Quotesandquestions

1. Myconvictlookedroundhimforthefirsttime,andsawme...I
lookedathimeagerlywhenhelookedatme,andslightlymoved
myhandsandshookmyhead.Ihadbeenwaitingforhimtosee
me,thatImighttrytoassurehimofmyinnocence.Itwasnotatall
expressedtomethatheevencomprehendedmyintention,forhe
gavemealookthatIdidnotunderstand,anditallpassedina
moment.Butifhehadlookedatmeforanhourorforaday,I
couldnothaverememberedhisfaceeverafterwardsashaving
beenmoreattentive.
A:
ThisquotefromChapter5describesPipsbriefreunionwithMagwitch
afterthelatterhasbeencapturedbythepolice.Pip,whoisalways
concernedwithotherpeoplesimpressionsofhisbehavior,isanxiousfor
Magwitchtoknowthatheisinnocentthatheisnotresponsiblefor
turningMagwitchintothepolice.ButwhenMagwitchlooksatPip,he
seemstoexperiencefeelingsthathavenothingtodowithPips
innocenceorguilt,alookthatPipdidnotunderstandbutwhichisthe
mostattentivelookPiphaseverreceived.Thisisanimportantmoment
offoreshadowinginthebook,ourfirstimpressionthatPipskindness
hasmovedMagwitchtostrongfeelingsofloyaltyandlove.Italsoan
importantmomentofcharacterdevelopment,ourfirstglimpseof
somethinginMagwitchscharacterbeyondthemenaceandblusterof
hisearlyscenesinthebook.


2.Pip,dearoldchap,lifeismadeofeversomanypartingswelded
together,asImaysay,andonemansablacksmith,andonesa
whitesmith,andonesagoldsmith,andonesacoppersmith.Diwisions
amongsuchmustcome,andmustbemetastheycome.
JoesaysthesewordstoPipasafarewellinChapter27,aftertheir
awkwardmeetinginLondon.Pip,nowagentleman,hasbeen
uncomfortablyembarrassedbybothJoescommonnessandhisown
opulentlifestyle,andtheunpretentiousJoehasfeltlikeafishoutofwater
inPipssumptuousapartment.Withthisquote,JoetellsPipthathedoes
notblamehimfortheawkwardnessoftheirmeeting,buthechalksitup
insteadtothenaturaldivisionsoflife.Theblacksmithconcoctsa
metaphorofmetalsmithingtodescribethesenaturaldivisions:somemen
areblacksmiths,suchasJoe,andsomemenaregoldsmiths,suchasPip.
Inthesesimpleterms,Joearrivesatawiseandresignedattitudetoward
thechangesinPipssocialclassthathavedriventhemapart,andhe
showshisessentialgoodnessandloyaltybyblamingthedivisionnoton
Pipbutontheunalterablenatureofthehumancondition.

3.DearMagwitch,Imusttellyou,nowatlast.YouunderstandwhatI
say?
Agentlepressureonmyhand.

Youhadachildonce,whomyoulovedandlost.
Astrongerpressureonmyhand.
Shelivedandfoundpowerfulfriends.Sheislivingnow.Sheisaladyand
verybeautiful.AndIloveher!
InthispassagefromChapter56,PiptellsthedyingMagwitchabouthis
daughter,Estella,whomhehasnotseensinceshewasayounggirl.If
thearrivalofMagwitchcollapsesPipsidealisticviewoftheupperclasses,
thenthesubsequentrevelationthatEstellaPipsfirstidealofwealthand
beautyisthedaughteroftheconvictburiesitforgood.Byconsolingthe
dyingMagwitchwiththetruthaboutEstella,Pipshowstheextenttowhich
hehasmaturedanddevelopedanewunderstandingofwhatmattersin
life.Ratherthaninsistingontheidealistichierarchyofsocialclassthat
hasbeenhisguidingprincipleinlife,Pipisnowabletoseehierarchyas
superficialandaninsufficientguidetocharacter.Loyalty,love,andinner
goodnessarefarmoreimportantthansocialdesignations,afactthatPip
explicitlyrecognizesbyopenlyacknowledgingthecomplicationsthathave
madehisformerviewoftheworldimpossible.