(Chapter 20 Chapter 21 (Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 (Chapter 25 (Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 (Chapter 31 (Chapeor 32 Activities 1 Come of Age -Exlla and Miss Havisham Opposed -My Strange Visitor Provis and Compeyson ‘Mise Havisham’s Revenge A Satisfactory Arrangement for Provs Bxtels Mother Learn More of Prov History TAm Trapped (Our Plan of Escape and How it Failed Death of Prov ‘The Best of Friends For Exell Sake n Bh 85 1 4 95, 103 104 107 109 Introduction My cao memory is afl, wet aferoon twos evening AL such tine fad out fr eatin tha hs windy place under he lo rs was the cua; ad tht my fhe, make and fe le oer were dead and bid there Pip, the central character in this story, has lost both his paren and 5 being brought up by hit sister and her husband, 2 blacksmith who takes Pip as an apprentice and teaches him his trade. When Pip is young he is powerless 2gainst the injustices ‘of life, but his meetings with a beastfil young woman called ell make him deste more than hit simple hore with Mr and Mrs Joe Garger: [And then the boy’ fortunes suddenly change when 2 secret benefactor provides him with money. He i able t move to London, receive an education and live as 2 genleman. At that time, Pip isnot always srue to himselé. Abhoughs he knows that Joe Gargery is a good man, he is embarrased when Joe comes 'o London, Jor does not Sit in with Pip new life 3nd Pap i more concerned about his old fiend ek of manners than his feelings. However, Pip est constandy reconsider his own position, especially when, one day, he makes a surprising discovery. He fs, he reais, deceived himself sbout the source of his ‘great expectations ‘As Pip grows up he begins to understand that dreams, weak and grand plans do not always bring happines. But will he lean tw recognize the difference between trve and fale feiends? And will he appreciate that beauty, wealth and excitement are less ‘important than love and loyley?(Charles Dickens is one of the most popular writers ofall time, and the creator of some ofthe best-knovm characters in English Tieratire. Dickens was born in Portsmouth, in England, in 1812 and ‘moved to London with his family when he was about ewo years ‘ld. His mother taught him to read and helped him to develop a seep love of books, ‘The family was very poor, and John Dickens, + clerk with the navy, could not earn enough to support his wife and eight hen. In 1824 he was putin prison for his debt 0, tthe age ‘of twelve, Charles was forced to lave school. He went to work shoe palish ficeory to help support his ul. ‘Charles vas eventually abe to leave the fetory afer a relative Jefesome money to his father, wo paid his debt and wae related ‘fom prison. Charles attended Wallington Howse school for two years before going back to work as a clesk, but the diiclies ‘hat the family fered and the general hopelessness that be save sound him shaped his view of the world and seonglyinfloenced the subject mater, evens and characters in his later wring, ‘Determined to leave the lif of ntecurity behind him, Dickens started writing for newspapers and he soon became known a reporter in London's courts and in the Howser of Parament. is fis literary succes came, hough, with the publication — in ‘monthly parts ~ of The Piece Paper (1837). By the age of | ‘wenty-four Dickens ws famous, and he remained famous until be died In contrast to his public suces, Dickens personal life was lwoubled. He married Catherine Hogarth in 1836 and hey had fen children together. However, ¢ time passed they becaine increasingly unhappy, and they separate in. 1858 ‘Afier his marriage with Catherine ended, Dickens moved permanently o his country house near Chatham A relationship ‘with 2 young sewess called Ellen Terman lasted until his death jn 1870, Chatles Dickens was busied in Westminster Abbey, in London. Dickens was aman of enormous eneepy As well a writing swenty fall-length fictional stories and many works of non-fiction, he found the time to support a numberof organizations that helped the poor. This concern for disadvantaged people and poor socal ‘conditions is reflected in much of Dickens's work. He aso toured “England and the Unied Sates, giving popular theatrical readings ofhis best-known novel Dickens had all the qualities needed by a great novelit. He was an accurate observer of people