three questions.
“That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any
life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have
been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of
thorns or fl owers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the fi rst link on
one memorable day.” (Pg. 72)
3. What changes in Pip are made the day he visits Satis House?
4. How is the narration in this passage different from that used in the beginning of the chapter?
5. Which sentence in this paragraph is an example of parallelism? In what way does this paragraph support the theme of good versus evil?

CHAPTER X
Vocabulary
felicitous – appropriate
nevvy – [dialect] nephew
conception – an idea
paroxysm – a sudden outburst; fi t
snuffers – devices used to extinguish candles
ophthalmic – related to the eye
stupifi ed – astonished
1. What steps does Pip take to improve himself?
2. Pip’s description of the stranger at the pub with Joe contains phrases which are more descriptive of the man’s character than of his physical appearance. Find an example of one of these descriptive phrases. What do you think Dickens is trying to reveal about the stranger?
3. List two things the stranger does that links him to the convict at the graveyard.
4. What evidence is there that the stranger is there to fi nd Pip?
5. What is the “invisible gun” referred to in Dickens’ description of the stranger? Why does Pip have nightmares after meeting the stranger in the pub?

CHAPTER XI
Vocabulary
superciliously – sneeringly; with contempt
pervade – to fi ll completely
toadies – fl atterers
burly – large, heavy
consolatory – offering comfort
stay-lace – the lace used to bind a corset
ineffi cacy – a lack of ability; ineffi ciency
countenance – the face
withered – wrinkled, worn
dexterous – skillful, deft
obtruded – imposed, interfered
sanguinary – bloodthirsty
1. What does Pip mean when he describes the people waiting to see Miss Havisham as
“toadies and humbugs”? What is revealed about Matthew Pocket, a relative who is not
present at the gathering?
2. Find an example of foreshadowing in the description of the man Pip meets on the stairs.
Why does Pip think he might be a doctor?
3. Dickens often uses personifi cation in his descriptions. Find an example of
personifi cation in the description of the wedding reception feast.
S-13
4. Why does Miss Havisham refuse to let anyone acknowledge her birthday? What does
she do to make Estella more beautiful to Pip?
5. Briefl y describe the young man Pip fi ghts in the garden. Do you think that Miss
Havisham has arranged the fi ght?
6. How does the young man “inspire” Pip with great respect?
7. One of the reoccurring symbols in this novel is Dickens’ use of light and dark. In the following passage, what is the signifi cance of the light from Joe’s forge?
“…when I neared home the light on the spit of sand off the point on the marshes was
gleaming against a black night-sky, and Joe’s furnace was fl inging a path of fi re across the road.” (Pg. 89)

CHAPTER XII Vocabulary
ditty – a song
linchpin – the most important part; the element that holds everything together
unremunerative – not profi table
besought – requested
1. Why does Pip have the expectation that Miss Havisham will help him in the future?
2. Pip vividly describes Mrs. Joe’s reaction to Miss Havisham’s statement that Pip should be
apprenticed to Joe immediately. How do you think Pip and Joe feel about it?

CHAPTER XIII Vocabulary
augur – to predict
pattens – wooden-soled shoes for keeping out of the mud
indentures – papers; contracts
abject – low; miserable
rick – a stack of hay
inscrutably – mysteriously
benifi cent – acting with kindness
Rantipole – an unruly person; reckless
1. Why is Pip ashamed of Joe when he goes to meet Miss Havisham?
2. What does Joe mean when he says after leaving the house, “Pip, I do assure you this is as-TON-ishing!”? (Pg. 100)
3. Defi ne indentures. What restrictions does the law place on a boy who is bound?
4. Find a comment in this chapter that reveals how Pip feels about being bound to Joe.
5. Why has Pip’s view changed?

CHAPTER XIV
Vocabulary
sanctifi ed – made holy
retributive – well-deserved
chaste – holy, pure
1. Why does Pip hide his true feelings about his work as Joe’s apprentice?

CHAPTER XV
Vocabulary
sagacious – wise
gross – one-hundred forty-four
gridiron – a framework of metal used to cook fi sh
sprat – a type of fi sh
swarthy – dark
sluice – a channel for water for irrigation
howbeit – however
singular – specifi c; unique
disconsolately – gloomily, dejectedly
monomania – an obsession with one thing
ill-requited – poorly paid
1. Why does Pip try to teach Joe the lessons he learns at school?
2. Under what conditions does Joe agree to let Pip visit Satis House? Why does he think
Pip should stay away?
3. Briefl y identify Orlick. Why does he dislike Pip?
4. Why does Joe hit Orlick?
5. What possible explanation is given in this chapter concerning the identity of the person
who attacks Mrs. Joe? Who else could have done it?

