CHAPTER 26

Summary
Pip, Herbert, Drummle and Startop are invited to Mr. Jaggers'
home. Jaggers housekeeper, Molly, is a fierce woman whom
Wemmick suggests is barely tamed. Jaggers seems to like Drummle
more and more; he nicknames him the Spider. Pip and Drummle
quarrel.

Notes
Jaggers and his house share a constant gloominess, indicative of
the darkness both are shrouded in. Jaggers has a habit of
perpetually washing his hands, which symbolizes in part his attempt
to absolve himself of guilt in his shady dealings. The sordidness of
his taste for men is evident, when in spite of the presence of good
honest men like Herbert and Startop, he takes a liking to the sulky
and bullying Drummle. As if to top off this morbid characterization,
Molly is introduced as a mysterious force to be reckoned with.
Earlier, Wemmick had told Pip to notice her. He does, and sees a
fierce woman with scarred hands whom Jaggers manages to keep in
check. Later, Pip learns she even has a criminal history.

CHAPTER 27

Summary
Joe comes to London to visit. Pip fears his old friend will embarrass
him, and is full of apprehensions that any of his newly found refined
society friends might see him in the company of a lowly blacksmith.
Joe tells Pip all the news of his old home, including word of Biddy
and Mrs. Joe. He tells him Mr. Wopsle has taken a turn toward
acting and that Estella has come home and would like to see him.
Pips discomfort with Joe is obvious, and Joe senses that he is no
longer suitable company for his young friend. He leaves and when
Pip realizes what he has done, he races to find Joe. But his friend is
already gone.

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Pip decides to pay Miss Havisham and Estella a visit.
Notes
The negative effect of Pips transformation is painfully obvious here.
He is uneasy with a visit from his first dear friend, and thinks
himself too good to be seen with a mere blacksmith. Joes warm
advances are met with cool class-consciousness, and when the
humble blacksmith calls Pip sir the unkindness reaches a peak. Pip
makes his snobbery obvious enough that Joe takes his exit with a
few touching words on their past relationship. Pip, shamed by Joes
dignity and his own appalling behavior, runs to apologize, but Joe is
gone.

CHAPTER 28

Summary
Pip hurriedly prepares to visit Estella, excited by the prospect of
seeing her now that he is a gentleman. He decides against staying
with Joe, since he believes such an arrangement would be
inappropriate for his class, and opts instead to stay at the Blue
Boar. He shares the coach with two convicts who are being
transferred to the Hulks. Pip recognizes one of them as the strange
man from long ago whom he had seen with Joes file. The man,
however, does not recognize Pip in his upper-class finery. Pip dozes,
waking in time to hear the familiar convict tell the other about two
one-pound notes he once gave a young boy in a bar. Pip listens,
recognizing himself as the recipient. The convict tells the other that
he was given the two one-pound notes by a lifer and told to
reward a young boy who had once fed him and given him a file. A
lifer is a convict sentenced to stay in prison forever.

Notes
Aside from the interesting dramatic twist provided by the
conversation of the two convicts on the coach, the only thing of
import is Pips rush to visit Estella. Estella has always treated him
cruelly, arbitrarily nice and mean. Yet he rushes off to visit her at
once. In contrast, he has just snubbed Joe, who has been nothing
but kind to him. Pips behavior is more than problematic--it is
inexcusable.