and places, had a great understanding of human nature and was particlaly sympathetic towards young people. He was ar his best describing characters and scenes which were typical of life in mid-nineteenth-century London. His stories demand the reader’ interest and ate fll of bbumour at well as waged. Most of Dickens’ novels originally appeared in weekly or sonthly pars in newspapers and magazines. By presenting his ‘work in this way, Dickens reached people who would never normally buy fil-Tengzh books. Oliver Tvs (1838) sone of his most famous early books and is based on the adventures of poor orphan, unloved and neared far. It was vor inflential atthe time it wat published because ir showed the workings of London's criminal world and how the poor were forced t0 live. The private school sysem isthe main subject of Nitolas Niklly (1839), another early novel Dickens himself had experienced the shocking world of money- ‘making echool owmers who miteated thei popile and exoght hem nothing. ‘Then, during the 1840s, Dickens wote five Christmas books. ‘The fst of these, A Christmas Cal, els che story of rich, sean Ebenezer Scrooge who, ate in if, learas the meaning of |‘Christmas and discovers happiness by helping others les fortunate than himself. Ofer Best and A Christma Cal are bots Penguin Readers; Nikolas Nil (and! Oliver Tes) can be found inthe Penguin Active Reading series, In is later works, including Hand Times (1854), Lite Dori (1857) and Or Mutual Friend (1865), Dickens presented a mich darker view of the would. His humour i celle as he reveal the ‘unpleasine depths of human nature and experienes, partcuely the inhuman social consequences of industry and trade. Ble Howe (1853) shows the unfairness of the legal system and how lawyers extended the legal process for their own benoit, without any regard for their clients. David Copeeld (1850, ao 3 Penguin ‘Reader i unusual in this period; an emotional description of a young man’ discovery of adulk hf, ici ¢ much moze light- hearted srry. Dickens wrote Great Expectations (1861) when his own lie vas troubled because he was in the proces af separating from hie wife, but i is, nevertheless, biliant novel Like David Copperfield icis the story ofa boy growing up. Dickens used his own memories ‘of childhood to take the reader right inside Bp’ mind, We live ‘through the events and discoveries of hi if with im. Enrly reviewers criticised the novel. Somte of them died the cxaggerated plot and characters. Readers loved it, though, and fhe 1861 version was reprinted Se times, ‘The subjects of the novel are equally important in the ‘enty-fist contury Dickens shows the ways in which greed and ambition can ruin people’ lives. He auks which is most lmportant: honour or succes? He examines social problems sach 2 the difficuies faced by the poor and uneducated, and the big cifferences between the Hives of rich and poor people. But however tnataetive Some of his characters are ~ in this and his other novels~ few of them are rally evi, Dickens Was very aware chat man beings ae complex creitures whose beluviour is often affected by past experiences and infuences, Even Miss Hivisham, the old lady inthis novel who desires revenge on all men, has a reason for er wickednes. Great Expectations isa tory ofexcitement and danger, adventure and made, but most ofall of self-discovery. When Pip has made a life fr himself he must paingilly rethink dhe valves on which bbe hs bul ehar fe. Meanwhile, the reader wil enjoy meeting the wide variety of characets in the story: not only rich and eccentric Miss Havsham, beautfl bat heardess Pela and kind honest Joe Gargerys but aso many others whose influence shapes Dip’ ie in deep and sometimes mysterious ways.Chapter 1 1 Am Told to Steal ‘My father's family name being Prsp, and my Christan name Philip, my infne tongue could make of both names nothing longer than Pip Sot called mise Pip, and care t be called Pp. Having lost both my parents in my infancy, I was brought up by _my ster, Mrs Joe Gargey, who married the local Hacksmith (urs was the marth country, down by the sive, within 20 miles ofthe sa, My cules memory is ofa cold, wet afernoon towards evening. A sch 2 time [found out for ceri that this windy place under long grass wat the churchyard nd that aay father, mother and Sve lle brothers were dead and buried there; and thar the dark ar empry land beyond the churchyard was the ranbes; and thatthe ow line further down. was the rivers and thatthe dant place from which the wind was rosin was dhe sea,and that che sal boy growing aid of all and beginning to cry was Pip. “Hlld your noise vied «terrible voice, a2 man jumped up fiom among the graves.