CHAPTER SUMMARIES AND NOTES
CHAPTER 1
Summary
Philip Pirip, known as Pip, is a young orphan being brought up by
his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, and her husband the blacksmith. One
Christmas Eve, Pip visits the graves of his parents and five dead
brothers, trying to imagine what they looked like. He has never
known them. He is interrupted by a frightening man, large and
mud-smeared, with prison irons attached to his leg. The man
demands to know Pips name, then turns him upside down trying to
empty his pockets of any money. Young Pip has only a piece of
bread, much to the strangers disappointment. The man finds out
that Pip lives with his brother-in-law, the blacksmith, and demands
that Pip bring him a file and some food. The man tells the terrified
seven-year old that if he fails to bring these things the next day, his
heart and liver will be torn out. He also warns Pip not to breathe a
word about their encounter to anyone.
Notes
The first few lines of Great Expectations establish with immediacy
the sad plot of the orphan Pip. He has never known his parents and
is completely alone in a desolate cemetery trying to imagine what
they looked like. No other introduction is needed, since this
situation is at once compelling and dramatic; after all, the child is
only seven years old. It can be assumed he has little history with
which to begin his tale; therefore, the reader is thrown at once into
his life by means of the narrative action.
Structurally, the novel establishes itself as a first-person
retrospective; that means the narrator is remembering the events
of his life and has arranged them to suit his fashion in telling the
tale. The immediate sympathy gained by the situation (an orphan
alone in a cemetery) also reinforces the credibility of the narrator
(the older orphan looking back on his life); the audience is
compelled to like the narrator, to trust him and want the best for
him.
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The author, Charles Dickens, displays mastery of setting and tone in
these first few moments, describing vividly the marshes surrounding
the small village at the edge of North Kent. In this lonely and
serene environment, young Pip turns into a bundle of shivers. The
stranger with leg irons still attached is ominous and instantly
threatening, causing Pip to fear for his life. And yet the convict
displays his own vulnerability when he asks for a file to free himself
from his chains and some food to relieve his hunger. He alone is not
strong enough to sever his chains, nor can he survive without food.
These observations, of course, rest solely in the minds of the
readers. Young Pip is no less terrified.
Young Pips willingness to provide information about his family and
to deliver help, albeit out of fear, reflects his natural giving nature.
As well, it sets him up for the future events of the novel.
Interestingly, the turning upside down of Pip by the stranger
becomes a symbolic moment in the boys life; after meeting this
man, Pips world is turned upside down.
As an introduction to this serial novel, the first chapter succeeds
admirably in establishing setting, tone, and character. A troubling
dilemma happens almost right away, and the entire novel follows as
a consequence.
CHAPTER 2
Summary
Pip returns to his home and interacts with his sister and her
husband. His sister Georgiana, known as Mrs. Joe, is two decades
Pips senior, and a vigorous bully. Joe and Pip are comrades in the
household, both victims of Mrs. Joes bad temper and rough spirit.
In her customarily gruff way, Mrs. Joe gives both Pip and Joe bread
and butter for their supper. Pip hides his in his trousers, to take to
the stranger.
That night, Joe tells Pip that two convicts have escaped from the
nearby Hulks, which are prison ships. Young Pip is so frightened by
his secret acquaintance with one of these convicts that he cannot
sleep. Early the next morning, Christmas Day, he collects food from
the pantry, including a pork pie specially made for dinner. He also
pours out some brandy from the brandy bottle and replaces it with
water, so as not to get caught. Having stolen Joes file from the
forge, he runs off in search of the convict.
Notes
This chapter describes Pips guardians, Mr. and Mrs. Joe. The formal
relationship between Pip and his sister is evident, as he calls her
Mrs. Joe. She is the dictator of the house and commands
unchallenged obedience not only from Pip but also from her
husband. She frequently vents her anger on both of them, often
without justification or excuse. When she believes that Pip has
swallowed his bread in one bite, she gives him foul tasting tar water
as punishment.
Mrs. Joe always wears an apron with an impregnable bib, which is
a palpable symbol for the drudgery she imposes on herself. The pins
and needles attached to her bib signify her self-punishing
aggressiveness, which is in forceful contrast to Joes mild-natured
simplicity. She seems to resent the burden of Pip on her household
and makes Pip aware of his imposing existence.
Joe and Pip share a very tender relationship. They are exceedingly
fond of each other mainly because they are victims of the same
terror. At the dinner table, they share moments of comraderie; Joe
is concerned for Pip when he thinks the child has eaten too quickly.
Joe has paternal affection for Pip, and Pip loves Joe as well.
This chapter highlights the strong differences between Pips
relationship to his sister and his relationship to Joe. The latter is
much closer, which is of particular importance when one considers
the great expectations of the plot. Pip will abandon Joe in search
of a better life, despite his natural love and affection for the
blacksmith.