CHAPTER XVI
Vocabulary
snuff – the burned part of a candle’s wick
asunder – apart; split
temporized – to postpone; debate
tremulous – trembling, shaking
conciliate – to gain friendship with
1. Why does Pip consider telling the truth about his encounter with the convict in the
graveyard? What reasons does he give for keeping silent?
2. How does Biddy come to live with Pip and Joe? What does the following passage suggest
about the reason Mrs. Joe asks to see Orlick every day?
“She watched his countenance as if she were particularly wishful to be assured that he
took kindly to his reception, she showed every possible desire to conciliate him, and
there was an air of humble propitiation in all she did, such as I have seen pervade the
bearing of a child towards a hard master.” (Pg. 120)
S-18
CHAPTER XVII
Vocabulary
guinea – a coin with the worth of a British pound
patronised – treated in an inferior manner
vexation – frustration; worry
capricious – fanciful, impulsive
supposititious – hypothetical
1. Why does Pip confi de in Biddy and confess his admiration for Estella?
2. What advice does Biddy give Pip when he tells her he wants to become a gentleman
because Estella makes him feel common?
3. What evidence is there that Biddy might be hurt by Pip’s confession that he wishes he could love her instead of Estella?

CHAPTER XVIII
Vocabulary
imbrued – fi lled; saturated
abhorrent – despised
beadle – a minor offi cial
disaffection – a loss of loyalty
placable – calm; pacifi ed
fell – deadly
pugilistic – related to boxing
expostulatory – reasoning with someone in an effort to correct
valedictory – closing statement
obtruded – imposed; thrust forward
1. Why do you think Dickens includes the scene where the stranger grills Mr. Wopsle?
Where has Pip seen this man before?
2. Find the passage in this chapter where the title of the novel is fi rst mentioned. To what
expectations is Jaggers referring?
3. List the conditions imposed on Pip if he accepts the promised inheritance.
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4. What is Joe’s reaction to Pip’s impending “great expectations”?
5. What is Pip asking Mr. Jaggers in the following passage?
“I wish to be quite right, Mr. Jaggers, and to keep to your directions; so I thought I had better ask. Would there be any objection to my taking leave of any one I know,
about here, before I go away?” (Pg. 137)
6. How is Pip feeling in the last paragraph of this chapter?
“I put my light out, and crept into bed; and it was an uneasy bed now, and I never
slept the old sound sleep in it any more.” (Pg. 139)

CHAPTER XIX
Vocabulary
exultant – triumphant
miscreant – a villain
collation – a light meal
adjuration – a solemn appeal
fl accid – limp, weak
circuitously – in a roundabout manner; indirect
constrainedly – forced
portmanteau – a suitcase
twelvemonth – a year ago
hail-fellow-well-met – a friendly person; comrade
1. Why does Pip regret that Joe is unable to learn the lessons he tries to teach him during
their walks in the marshes?
2. What does Biddy think of Pip’s plans to help Joe?
3. How has Mr. Pumblechook’s attitude toward Pip changed since he learned of Pip’s great
expectations? What evidence is there that Pip believes Mr. Pumblechook is now his
good friend?
4. What does Miss Havisham say to Pip that contributes to his suspicions that she is his
benefactor?
5. Support or refute the following statement: Pip experiences the normal feelings of
homesickness most young people feel when they fi rst leave home.

