1) Another masterful writing job by Dickens here, as he has Pip drifting in and out of consciousness. What exactly does Dickens do to make this so realistic?
A very humorous description here of Joe writing a letter...and note the positive descriptions of their walks and rides.
2) Joe feels guilty about not being able to stop Mrs. Joe and the tickler, and he feels even more guilty because his attempts to stop her caused Pip to get even worse beatings. Is this guilt justified?
3) Joe and Pip re-establish their connection. But as Pip gains strength, Joe reverts to the way that he treated Pip when he was a gentleman until finally he leaves only with a note. What might account for this behavior on Joe's part?
4) By the end of the chapter, Pip plans to ask Biddy to marry him. If you were Biddy, what would you say?
4) I would marry a friend, who I grew up with, whom I cared for like a husband, only for him to go chase after money. Money is not more important than friends and family. Money can't buy back family you have lost. Not only that, but Pip also talked about Estella and her "beauty" frequently. Would I honestly marry a man who blindly chased another woman who CLEARLY did not love him, and ignore the loving woman he had in from of him?
ReplyDeletePip accepted his common life, and actually DID want to be with Biddy early on, but he then came into his fortunes from Magwitch and any feelings of acceptance of who he was, and any feelings for Biddy were thrown out the window as soon as money was involved.
Yeah I wouldn't marry a guy like that, to say the least. You had your chance and now you've lost it, buddy.