‘Keep sil, you lle devil or eut your throx? ‘A fearfal man, in rough grey clothes, wit a great ion on his leg. A man with no ht, and with broken shoes, and with an old piece of cloth tied round his head. He moved with diiculty and ‘vas shaking with cold a he sized me by che chin, ‘Oh! Don't cut my throat, i begged him in cero. "Plas, don't doi ie? "Tell me your name std the man “Quick!” "Pipa? “Once mor! sid the man, staring at meSpeak out! "Pip Pi sit? “Show me where you ive sid the man Point out the place? 1pido whe oil a ml church. the I fonts The man, afer looking 2¢ me for a moment tuned me upside down and empried my pockets, There was nothing in them but 2 piece of bread, which he took and begin to ct ranges: “Yow young do! ithe man, aking at he ate noi “Wht fat cheks youve got” “” believe hey were fat, though Iwas hatte sll for ‘yeu and not tog. 7 He asked me where my fier and mother were. When Thad Pointed out to him the paces where they were Bue, be aed sme who 1 ved wih. al him ved with my ster wi of Joe Gager.the Baki On hearing the wont ‘blacksmith’ he looked down 2 isle and hen at me. He ok me by bth an an dred me fo bring him, carly the next morning a the old gun placements metal ile and some fod, or he would cut my heart out wat ‘ot Cosy a word about italien not atone he sid, you may think 1am. There young mas hidden with men compaion with whom Iam kind and Gendly That young man hens the von speak, That young man has secret ay patel 9 Himself geting a a boy and a his hea No boy ean hide Ihimset fom tha young man, 1 promised to bring him che Sle and what bis of food 1 ould and wished him goodnight, He moved away tomas the Jow chuch wal, puting his weigh ons one good leg, got over i and chen turned round to look for me. When Pssw him turning. 1st my ice towards home and made the bes i of my Chapter 2 I Rob Mrs Joe My sister, Mr Joe Gargery was more than 20 years lier chan [, tll, bony and plain-looking, and nad established 2 peat reputae tion with hereland the neighbours because she had brought me tp by hand’ Having at chat time to find out for myself what the cexprosion meant, and Knowing her to have hard and heavy hand and to be mach inthe habit of yng it on her husband, as swell 3s on ane, I supposed that Joe Gargery and T were both brought up by hand oe was a fair man, with Tighe brown hair and blue eyes. He wat a calm, good-natured, fooksh dear fellow. "When Iran home fous the churchyard, Joe’ forge, wiich was Joined t0 oar house, vas shu up, an Joe was siting alone in che ‘ekchen, Joe and being fellow suferers, he told me that my ster had been out a dozen times looking for me, and that she had got ‘Tele (stick) with her.Soom afer chat he saw her coming. and advised me to get behind the door, which I did at once. My sister, throwing the door wide open, and finding something behind immediatly guessed it was me, and beat me with her stick. She concluded by ehroing me at Jo, who, glad to get hold of me on any tera, pased me on into the chimney ‘omer and qsichy put himself berwoen her and me. "Where have you been, you young monkey? said Mrs Joe, stamping her foo."Tll me immediatly what you've been doing to wear me away with fear and worry oF [have you out ofthat cornet if ya were 50 Pips, and he was 500 Gargers “L have only been to the churchyard? sid 1, crying and rubbing mysel ; “Churchyard repeated my sizer If it wasnt for me you'l have been to the churchyard long ago,and stayed there? ‘She turned away and stated to make the tea; se butered a 3loaf, cut a very thick piece of, which she again cut into eo halves, of which Joe got one, and I the other. ‘Though I was hungry, dared noc ea mine, for Thad to have something in reserve forthe frightening mn on the marshes, and his freed, de still more frightening young man. rook advantage ‘oft moment when Joe was not looking at me, and got my bread and burer down the leg of my trousers "Joe wa shocked so see my bread disappear so suddenly, and ‘thought tha I had swallowed it all in one mouthfl, My ster ako believed this to be