PART II
CHAPTER XX
Vocabulary
hammercloth – a cloth that covers a coach
coronets – ornamental wreaths
Close – another name for place or avenue
harrow – a frame with sharp edges
supplicant – one who begs
1. Dickens’ descriptions of physical surroundings often contribute to the reader’s
understanding of his characters. What does the following description of Mr. Jaggers’
offi ce tell the reader about Mr. Jaggers?
“Mr. Jaggers’s own high-backed chair was of deadly black horse-hair, with rows of
brass nails round it, like a coffi n;…The room was but small, and the clients seemed
to have had a habit of backing up against the wall; the wall: especially opposite to Mr.
Jaggers’s chair, being greasy with shoulders.” (Pg. 154)
2. What does Pip think of London when he walks through Smithfi eld?
S-23
CHAPTER XXI
Vocabulary
mottled – spotted
interment – a burial
frouzy – musty and rank
pottle – a pot that holds two quarts
castors – small containers for condiments
1. Find an example of parallelism in this chapter.
2. Why does Pip think Mr. Wemmick must have “sustained a good many bereavements”?
3. What does Pip do that surprises Mr. Wemmick? How does Mr. Pocket surprise Pip?
S-24
CHAPTER XXII
Vocabulary
magnanimous – generous
inveterate – persistent
requisite – necessary, essential
incipient – beginning; not yet fully formed
fl uey – fi shing or boating
venerated – regarded with respect
prepossessions – preconceptions, prejudices
1. Write a brief character sketch of Herbert Pocket. How does he feel about Pip’s great expectations?
2. What do you think is the signifi cance of Herbert’s decision to change Pip’s name to Handel?
3. Why does Miss Havisham want to take revenge on all men?
4. Briefl y describe how Mrs. Pocket is raising her children.

CHAPTER XXIII
Vocabulary
vellum – parchment
forelock – the front part of a horse’s mane
reproach – disapproval
preferment – advancement
toady – a fl atterer
prodigious – huge
dint – force, effort
artifi ces – tricks; distractions
billeted – given a place to stay; lodged
whitlow – a felon
wherry – a rowboat
1. Dickens frequently uses satire to poke fun at social institutions. What do you think
Dickens might be saying about social class by his depiction of the Pockets and their
peculiar relationship with their servants?
2. Briefl y identify Drummle and Startop.
3. Why does Pip decide to take rowing lessons?

CHAPTER XXIV
Vocabulary
acquiesced – agreed; gave in to
discomfi ture – embarrassment; unease
amenities – attractive or likable parts
publican – the keeper of a tavern
Bailey – an offi cer similar to an assistant sheriff
odious – disagreeable; horrid
diffi dence – timidity; shyness
1. What does the following comment by Wemmick tell the reader about Mr. Jaggers?
“Always seems to me…as if he had set a man-trap and was watching it. Suddenly—
click—you’re—caught!” (Pg. 187)
2. What is Wemmick’s “guiding star”?
3. Why does Wemmick want Pip to pay attention to Mr. Jaggers’ housekeeper when he is
asked to dine at Mr. Jaggers’ home?
S-27
CHAPTER XXV
Vocabulary
niggardly – cheap
cupidity – greed
forbearance – tolerance
inveigled – lured
bower – a shady area
jocose – joking
hob – a mantle
bijou – a small, well-made ring
1. How does Mr. Pocket’s sister Camilla feel about Pip?
2. Briefl y describe Wemmick’s home. Find a comment in the book expressing how
Wemmick feels about his home.
3. What happens at nine o’clock at Wemmick’s house? Why does the Aged enjoy it?
4. How does Pip feel about his visit to Wemmick’s house? What do you think Dickens is
saying about the relationship between Wemmick’s business life and his home life?
S-28
CHAPTER XXVI
Vocabulary
mutton – lamb
gird – to jeer, taunt
sluicing – wetting
festoon – a series of hanging objects
1. Compare Jaggers’ home with his offi ce. In what ways are they similar?
2. Startop and Drummle are both included in the dinner invitation. Why do you think
Jaggers prefers Drummle’s company over that of Startop or Pip?
3. Briefl y describe Jaggers’ housekeeper. Why does she keep watching Jaggers? Why do
you think he makes her show his guests her wrists? What is implied about her past life
by her wrists?
4. Who is responsible for the argument between Drummle and Pip? What happens at 9:30
in Mr. Jaggers’ house?

CHAPTER XXVII
Vocabulary
incongruity – the quality of not fi tting together
wicket-keeping – protecting a goal, as in cricket
shay-cart – a small cart drawn by one horse
whitesmith – someone who works with white metal
1. How does the following comment in the chapter help the reader understand Pip’s
apprehension concerning Joe’s visit?
“So, throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for
the sake of the people whom we most despise.” (Pg. 204)
2. What message does Joe deliver to Pip? Why does he come in person instead of writing?
What reasons does Joe give for stating that he will never visit Pip in London again?
3. Do you agree or disagree with Joe when he repeats the phrase that he is “awful dull”?

