Great Expectations Pip Quotes

Pip

Quote 49

I still held her forcibly down with all my strength, like a prisoner who might escape; and I doubt if I even knew who she was, or why we had struggled, or that she had been in flames, or that the flames were out, until I saw the patches of tinder that had been her garments, no longer alight but falling in a black shower around us. (49.76)

Pip has told Miss Havisham that he's not mad at her, he's forgiven her, all's well in Denmark, etc., etc. But, uh, there seems to be a tinge of aggression when Pip puts Miss Havisham's fire out. The fact that Dickens invokes prisoner language and imagery here suggests to us that Pip may feel the desire to reprimand or punish Miss Havisham for the destruction she's inspired.

Pip

Quote 50

Yet, having already made his fortune in his own mind, he was so unassuming with it that I felt quite grateful to him for not being puffed up. (22.92)

For Herbert, just dreaming of the money to come is enough to satisfy him. He doesn't mope around like a crestfallen six year-old. Pip, on the other hand is never content, even though he's inherited a fortune.

Pip

Quote 51

As we got more and more into debt, breakfast became a hollower and hollower form, and, being on one occasion at breakfast-time threatened (by letter) with legal proceedings, "not unwholly unconnected," as my local paper might put it, "with jewellery," I went so far as to seize the Avenger by his blue collar and shake him off his feet—so that he was actually in the air, like a booted Cupid—for presuming to suppose that we wanted a roll. (34.10)

Money isn't all about dreams and visions of grandeur—it's also tied to matters of survival and ugly realities, like having to eat Ramen for breakfast and reuse your coffee grounds. (Just us?)