the case, and insisted on giving me 3 generous spoonfil of 2 hatefil medicine called "Ter Water”, ‘which she poured doom my coat ‘The guilty knowledge that was going to rob Mrs Jor and, the constant need to keep one land om ayy bread and buteer as 1 st or walked, almost drove me out of my mind. Happily 1 ‘managed to dip away, and put it sly in my bedroom, ‘On hearing big gons fred, | inguied fom Joe what it meant, and Joe sid "Another convict’ escaped, Thewe was a convict of lastnight escaped from the hulk and they fred warning of him. [And now it appears they ar firing warning of anther! ‘Thepe asking so many questions about convics and hulks that ayy sizer grew impatient with me, and told me that people were pr in bls because they murdered and robbed and lied, nd that they aleays began by asking questions. ‘As T went upstairs in the dark to my bedsoom I kepe thinking ‘of her words with terror in my heat. was clealy on my way to the bulls for Thad begun by asking questions, and I vas going to rob Mrs Joe. had troubled nigh ill ffeaefal dreams, and a soon asthe ay came T went as guiely a8 T could to the Kitchen, which was fall of food fe Christus, I stole some bread, 2 hard piece of cheese, some sugared fits, some whitky from + sone bore, (adding water to replace what I had taken), 2 bone with very 4 tide meat on i, and a beawifil round meat pie, which T thought swat not intended for ea use, and would not be missed for some Having abo taken a file From among Joe's rols inthe forge ran for che misty marshes. Chapter 3. The Two Men on the Marshes rewasa freezing cold morning, and very wet.On the marshes the inst was so heavy that gates and fences appeared unexpectedly and scemed to rash towards me, Twas getting on towards che ever, but however fst I went. couldn't warm my et, knew my way t the gan placements, but in the confison of the mist I found myself too fir to the right, and had to turn back slong the riverside. Suddenly T saw the man sitting in font of me. His back was towards me, and he fsa his ams folded and was nodding forward, heavy with lep. T dhouight he would be more pleaed fT came upon him with ths beeafist in that unexpected manserso L went forward soy snd touched him on the shoulder. He instantly jumped up,and it ‘yas nt the same man, but another man ‘And yet this man was dresed in rough grey clthes, 0, and Ihad an iron on is Tog, and was shaking with cold, and was cverything thatthe other was, except e had not the same fee. He swore at me and hit out willy but mised me. Then he ran say and disappeared into the mis. "Wes the young man!” Tehought feeling my heart jamp 28 € denied him Twas soon at the gun placements afer thar, and there wat ee ight man wating for me, He was very col, 2nd his eyes looked “rwflly hungry. As soon as I emptied my pockets he started forcing the food I had brought into his mouth, passing only t© 5take some of the whisky. He shook with cold as he swallowed brea cheese fruit and meat pie ll at once, staring distrustlly at re and ofen stopping to lien to any rounde coming through the mist, Suddenly he sid:"You'e noc 2 deceiving linle devi? ‘You brought 90 one with you" ‘No, sit No? "Nor did you tll anyone to follow your” "No! “Wel said he, believe you. You's be 2 young dog indeed, if at your time of life you could help to hunt pial man like me” [Ashe sat eating che pe, old him that I ws afaid he would ‘not leave any of it for the young man. He told me with someching ike 2 laugh thatthe young man dda’t vant any fod. T sid that T thought he looked a fhe did and that I had seen hm jst then, ested ike him and with an iron on is leg, and 1 pointed to where I had mes him. He asked excitedly if he had mark on hit le check, and when 1 replied that he had, be ‘ordered me to show im the way to im and, aking the fle from sme, he sat down on the wot gras, ling at his iron like a madman, Fearing 1 had stayed sway from home too long. 1 ‘lipped off and left him working hard atthe iron, Chapter 4 Mr Pamblechook Tastes Tar Water | faly expected to finda policeman in the kitchen waiting to take sme away. But not only was there no policeman, but no dicovery ‘had yet been made of te robbery. ‘Mas Joe was very busy geting the house ready for Christmas dinner. We were to have leg of meat and vegetables, and a pair ‘of sulfed chickens. A large pie had been made yesteny ‘morning, and