CHAPTER XXVIII
Vocabulary
bludgeon – a heavy club
choleric – foul tempered; easily angered
pernicious – destructive
slued – swiveled
poultice – a soft mass of something
baize – green cloth similar to felt
lethargic – lazy, sluggish; apathetic
artifi cer – a craftsman
1. Why is Pip, an older and more mature young man, still terrifi ed of the convicts on the coach?
2. Why does Mr. Pumblechook try to take credit for Pip’s good fortune? Is he justifi ed in taking this credit?

CHAPTER XXIX
Vocabulary
labyrinth – a maze
gentility – refi nement, well-mannered
imperiously – regally; in an overbearing way
vehemence – force
reticence – reluctance
whist – a four-person card game similar to bridge
1. How does Orlick behave toward Pip when they meet again at Miss Havisham’s house?
2. What does Estella mean when she tells Pip she has no heart?
3. What is troubling Pip in the following passage from the chapter?
“What was it that was borne in upon my mind when she stood still and looked
attentively at me? Anything that I had seen in Miss Havisham? No. In some of her
looks and gestures there was that tinge of resemblance to Miss Havisham.…And yet
I could not trace this to Miss Havisham. I looked again, and though she was still
looking at me, the suggestion was gone.” (Pg. 222)
4. Why does Miss Havisham want to see Pip?

CHAPTER XXX
Vocabulary
prostrated – placed horizontally
akimbo – spread out; open; hands on hips and elbows bowed out
dustman – a garbage man
victualling – providing with food
purser – an offi cer in charge of money
1. Why do you think Pip tells Jaggers that he believes Orlick is the wrong man to be the gatekeeper at Satis House?
2. Why do you think Dickens includes the amusing scene of the Trabb boy imitating Pip as he walks down the street? Sometimes Dickens’ character names sound like other words and are intended to be descriptive of the character’s traits. What might the name Trabb suggest?
3. What good advice does Herbert try to give Pip concerning Estella? Does Pip listen?
4. Briefl y identify Clara. Why can Herbert not marry her?

CHAPTER XXXI
Vocabulary
truncheon – a staff carried as a symbol of offi ce
derisively – sneeringly; with contempt
diadem – a crown
droll – oddly comical
latent – potential; probable, but not obvious
divesting – removing
approbation – approval; praise
malignity – hatred, ill-will
1. Compare the way Wopsle is heckled by the audience with the way the Trabb boy
mimics Pip. In what ways are the two incidents similar?
CHAPTER XXXII
Vocabulary
jocose – in a joking manner
turnkeys – jailers
1. What is Wemmick’s greenhouse?
2. Most of this chapter centers on Pip’s anxious wait for Estella’s coach. How does Dickens
use foreshadowing in this chapter to maintain the reader’s interest?

CHAPTER XXXIII
Vocabulary
superfl uous – unnecessary
confl agration – a blaze, fi re
ostler – someone who tends horses at an inn
chary – cautious
staid – dignifi ed
farthingale – a hoop worn under a skirt to extend it
solitaire – a gem that is set alone
1. What is revealed about Estella’s childhood which helps Pip understand her contempt for
her relatives? Why is Estella grateful to Pip?
2. Find an example of parallelism illustrating Dickens’ poetic style of writing.
3. Support or refute the following statement: Estella is aware that Miss Havisham’s plan to
take revenge on all men is wrong.

CHAPTER XXXIV
Vocabulary
descry – to see
magnates – infl uential businesspeople
remunerative – profi table
copious – abundant; a great deal
assiduity – a constant effort
1. Some critics believe the chapters set in London are evidence of Pip’s loss of moral
values. List some of the ways Pip and his friends are indulging themselves on his
unearned income. Other than getting into debt, how does Pip demonstrate his moral
decay?
2. What do Pip and Herbert do to try and resolve their money problems?

CHAPTER XXXV
Vocabulary
ostentatiously – showily; extravagantly
sawpit – a pit over which wood is placed to be sawed
obsequious – like a servant; fawning
vainglorious – having vanity; boastfulness
mummery – ridiculous and unnecessary ceremony
cogent – clear, convincing
1. Point out the way Dickens uses satire to poke fun at funerals.
2. What evidence is there that Biddy and Joe treat Pip differently since he is now a
gentleman?
3. What does Pip mean when he says that the mists were “quite right too”?
“Once more, the mists were rising as I walked away. If they disclosed to me, as I
suspect they did, that I should not come back, and that Biddy was quite right, all I can
say is—they were quite right too.” (Pg. 267)

