Great Expectations Discussion Questions Chapters 45-58
1. Pg. 900 (1st column) - What was Herbert and Pip's plan to get Provis out of the country. Explain
it. Part of Pip and Herbert's plan was to buy a boat and use it often. Why did they want to
establish this routine? How would this help their eventual escape plan?
2. Pg. 900 (2nd column right before chapter 46) - Pip had to be on his guard for people who would
possibly want to harm Provis or himself. He said he felt he was being watched and then he makes
a comment on this idea. He says, "Once received [once the idea of being watched is thought of as
true], it is a haunting idea; how many undesigning persons I suspected of watching me it would be
hard to calculate." What had happened to Pip? Is it true that once an idea is in our mind we
imagine that it is happening?
3. Pg. 902 - What puzzling incident reported by Mr. Wopsle makes Pip uneasy? What can be
inferred about the significance of this? How does it foreshadow future events?
4. Pg. 904 - At dinner at Mr. Jaggars' house Pip notices something particular about Molly.
What is it? This prompts Pip asking questions about Estella's history. What does he learn?
Give the details of Estella’s life.
5. Pg. 904 - What did Molly's case do for Mr. Jaggars' career? It is said to have "made him" what
does that mean? What has happened to Molly as a result of this trial? How has Jaggars "tamed”
Molly? (pg. 905 top and pg. 921 the 1st column)
6. Pg. 905 - Why does Pip return once again to Satis House? How has Miss Havisham changed
since Pip's last visit? What conflicting feelings does Pip have when he sees Miss Havisham
again? Look at Pip's line that says, "There was an air of utter loneliness upon her that would
have moved me to pity though she had willfully done me a deeper injury than I could charge her
with." Why did Miss Havisham invite him again? What did she want to show him? Why do you
think this is so important to her?
7. Pg. 906 - Miss Havisham asks Pip if he is unhappy. What is his reply? What else adds to his
feelings of happiness or unhappiness? What does Miss Havisham mean when she says, '''Tis
noble in you to tell me that you have other causes of unhappiness"?
8. Pg. 906 - Miss Havisham begs Pip to do what? Look at the lines that say "If you can ever write
under my name, 'I forgive her,' though ever so long after my broken heart is dust, pray do it!”
What is she asking Pip to do? What is Pip's response? What does he say he has already done
and wants more than to feel bitterness to her? Who do you think he wants forgiveness from and
direction for? Do you think it is better to forgive than to stay bitter at someone? What is the
burden of bitterness? What does this show us about Pip and his character?
9. Pg. 906- Miss Havisham drops to her knees before Pip's feet. Why? Why is this ironic?
10. Pg. 906-907 - What does Miss Havisham keep repeating? Why does she do this? What is it a
sign of? What does she realize?
11. Pg. 908 - When Pip rescues Miss Havisham from the fire he sets her on her table. What is so
significant about this? What does it make Pip remember? What might it foreshadow to us as a
reader?
12. Pg. 908 - How does the fire relate to the theme of the novel? What can fire destroy? What is Pip
finding out is most important in life?
13. Pg. 911- Pip asks Jaggars about why he gave Estella to Miss Havisham. Look at the paragraph
that start out "Put the case ... " and summarize his logic. Why does he keep saying that line?
What is he trying to say but not say? What is Jaggars' view of the court system and their handling
of children?
14. Pg. 912 (bottom of 1st column) - Why does Jaggars' advise Pip not to tell Estella the truth? List his
reasons. Do you agree or do you think she has a right to know the truth?
15. Pg. 914 (bottom of 1st column) - What is Pip distinctly aware of as time goes on? How is Pip
changing?
16. Pg. 915-916 - What happens at the limekiln? Why has this man attacked Pip?
What does he intend to do to Pip? What does the line "I [Orlick] won't have a rag of you, I won't
have a bone of you, left on earth? I'll put your body in the kiln and let people suppose what they
may of you ... " mean? (Note: lime dissolves bone as well as flesh). The thought of this makes Pip
upset. Why? What does he say will happen if he just "disappears?" What does he say is far more
terrible than death'? Why does he think this? Do you think it is true?
17. Pg. 921 (bottom of the 2nd column till the top of the1st column pg. 922) – What happened what the
galley pulled up to Pip and companies’ boat? Describe the play by play action of the moment.
Why does Pip repeat the words “At the same moment” so often in this section?
18. Pg. 922 - (2nd column) Why did Pip say he got comforts for "Magwitch Provis no longer?" Why
was he no longer Provis but Magwitch?