the pudding vas already on the boil, Meanwhile “Mas Joe put clean white curtains vp, and uncovered the furniture 6 in the lite siting 100m across the corridos, which was never tancovered at any other time Mrs Joe was a very dean housekeeper, but somehow alvays managed to make hee Cleanliness more uncomfortable chan dict tel Me Wopsl, the clerk at church, was having dinner with ws; snd Mr Hubble, dhe wheel-maker, and Mrs Hubble; and Uncle Pumblechook (Joe uncle, but Mrs Joe called him her uncle), who wat a well-to-do com dealer in the nearest cown and bad his own earslage. The dinner hour was half past one. Whea Joe and [ got home fom church, we found the able nid and Mrs Jor drewed, and the diane being prepared, and the font door ‘unlocked for the company to enter by, and everything mos perfect And stil nota word ofthe wbbery ‘The dinner hour came without bringing with it any seit co ny felings, and the company arrived, “Mis Joc! ssid Uncle Pamblechook, a large, hard-breathing, smidale-2ged, slow man, with a mouth ik a ish, dll staring eyes sind sandy hai standing upright on his had, 'T have brougt you, to celebrate the occasion ~ 1 have brought you, madam, a botde fof white wine ~ and { have brought you, madam, a bot of ed Every Chrismas Day he presented himself with exactly the same words, and carrying the same gift of two betes. Every Christmas Day, Mes Joe sepied, as she now replied, Oh, Unele Pamblechook! This s kina!” Every Christmas Day, he replied, as hhe now replied, tS no more than you deserve. And aow are you allin good spirit and how’ the boy? meaning me. ‘We see on these oceasions inthe Kitchen, and Uben renened, to the sing room forthe nus and oranges aed apples. Among this good company I should have fk mysef, even if I hada’ stolen the food, in a fake postion, Not because | was seated ‘encomfarably at che corner with the table in my chest and Me Pomblechook’s elbow in my eye, nor because 1 was net allowed 7to speak (I didn't want to speak), nor because I was given the ‘bony parts of the chickens and the worst pars ofthe meat. No, ‘would not have minded tht, they would only have lef me lone. Bu they woulda leave me alone, They seemed to think the opportunity lost, if they filed to point the conversation at ‘me, every now and then, snd wick the point into me, Teegan the moment we st down to dinnce. Mr Wopil sida shoct prayer which ended withthe hope that we might be wuly sgratefl Upon which my sister fixed me with her eye, and id, in 2 low voiee,"Do you hear tha? Be grateful” “specially said Mr Pumblechook, "be gratefil, boy, 29 those who brought you up by hand Joe's position and infuence were weaker when there was ‘company than wien there was none. But he always aided and ‘comforted me when he could, in some way of his own, and he always did so at dinnertime by giving me gravy if there was any ‘There being plenty of grvy today, Joe spoomed onto my plate st ‘his pins, bout hal pint. “Hee was a world of trouble to you, madam’ said Mrs Hubble, sympathiring with my ser. "Trouble? repeated my sister "Trouble? and then entered on a fearfl catalogue of all the illness [had been guilty of, and all the acts of sleeplessnes Thad commited, an all the high place | Ind fallen from and all the lw places I had fallen nto anid all the injuries I had done myself, and all the times she had wished me in my grave, and I had continually refined to go there. “Hive a lite whisky, Uncle aid my ster ‘Oh dear i had come 3 late! He would find i was weal, he ‘would say it wat weak, nd I wa oe 1 held tight to the leg of the table under the cloth, with both hands, and waited for wht knew would happen, My ser went for the stone boule, came back with it, and poured his whisky out;no one ele taking any, He took up his 8 sas, looked 2 tchrough the ight, put it down ~ extended my ‘niger: All his time Mrs Joe and Joe were clearing che table for the pie and pudding couldn't keep my eyes off him. Sil holding ight to the leg cof the table with my hands and fet, [saw the miterable erextre take up his plas smile, throw his ead back, and drink tae whisky all at once, instants the company’ was seized with unspeakable terror, because of his springing to his feet, turing round several times in a wild coughing dance, and rushing out at che door: he thea became visble through the window, violently coughing, raking the most