CHAPTER XXXVI
Vocabulary
exemplary – extraordinary; well-done
auspicious – favorable
apoplectic – extremely angry
waive – to give up a claim; relinquish
injudicious – showing a lack of good judgment
1. Why is Pip looking forward to his twenty-fi rst birthday?
2. Why do you suppose Mr. Jaggers is determined to stay out of Pip’s business once his
benefactor makes himself or herself known?
“When that person discloses,” said Mr. Jaggers, straightening himself, “you and
that person will settle your own affairs. When that person discloses, my part in this
business will cease and determine. When that person discloses, it will not be necessary
for me to know anything about it.” (Pg. 272)
3. What do you think about Pip’s decision to use his money to help a friend? What does
this say about Pip’s character?

CHAPTER XXXVII
Vocabulary
ecod – [slang] egad; “Oh God;” an exclamation
jorum – a large bowl
cestus – something that encircles
rubicund – a healthy rosy color
1. Briefl y identify Miss Skiffi ns.
2. Why do you think Pip is comfortable at Wemmick’s house? Why do you think Pip
wishes at one point that Mr. Jaggers had an Aged at home?
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Vocabulary
staid – serious; settled
mumbling – chewing ineffectively
wreak – to infl ict, cause
staved off – repelled; avoided
addle – confused
impended – about to happen
rove – twisted
1. What is ironic about the scene between Miss Havisham and Estella?
2. Why does Estella permit Drummle to follow her around?
3. Is there any evidence that Estella cares for Pip and does not really want to hurt him?

CHAPTER XXXIX
Vocabulary
veinous – fi lled with veins
abhorrence – hatred
recompense – a payment
1. How does Pip behave toward the stranger in the stairwell? What do you think of his
decision to invite the man into his rooms?
2. How does Pip try to get the convict to leave? What evidence is there that Pip might
suspect the truth about the reasons for the convict’s visit?
3. Why do you think the convict wants to “make a gentleman”? In what ways are the
convict and Miss Havisham alike?
4. What is Pip’s “sharpest and deepest pain of all” after he realizes his good fortune has not
been the result of Miss Havisham’s money?

CHAPTER XL
Vocabulary
fain – gladly; prefer to
prolix – excessively wordy
physiognomy – facial features
pannikins – small tin cups
1. Why is Pip worried about the man he stumbles over on the stairs? How does he plan to
explain the convict’s presence to his housekeepers?
2. Names are signifi cant in this novel. Why do you think Dickens chooses Provis for the
convict’s new name? The convict’s real name is Abel Magwitch. Abel is a Biblical name
from the story of Cain and Abel. Abel is the good son who is killed by his brother Cain.
Why do you think Dickens selects Abel for Magwitch’s fi rst name?
3. Why is Magwitch so diffi cult to disguise?
4. How does Magwitch greet Herbert?

CHAPTER XLI
Vocabulary
raving – wandering
extricate – to release from
1. What are Pip’s prospects if he can no longer accept any money from Magwitch?
2. Why do Herbert and Pip plan to persuade Magwitch to leave England? What
information do they need from Magwitch before formalizing their plan?

CHAPTER XLII
Vocabulary
drivelling – drooling; talking senselessly
1. Compare Magwitch’s childhood with Pip’s. Why is Magwitch a criminal and Pip a lawabiding
citizen?
2. Who is Compeyson?
3. Why does Magwitch wish he had paid more attention to Compeyson’s dying partner,
Arthur? Briefl y describe the crime which is haunting Arthur.
4. Since the lives of the characters in Dickens’ works are carefully intertwined, whom do
you think Magwitch may be referring to in the following passage?
“My Missis as I had the hard time wi’–Stop though! I ain’t brought her in” (Pg. 324)
5. Dickens does not tell the reader what Pip is thinking when he reads Herbert’s note.
Speculate on his feelings after learning Arthur’s true identity.

