English 122
Great Expectations: Reading Questions Chapter 1 to 9

1. What is Pip's full name?

2. What is the status of his parents and brother? In what humorous way is this information communicated?

3. Who acts as Pip's parents?

4. Describe briefly the character Pip meets in chapter 1.

5. In virtually all novels, important information is provided in the first few chapters about the character and plot, as well as setting and style. Comment.

6. Pip mentions two objects at the end of chapter one that are "standing upright" in the marsh, a beacon and a gibbet. What are these things? Do you suppose there is any significance of these events to come? (Hint: yes)

7. What is "tickler"? What is a "ram-page"?

8. Why does Mrs. Joe give Pip a dose of tar-water?

9. What holiday is being celebrated?

10. What are the "hulks"?

11. What does pip bring to his convict?

12. Who or what does Pip meet unexpectedly the next day out on the marsh?

13. What animal does Pip think of as the convict eats?

14. What does the convict have on his leg?

15. On what special day does chapter four begin?

16. What is Joe's profession?

17. In reference to Mrs. Joe, what does Joe mean when he crosses his forefingers to Pip?

18. What is it that Joe and Pip were forced to do by Mrs. Joe that made the prospect of church so unpleasant?

19. What does Joe do for Pip during dinner each time their guests insult Pip?

20. Who do the soldiers who disturb the Gargery dinner want to see? Why?

21. Why are the soldiers out on the marshes?

22. What were the two men in the marshes doing when found? Did these two men know each other formerly?

23. What does one of these men confess to the sheriff regarding food? How does Joe react to the man's confession?

24. What does Pip decide not to tell Joe in chapter 6?

25. Who went with Joe and Pip to the marshes? Who returned home with them?

26. What is to be Pip's career when he becomes a man?

27. What happened to the money Pip earned in the odd jobs he had?

28. Who was responsible for Joe's lack of education when he was a child? Explain.

29. What is Joe afraid will happen if he does not put up with being "a little ill-conwenienced" by Mrs. Joe? What is "ill-conwenienced"?

30. For what purpose were the buildings in Pip's employer's estate once used?

31. What is the name of his employer's house? What does the title mean?

32. Describe the dress his employer is wearing when he met her.

33. Who leads Pip through the house? What does her name mean? (look this up…it's not in the novel)

34. Describe Pip's strange vision as he prepares to leave this strange woman's house.

35. In chapter 9, what does Pip decide not to tell Joe and the rest?

36. What does he tell Joe at the end of the chapter?

37. What word did the girl use to describe Pip, that he now believes is true about himself?

Explain or define the following.

a. "Also Georgianna Wife of the Above"

b. "five little stone lozenges"

c. "wittles"

d. the "young man"

e. a beacon & a gibbet

f. being brought up "by hand"

g. He thought Pip was guilty of "bolting"

h. tar water

i. the Hulks

j. a file

k. a convict wearing a felt hat

l. Joe secretly crossed his two forefingers at Pip

m. "he was more like a scarecrow in good circumstances than anything else"

n. "a Roman nose and a large shining bald forehead"

o. "a mouth like a fish, dull staring eyes, and sandy hair standing upright on his head"

p. He repeatedly gives Pip gravy

q. he was "springing to his feet, turning round several times in an appalling spasmodic whooping-cough dance"

r. unexpected visitors at Christmas dinner

s. "Convicts! Runaways! Guard! This way for the runaway convicts!"

t. "a wicked Noah's ark"

u. "…I ought to tell Joe the whole truth. But I did not, and for the reason that I mistrusted that if I did, he would think me worse than I was"

v. Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt

w. Biddy

x. "God bless the poor little child. There's room for him at the forge."

y. "She wants this boy to go and play there."

z. "Seven times nine, boy? Seven? And four? And eight? And six? And two? And ten?"

aa. "Beggar my Neighbour"

bb. "And we all had cake and wine on gold plates. And I got up behind the coach to eat mine, because she told me to."

cc. "…lies is lies….Don't you tell no more of 'em, Pip. That ain't the way to get out of being common, old chap."