terrible faces and appearing to be ont of his mind. T held on tight, while Mrs Joe and Joe ran to him. I ida't know how Thad done iba [had no doube I had murdeced him somehow. In my awfil situation, it vas a relief when he was ‘bought beck, and, surveying the company all round aif they had clsagreed with him, sank down into his chai shouting, “Ta!” Thad filled up the botle with Tar Water I knew he would be worse by and by “Ta ried any sister in amazement."Why; how ever could Tar ‘come thers? ‘Unele Pumblechook: asked for hot gin-ané.water. My sxe, ‘who hd begun v0 be alarmingly thought, had to employ Ihrselfin geting the gin, the hot water and the sugar, and mixing ‘them, For the ime atleast, was saved By degres everything became calm again and I wa able ‘ata lle pudding slong with everyone ele. By the sme the ‘course wat finiched Mr Pumblechook: had begun to Took a ie ‘happier no doubt helped by the generous amounts of gin-and~ water e had drunk. "You must taste! sid my ster, addressing the guests with her bese grace, you must taste, eo finish with, Uncle Pumblechook’s wonder gi‘Mast they! Letthem aoe hope to tase it “You must know; sid ny sister, rising, ‘its a ple:a tasty meat Py ste wet out to gett Heard he steps peed the ancy [saw Mr Pamblechook balance bis knife. 1 fle that 1 ould bear no more, 2nd I most run away. released the leg of the table and ran for my ie Buc T ran no farther than the froot door, for there T ran straight into a party of soldiers wich their guns, one of whom held out 2 pit of handcafs to me saying, "Here you are, come Chapter 5 The Convicts Are Chased “The arial of the soldiers caused the dinner pary to tse om tuble in confasion, and eaused Mrs Joe, eentring the kitchen ‘empty-handed, co stop shore and sare, shouting, ‘Goodness me, ‘whats happened to the pic? "Excuse me, dies and gentlemen! sid the sergeant, ‘Lam on a ‘hase in the name of the King, and T want the blacksmith! The sergeanc then explained thar che lock of one ofthe handed {gone wrong, and as they wete vanted for immediate vervice, he ssked the Blacksmith to examine thems. On being ld by Jo that the job would tke about two hours, the sergeant asked him to set about i at once and called on his men vo help. vas extremely frightened. But, beginning to svalie thatthe handcuff were not for me, and thatthe arrival of the soldiers had caused my ster to forget about the pic, I pulled myself together aide Mar Wopsle asked the sergeant if they were chasing convicts. “Ay! eturned the sergeant. “Two. Thee prety well knovin © be ‘out on the marshes sil, and they won' ary to get clear of them 10 rT before dark. Anybody here seen anything of them?” Bverybody except myself sd no, with confidence, [Nobody thought of me, Je had got his cout of, ad wens into the forge. One ofthe soldiers ix the fre, while the rest stood round as the ames turned the coals red. Then Joe began to hammer and we all looked on, ‘Atlast, Joes job was done, and the hammering stopped. As Joe pus on is cont, he suggested that some of us should go down withthe soldiers and see he result ofthe hunt. Me Wopse said the would go, if Joe would. Mrs Jo, intereszed in knowing ll bout it and how it ended, agreed that Joe should go, and allowed se t0 go with him [Nobody joined us fiom the village, forthe weather was cold and threatening, with darkness coming on, and the people had {good fires indoors and were saying in. cold rain started to fll 1 we left che churchyard and stuck out on the open maces, and Joe took me on his back. ‘The soldiers were moving on in the direction ofthe old gun. placements and we were moving on a lite way behind them, ‘wheal of sudden, we all stopped, For there had reached us 2 the wings ofthe wind and rin, a long shout. It wat reposted “There seemed to be two or more shouts mused together, As we came nearer to the shouting, we could hear one voice calling “Mundee!” and another voice, “Hscaped convica! Runaway! Guard This way forthe runaway convic!” ‘Then both voices would seem to be drowned in a sugse, and thea would break out again. When ehey heard this, ehe soldiers ran inthe ditectin of the voces, and foe to. “Here ae both ment” shouted the sergeant, strugeling tovands ‘wo men fighting ike animal. "Give wp, you to! Come apart!” ‘Water and mud were fying everywhere, and blows were being stuck, when some more men went down to help the