Skits=Fun

Scene 1: When Pip first goes to Miss Havisham's and meets Estella. I think it would be interesting to see people's interpretations of the characters and afterwards by the brewery when Pip is crying and pulling his hair. It may be a little harder, but interesting nonetheless.

Scene 2: The fight between Joe, Orlick, and Mrs. Joe in the forge right before Mrs. Joe is attacked. This scene involves a lot of characterization and interpretation, which would make it very fun to do as a skit.

Scene 3: Depending upon the group size, when Pip, Joe, and Wopsle go to the marshes to look for the convicts in the beginning of the book. I think it would be interesting to see not only those three's reactions to finding the convicts, but also the fight between the convicts. I would like to see the portrayal of it, not just the fight.

In Love With a Spider?

In the end of chapter 39, pages 311-312, Pip talks to Estella after the ball/dance-thing, and Estella says she is not interested in Bentley Drummle. Then in the end of chapter 44, page364, she announces she is engaged to him. Is there something I missed? Did I fall asleep while I was reading and just kept turning the pages?

As I understood it, Estella knew Pip loves her and felt the same back, she just couldn't show it. But now she's marrying "the Spider" even after Pip confessed his soul to her.

So my question is, Does Estella love Pip or is she just playing with his emotions?

"I never was happy with her" Confusing Quote

"And still I stood looking at the house, thinking how happy I should be if I lived there with her, and knowing that I never was happy with her, but always miserable." (end of chapter 33, page 272 in my book)

This sentence greatly confused me. As I understood it, Pip was madly in love with Estella and wanted nothing but to be with her. But now he is saying, as he looks at the house Estella is now staying at, that he is only miserable when he is with her, but yet he wants to live with her. Earlier he talked about how he was miserable without her. She was so mean to him when they were younger, but hasn't she changed now? Estella is different now, but I thought Pip still loved her.

Does he love her or dread being with her?

Great Expectations Picture

The court papers that make Pip apprenticed to Joe become like a prison cell for him. They bind him to Joe, and through him, to common life. Pip greatly wishes to become a gentleman, but he knows if he completes his apprenticeship, he will have very little chance of advancement. Pip is trapped. He doesn't want to hurt Joe, but how else could he fulfill his dream? Is the only way to escape from prison to hurt the ones you love? This is probably the biggest problem for Pip so far. He never knew how a few simple papers could change your entire life, until he wanted so much more than he was set out for.