CHAPTER XLIII
Vocabulary
extenuated – lessened the seriousness of
engendered – created
manifest – obvious
1. Why do you think Dickens may have chosen Drummle for the nobleman’s name?
2. What is Drummle implying when he says to Pip, “But don’t lose your temper. Haven’t
you lost enough without that?” (Pg. 330)
S-44
CHAPTER XLIV
Vocabulary
haggard – tired, worn
superseded – replaced
embodiment – the physical that represents the abstract; manifestation
spectral – like a ghost
superscription – something written above another thing
Esquire – an title indicating that a person is a gentleman
1. Why do you think Pip glosses over the harm Miss Havisham has done him by allowing
him to believe she has been his benefactor?
2. What do you think is the reason Miss Havisham is fi nally able to grasp the level of pain
she has caused Pip?
“I saw Miss Havisham put her hand to her heart and hold it there, as she sat looking
by turns at Estella and at me.” (Pg. 336)
3. What evidence is there that Estella cares for Pip in a limited way?
4. What does Pip’s expression of love in the paragraph beginning with “Out of my
thoughts!” (Pg. 338) tell the reader about Dickens’ defi nition of true love?

CHAPTER XLV
Vocabulary
chamberlain – the chief servant
despotic – tyrannical
doleful – sad, mournful
plaited – braided; twisted
rakish – stylish
tacit – unspoken
postern – a small rear gate
forbore – resisted
1. Why does Wemmick leave notes at the gates telling Pip not to go home? What else does
he do to help Pip and Magwitch?
2. List the reasons Pip approves of hiding Magwitch at Clara’s house.
3. What advice does Wemmick give Pip just before they part? For what reason might Pip
not take Wemmick’s advice?
CHAPTER XLVI
Vocabulary
superannuated – discarded as obsolete
gout – a disease that causes painful swelling of the leg
chandler’s – candlemaker’s
truculent – stubborn
1. What is Pip’s plan to get Magwitch out of England if it becomes necessary?

CHAPTER XLVII
Vocabulary
rent – torn
starlings – protective pilings around piers of a bridge
boatswain – an offi cer on a ship in charge of the other crew
Swab – a sailor
confute – to prove wrong
plenipotentiary – a diplomat authorized to represent his or her government
Union Jack – the fl ag of the U. K.
hornpipe – a folk dance done to the music of a pipe made of animal horn
worsted – a hard woolen fabric
phosphoric – phosphorescent
sententious – tending to pompous moralizing
antipodes – direct opposites
entreated – begged
1. Why does Pip not move Magwitch after learning from Wopsle that Compeyson sat
behind Pip in the theater?

CHAPTER XLVIII
Vocabulary
bo-peep – peekaboo
intimation – a hint
1. What does Jaggers say about Drummle’s character that is disturbing to Pip?
2. How does Pip recognize Molly as Estella’s mother?
3. Why was Molly’s case important to Jaggers?
4. How does Pip know it is safe for him to visit Miss Havisham?

CHAPTER XLIX
Vocabulary
refectories – rooms where meals are served
priory – a monastery
commiseration – having pity
vestige – a remnant, small amount
vivacity – vividness, clarity
1. One of the overall themes of this book is the blurred lines between good and evil. In
what ways can Miss Havisham be considered evil? Why does Pip quickly forgive her?
2. Remembering the symbols of light and dark, what do you think is the signifi cance of the
fi re that destroys Miss Havisham’s wedding dress?
3. In what ways can Pip be considered the adult now and Miss Havisham the vulnerable
child?
CHAPTER L
(No Vocabulary)
1. How does Magwitch fi rst know Mr. Jaggers’ name? What “barbed the point of Provis’
animosity” toward Compeyson? (Pg. 379)
2. What does Pip ask Herbert that confi rms his suspicions that Magwitch is Estella’s
father?

CHAPTER LI
(No Vocabulary)
1. What devices does Pip use to try to get Mr. Jaggers to confi rm his belief that Molly is
Estella’s mother?
2. Why does Pip’s betrayal of his knowledge of Wemmick’s home life fi nally pierce Mr.
Jaggers’ armor?
3. For what reasons does Jaggers decide to give Estella to Miss Havisham to raise? Support
or refute the following statement: Jaggers is another example of one of Dickens’
characters who is both good and evil.
CHAPTER LII
Vocabulary
retrospectively – thoughtfully referring to the past
1. Why does Pip decide to go to the old marshes to meet the anonymous letter writer?
S-50
CHAPTER LIII
Vocabulary
truckle – a low bed meant to be slid under a higher one
weazen – small, shrivelled; [slang] throat
besetting – troubling
presentiment – a feeling about the future; omen
1. How does Dickens’ use of light and dark in this chapter signal to the reader when
something good or bad is going to happen to Pip?
2. What is far more terrible than death to Pip?
3. List three mysteries Orlick solves for Pip while he is working up the courage to kill him.
4. What resolution does Pip make once he understands that Orlick intends to kill him?
What do you think this resolution says about Pip’s character?
5. Why is Startop with Herbert when they rescue Pip?

