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Unit 15: Great Expectations: Plot Construction

The time comes for Pip and his friends to spirit Magwitch away from London. Just before the Notes
escape attempt, Pip is called to a shadowy meeting in the marshes, where he encounters the
vengeful, evil Orlick. Orlick is on the verge of killing Pip when Herbert arrives with a group
of friends and saves Pip’s life. Pip and Herbert hurry back to effect Magwitch’s escape. They
try to sneak Magwitch down the river on a rowboat, but they are discovered by the police,
who Compeyson tipped off. Magwitch and Compeyson fight in the river, and Compeyson is
drowned. Magwitch is sentenced to death, and Pip loses his fortune. Magwitch feels that his
sentence is God’s forgiveness and dies at peace. Pip falls ill; Joe comes to London to care for
him, and they are reconciled. Joe gives him the news from home: Orlick, after robbing Pumblechook,
is now in jail; Miss Havisham has died and left most of her fortune to the Pockets; Biddy has
taught Joe how to read and write. After Joe leaves, Pip decides to rush home after him and
marry Biddy, but when he arrives there he discovers that she and Joe have already married.
Pip decides to go abroad with Herbert to work in the mercantile trade. Returning many years
later, he encounters Estella in the ruined garden at Satis House. Drummle, her husband,
treated her badly, but he is now dead. Pip finds that Estella’s coldness and cruelty have been
replaced by a sad kindness, and the two leave the garden hand in hand, Pip believing that
they will never part again.

15.3 Summary

• Great Expectations is the story of Pip, an orphan boy adopted by a blacksmith’s family.

• Pip steals food and a pork pie from the pantry shelf and a file from Joe’s forge and
brings them back to the escaped convict the next morning.
• Pip goes to live in London and meets Wemmick, Jagger’s square-mouth clerk.
• Magwitch is in jail and quite ill. Pip attends to the ailing Magwitch daily in prison.

• Pip is appalled, but he feels morally bound to help Magwitch escape London, as the
convict is pursued both by the police and by Compeyson, his former partner in crime.
15.4 Keywords

Malicious : intended to do harm.
Strangulation : prevent blood circulation through by constriction.
Disdain : the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one’s consideration.

15.5 Review Questions

1. Trace the events that cause Pip to erroneously believe Miss Havisham is his patron. List
specific scenes and events that support his assumption.
2. Is “Great Expectations” like a soap opera?
3. How is irony used in the novel?

Answers: Self Assessment

1. False 2. False
3. True 4. True

5. False

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