Great Expectations : Chapter 30-31

Great Expectations : Chapter 30-31

Chapter 30 Summary

• Pip tells his guardian (Jagger’s) that Orlick is not trustworthy enough to work for Miss Havisham. Jagger’s tells Pip that Orlick will be fired.

• Pip decides to walk through town, but he avoids the forge, Biddy and Joe.

• He enjoys how people look at him, but is soon taunted by the Trabb boy who imitates him and makes fun of him.

• Pip returns to London and tells Herbert about Estella and his love for her. Herbert thinks Pip and Estella won’t work out well.

• Herbert tells Pip he is in love with a woman named Clara. This must be kept secret, because the Pocket family won’t approve of her although she is very nice.

Chapter 31 Summary

• Pip and Herbert go to watch the play Hamlet, which Wopsle is in.

• The play turns out to be horrible and a laughing stock. There is more laughter and booing than clapping and the audience makes funny comments throughout the play.

• After the play Pip and Herbert hold in their laughter as they talk to Wopsle about the play and they invite him over for dinner. (Mr. Wopsle is Mr. Waldengarver)

• Wopsle stays over until 2am complaining about the play.

• Pip goes to bed miserable and dreams of marrying Clara and seeing Miss Havisham in Hamlet.

Questions

1.What does Pip do to get even with Orlick ?

2. How did you feel about Trabb's boy mocking Pip? How justified was this ?

3. What does Pip do to relieve his guilt about not visiting Joe ?

4. How is Herbert's love life different than Pips

5. Describe Wopsle's performance in Hamlet. Why did he change his name ?

Characters

Trabb Boy: He is the tailor’s son and the local bully. He insults Pip and imitates hi when he spots Pip roaming the streets.

Mr. Jagger’s: Pip’s guardian. Tells Pip he will have Orlick fired after Pip’s suggestion.

Pip and Herbert Pocket: Pip and Herbert talk with each other about their loves. They go together to see Shakespeare’s Hamlet at a theatre.

Mr. Wopsle: He has changed his name to Mr. Waldengarver. He’s starring in Shakespeare’s Hamlet which turns out to be terrible.

Themes

Guilt and Conscience: Pip feels guilty for not visiting Joe and decides to avoid the forge and make excuses why he didn’t go.

Taints of the past: Pip is first reminded of his past by the Trabb boy teasing him. It makes Pip think of everything he’s done to become what he is now and wonders if he did it for the right reasons.

Doubleness: In Pip and Herbert’s talk about their loves, Pips love Estella and Herbert’s love Clara are juxtaposed. Estella is very insincere and rude to pip, while Clara is a very nice and caring woman. This shows Herbert is more sensible, while Pip only cares for physical appearance.

Quotes

1. “This was a hard thing to bear, but this was nothing. I had not advanced another two hundred yards, when, to my inexpressible terror …” (Volume 2 , Page 224)

This quote shows Pip is afraid of the Trabb boy, because of his bad past with him.

2. “You have always adored her, ever since I’ve known you.” (Volume 2 , Page 226)

This shows Pip makes it very obvious that he loves Estella, but Herbert also knows Pip very well.

3. “Upon my unfortunate townsman all these incidents accumulated with playful effect. Whenever that undecided …” (Volume 2 , Page 232)

Connection to Dickens Life

Dickens uses the play to show that actors and plays weren’t well respected in that time period.

Through Herbert’s love, Dickens shows that parents wouldn’t approve of a man from a high class family marrying a woman of a lower class.

Vocabulary

1. Encroaching

E) Intrude a person’s property or advance beyond limits

2. Despondency

F) State of low spirits usually from loss of courage, hope, etc.

3. Venerable

G) Commanding respect because of age, wisdom, character

4. Contiguous

A) Sharing a common border; touching

5. Reparation

C) Making amends for past wrongdoings

6. Latent

B) Existing but hidden, or underdeveloped

7. Approbation

D) Approval or Praise

BY : Chris and Vithushan