Great Expectations Chapter 9-10

In chapter nine Pip returns home from from Miss Havisham's house and is bombarded by questions from his sister and Mr. Pumblechook. If his sister was not satisfied by Pip's answer than she would shove him. This incident shows Pip's sister's true nature once again. That she is indeed not a very nice woman; that in fact she can be quite cruel and only thinks of herself. Pip's sister is not the only one badgering him, Mr. Pumblechook is guilty of this crime as well. Pip states that "The worst of it was that bullying old Pumblechook, preyed up by a devouring curiosity to be informed of all I had ever seen and heard..." page 64. When the two are still not satisfied by Pip's answers Mr. Pumblechook goes on to ask Pip a mathematical question. At first Pip is confused but then he manages to answer the question correctly. This rattles Mr. Pumblechook and it take him a minute to recollect himself. However when he does gather his wits, he goes on to question Pip about Miss Havisham again. This is when Pip tells his first lie concerning his time at Miss Havisham's.

When Pip's sister asks Mr. Pumblechook to confirm Pip's physical description of Miss Havisham and he agrees with the lie, Pip comes to a realization. His realization is that Mr. Pumblechook has never met Miss Havisham in person. This gives Pip a sort of go head to continue his lies and they only get more extravagant has he goes along. Pip does not feel guilt at anytime until Joe comes in from the forge and Pip's sister informs him of all the lies Pip has told her. Pip begins to feel progressively more guilty until finally he goes out to the forge and tells Joe all about his lies. He also informs Joe that Estella called him a commoner. Joe does not get angry at Pip, instead he comforts him. However, he does make Pip promise to stop telling lies and Pip quickly agrees. At the end of this chapter the author uses a different technique. In this technique he directly addresses the reader. He posses a rhetorical question that makes the reader think deeply.

Pip decides that for him to be "uncommon" is to become more educated. So he goes to Biddy and asks her to teach him. Biddy readily agrees to help. He states that Biddy "...was one of the most obliging of girls, ... and indeed began to carry out her promise within five minutes." page 71. This shows that Pip really thinks highly of Biddy. One day after school, Pip's sister asked him to go fetch Joe from the public-house. So Pip goes to retrieve Joe and this is when he spots a strange man. Pip takes a seat next to Joe and the strange man insists on buying Joe a drink. Joe reluctantly agrees and they partake in some casual conversation. However, the entire time the stranger keeps staring at Pip. Finally Pip notices that the stranger is stirring his drink with the file that Pip had stolen and given to the convict. Upon leaving the stranger gives Pip two pounds. All that night Pip is plagued by nightmares. This is evidence of Pip's guilty conscious.