19. Pg. 922-923 - After the boat incident Pip starts to feel differently towards Magwitch. Why did
he change? Where did Pip believe was his place now?
20. Pg. 923 - Pip apologizes to Magwitch because he feels that he was the reason he returned and
therefore caught. Magwitch responds "I'm quite content to take my chance. I've seen my boy,
and he can be a gentlemen without me." What does he mean? Pip realizes that this is not true he
could not be a gentleman on his own. Why? What happened to the money Magwitch had for
Pip? Why did Pip do this? Why does Pip decide not to tell him the truth about his lack of money
and that Magwitch’s dream had "perished"? (top of 2nd column) How does this relate to the
theme of the story?
21. Pg. 924 - Herbert offers Pip a job as a clerk, Why does it say that Pip noticed the "delicacy"
with which Herbert was avoiding this word, "clerk"? Why would Herbert want to put this offer
delicately?
22.Pg. 925 - What does Wemmick feel bad about in relation to the whole recapturing of
Magwitch? What does he wish Pip still had in his possession? How is his attitude different
than Pip's in relation to the money and Magwitch?
23. Pg. 926 - This section shows how Pip is changing. List some of the ways in which you see this.
How is he treating Magwitch? Why does Magwitch's comment about Pip not ever deserting him
make Pip a little uncomfortable? What do you know is true? What is their relationship like at the
end of Magwitch’s life?
24.Pg. 927 - While Pip is sick he hallucinates about past experiences. Suddenly he is vaguely aware
of features changing around him but he also notices "one consistent feature did not change.
Whoever came about me, settled down into Joe." Why is this so significant? Think beyond just
this scene and Joe's relationship with Pip.
25. Pg. 929 (2nd column) When Pip asked Joe if Miss Havisham was dead Joe said, "I wouldn't go so
far as to say that, for that's a deal to say; but she ain't living." What does that mean?
26. Pg. 929 - Why did Miss Havisham give Matthew Pocket money in her will? Why did this make Pip
happy?
27. Pg. 930 – Why did Pip and Joe not talk about what has happened in the past at first? When they
do Joe says that since they are best of friends why would they "go into subjects, old chap, which
as betwixt two sech must be forever onnecessary." What is Joe trying to tell Pip? Why does he
think it is not necessary for them to talk about? What is the most important thing for him in relation
to Pip?
28. Pg. 930-931- As Pip's health improves and he becomes stronger, what changes does he
notice in Joe's attitude towards him? Eventually, Joe leaves Pip. Why? What does he not want
to do to Pip?
29. Pg. 931- What does Pip plan on telling Biddy upon his return to the forge? Why does he
decide to do this?
30. Pg. 932 - How has his change in fortune changed people's treatment of him. Look at what
happens at the Blue Boar. Do you think this usually happens when people lose their money or
status?
.
31. Pg. 933- After hearing the news of Biddy and Joe's marriage Pip's first thought is that he is
thankful (middle of 1st column). Why is Pip thankful?
32. Pg. 933 - What does Pip not want Biddy and Joe to tell their future kids about him?
What is their response to this? What does this show us about Biddy and Joe character and their
feelings for Pip?
33. Pg. 935 - After 11 years have gone by Pip once again returns to the forge. Biddy asks him some
very important questions. What are they and what is his response? What does he mean when he
says, "I have forgotten nothing in my life that ever had a foremost place there, and little had any
place there? But that poor dream, as I once used to call it, has all gone by, Biddy, all gone by."
What was his "poor dream" and how is it gone? What does this show us about Pip and his
changes?
34. Pg. 935 - When Pip sees Estella again how has she changed? What did he feel in her that he
never felt before? What has happened to her? What does she ask Pip to do? Why does she
remind him that he said, "God forgive you,” when he left years ago? What does she hope he will
do now? How does Pip feel about this all in the end? Do you think his feelings are really gone?
What does he agree to be with Estella? Why apart?
35. Pg. 938 - What happens in the second ending? Does this ending show the drastic changes in
Estella and Pip that the first one does? Why do you think Dickens altered the original ending?
Which do you prefer? Which one seems most fitting for the end of this great tale? 
Great Expectations By Charles Dickens
Ultra-Condensed by Conrad Jacoby
Pip
I'm Pip. I'm poor.
(Lots of THINGS happen.)
Pip
My life didn't matter, because I'm still poor and alone.
THE END
From: http://rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/dickens.expectations.shtml