CHAPTER LIV
Vocabulary
colliers – coal ships
tithe – one-tenth
hawsers – ropes used to moor or tow a ship
capstans – devices used on ships to pull up ropes for sails and anchors
respondent – answering, responding
lightermen – sailors
gunwale – the side of a boat
thowels – oarlocks
vacillating – hesitating; being indecisive
cheeky – bold; rude
adjured – commanded solemnly
1. Briefl y describe Pip’s plan to get Magwitch out of England.
2. What does the following passage reveal about Magwitch’s philosophy of life?
“…we can no more see to the bottom of the next few hours, than we can see to the
bottom of this river what I catches hold of. Nor yet we can’t no more hold their tide
than I can hold this. And it’s run through my fi ngers and gone, you see!” (Pg. 408)
3. What precautions do Pip and his companions take to avoid the boat that Jack thinks
belongs to the customs offi cers?
S-52
4. Pip says that he has no reason to doubt Magwitch’s story that he did not kill
Compeyson. What evidence is there that Pip may be refusing to see the truth? Why do
you think he wants to believe Magwitch’s story?
5. Why does Pip decide to stay by Magwitch’s side after his arrest?
6. What happens to Magwitch’s money now that he has been arrested? Do you think Pip
cares? Why can Pip be considered noble at the end of this chapter?

CHAPTER LV
Vocabulary
querulous – grumbling; complaining
exordium – the introductory part of a speech
discreet – restrained; modest
bagatelle – a game similar to pool
1. Some critics speculate on how Dickens feels about money. Cite incidents from the story
to support or refute the following statement: While Dickens thinks money can be used
for both good and evil, he sees money as a necessary part of living a happy life.
2. Why does Wemmick try to conceal his wedding to Miss Skiffi ns from everyone except
Pip and the Aged?
3. Dickens is a master at foreshadowing and creating suspense. Knowing this, why do you
think he lets the readers know Pip’s friends both live happily with their wives?
CHAPTER LVI
Vocabulary
thriven – lived
nosegays – bouquets
gewgaws – trinkets
propensities – tendencies
malefactors – criminals
1. What emotions do you think Dickens wants the reader to experience at the time of
Magwitch’s death? What do you think he is saying about redemption?
2. Why do you think Pip decides at the end to tell Magwitch about Estella?

CHAPTER LVII
Vocabulary
indite – to compose
cumbered – weighed down
orthographical – related to spelling
coddleshell – [dialect] codicil, an addition to a will
bilious – having problems due to a disease of the gastrointestinal system
rushlights – candles made from animal fat with wicks made from plant stems
diffi dence – having a lack of self-confi dence
1. Why does Joe begin to call Pip “sir” when Pip begins to regain his strength?
2. What does Pip plan to do to demonstrate how humble and repentant he has become?
Do you think this action is a sign of maturity or immaturity?

CHAPTER LVIII
Vocabulary
knock-knee – slanted; curvy
watercress – an aquatic plant used in sandwiches, generally by the rich
clemency – mercy
debilitating – weakening
prodigygality – [dialect] prodigality, wastefulness
behoof – benefi t
deal – fi r or pine wood
inaptitude – inappropriateness
1. How does Pip handle Mr. Pumblechook when Pumblechook tries to gloat over Pip’s
misfortune?
2. What evidence is there in the story that Pip may be really happy for Joe and Biddy
rather than feeling sad for his own loss?
3. List the reasons Pip fi nds happiness in his new life.

CHAPTER LIX
Vocabulary
avarice – greed
1. Why do Joe and Biddy name their son Pip?
2. In the following passage, Estella is talking to Pip after spending many years apart. What
do you think Dickens is saying about the importance of suffering in our lives?
“And if you could say that to me then, you will not hesitate to say that to me now–
now, when suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to
understand what your heart used to be.” (Pg. 450)
3. Read the following excerpt from the novel. Many critics debate whether Pip and Estella
fi nally end up married. How do you interpret this ending?
“We are friends,” said I, rising and bending over her, as she rose from the bench.
“And will continue friends apart,” said Estella.
I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; …and in all the
broad expanse of tranquil light they [the mists] showed to me, I saw no shadow of
another parting from her.” (Pg. 450)
4. In what ways can this story be considered a coming-of-age novel?

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