Reading Assignment 4

Throughout Pip's visits with Ms. Havisham, she had been subtly putting the idea of greatness into his head. Eventually, the message gets through to Pip after she invites Joe to come along with Pip on one of his visits. For a long time, Pip had been excited to be apprenticed to Joe. Now, Ms. Havisham made him realize that it is far too common and could never impress Estella with that occupation. Pip really becomes turned off to lower class life after realizing that he must do better to grab Estella's attention. He becomes dissatisfied with his entire lifestyle.

Eventually, Pip along with another named Dogle Orlick become Joe's apprentices. Dogle is basically a complainer who never shuts up about anything. One day when Pip wanted to take a day off to visit Ms. Havisham, Joe granted his wish without thinking much of it. Dogle exploaded by this and demanded that he have a holiday also. After fighting just about everyone around, he got what he wanted. So on his day off, Pip went to Ms. Havisham's where he was handed more money. Every time he goes over there he becomes more discontent with his current life. He realizes that he will try to become a gentleman to win over Estella.

While everyone is away Mrs. Joe is attacked and left her brain damaged. The only thing left at the scene was a piece of iron that was used to beat her with. To compensate for the loss of Mrs. Joe, Biddy moves in and takes her place. Over time, Biddy and Pip become closer as friends.

At the Three Jolly Bergmen, Mr. Wapsle read aloud a newspaper article about a murder. He read it loudly and dramatically. After he was done, a stranger confronted him telling him he had no position to judge other people. He was put on the spot and could not handle the stranger's questions. He realized that he was in a hole and could not be trusted anymore.

At the bar, Mr. Jaggers stepped up to Joe saying he needed to talk to Pip immediately. An unnamed source had given Pip a very large amount of wealth and property. To receive this fortune he would have to go to London to be schooled on being a gentleman. At first he was eccstatic because he knew he had a chance with Estella. Later, he was saddened by the fact that he would be leaving Joe and Biddy. Pip decided to visit Ms. Havisham one more time before he left. His inclination that Ms. Havisham was the "unnamed source" that left him his fortune only strengthened when she somehow knew about his money before he told her. He said his goodbyes to everyone and headed off for London.

I think that the last past of this section (where Pip was given the money) symbolized that although middle and lower class families faced tough times in the industrial revolution that many times they were given great and unexpected opportunities to rise up and make something of themselves.