Great Expectations Summer Reading Project Please answer all questions on a separate sheet of paper. Your theme essay must be at least a page and a half. Your project does need to be typed. You may do this in Google Docs and share it with me, or you may type it in Word and email it to me, but it must be turned in on the first day of school (August 16). Answers must be in complete sentences. Components 1. Chapter Vocabulary 2. Chapter Questions 3. Theme Essay If you have any questions please email me at hmcclenny@athensisd.net. Be prepared for a test over this novel the first day of school. Chapters 1-10 Vocabulary 1. Capricious 2. Conciliatory 3. Felicitous 4. Imprecations 5. Incomprehensible 6. Penitent 7. Perspicuity 8. Remonstrance 9. Trifle
Chapter Questions 1-10 1. Describe the setting for this novel. 2. What is unusual about Pip s life? Who does he live with? 3. Where and how does Pip encounter the convict? Why does Pip help him? 4. What does the convict tell Pip to bring him? What does he threaten to do if he doesn t? 5. Explain what the convict wants when he says wittles. 6. Describe the characters of Mr. Wopsle and Mr. Pumblechook. How do they treat Pip? How do they treat Mrs. Joe? Do you think their assessment of the family is correct? 7. Describe the events that take place on Christmas Day. 8. Describe Mrs. Joe s treatment of Pip. In what ways is Pip s relationship with Joe different from his relationship with his sister? 9. After the convict is caught, what does he say to help protect Pip? How does Pip feel about his actions toward the convict? What do these feelings tell you about Pip? 10. Describe Miss Havisham. How is she unusual? 11. What does Miss Havisham want Pip to do while he is at her house? 12. Describe the character of Estella. How does she act toward Pip? 13. Why is Pip sent to the home of Miss Havisham? How does Pip feel after he leaves, and why does he decide to lie about his experiences there? 14. Describe Biddy and the school that Pip goes to. What does this tell you about education in England in the Victorian age? Who were the most educated people? Was education important?
15. Evaluate Dickens s portrayal of Pip. In your opinion, is Pip a believable character? Does he behave in ways that a real child in similar circumstances might behave? Support your opinion with evidence from the novel. 16. What is Joe Gargery like? Take into consideration the way people treat him (especially Mrs. Joe), how he treats others, and the moral lessons he tries to teach Pip. Chapters 11-19 Vocabulary 1. Clemency 2. Disconcerted 3. Latent 4. Malignant 5. Manifest 6. Ostentatiously 7. Pervade 8. Retributive 9. Stipulations 10. Trepidation Chapter Questions 11-19 1. Describe the room that Miss Havisham asks Pip to take her walking in. What is still in the room? What does this tell you about Miss Havisham s character? 2. Briefly describe Camilla. Why is she so attentive to Miss Havisham? What aspects of upper-class society might Dickens be satirizing in his portrayal of Camilla?
3. Describe the incident involving Pip and the young gentlemen in Miss Havisham s garden. What prompts Pip s actions, and how does he feel about himself later? 4. What does Estella do after the fight? How does Pip feel? 5. What does Miss Havisham tell Estella to do at the beginning of Chapter 12? Why do you think she tells her this? 6. Why does Miss Havisham command Joe and Pip to meet with her? What does Pip s attitude toward her reveal about his changing sense of values? 7. How does Pip feel about being a blacksmith? 8. Why does Pip really want to return to Miss Havisham s at the beginning of Chapter 15? 9. Describe the character of Orlick. 10. What happens to Mrs. Joe and who does it? 11. Explain the conversation Pip and Biddy have at the beginning of Chapter 13. What do you think of Pip? 12. Who is the mysterious stranger that visits Pip at the pub? What are Pip s expectations on learning about the reasons for the man s visit? 13. What conflicting feelings does Pip have as he moves toward a new life? Why does he have such mixed feelings? 14. Do you think Pip s feelings toward Joe are selfish, or understandable? 15. Analyze Dickens s characterization of Pip in this section. Write a brief summary of the major events in Chapters 11-19 and a statement of how each event works to familiarize readers with a different side of Pip s personality. Chapters 20-31 Vocabulary 1. Depreciation
2. Dexterously 3. Diffidence 4. Impetuosity 5. Judicious 6. Pernicious 7. Prodigious 8. Supplicant 9. Zealous Chapter Questions 20-31 1. Describe Jagger s work and home life. What is Pip implying about Jaggers s personality when he says that he seemed to bully his sandwich as he ate it? 2. Who is Pip s tutor? Who does he live with in London, and why is this ironic? 3. Briefly describe the event that caused Miss Havisham to stop her clocks and become a recluse. What part might this incident have played in deciding to bring Estella and Pip together? 4. What did Matthew Pocket do that Miss Havisham did not like? 5. Describe the character of Herbert Pocket. 6. What nickname does Herbert give to Pip? 7. Who are the other two boys Mr. Pocket is tutoring? What are they like? 8. What is Wemmick s house like? Who lives with him? What happens every night at nine o clock? 9. How does Bentley Drummle behave during the dinner with Jaggers? How does Jaggers react to him?
10. How does Pip feel when he hears that Joe is coming to visit? Why does Pip feel that way? 11. What is the significance of the statement what larks in Joe s letter? 12. How has Joe s behavior changed toward Pip? What is his nervous habit? 13. What does Estella say she does not have? Do you believe her? What might be the cause of it? 14. What plans does Pip believe Miss Havisham has for him? Why does he believe this? 15. When Pip returns to Satis House to visit Estella and Miss Havisham, he feels some guilt for not visiting Joe. Do you think Dickens wants readers to believe Pip is selfish, or that Pip is hopelessly distracted by his love for Estella? Explain your response. 16. As his visit with Pip is ending, Joe says, Pip, dear old chap, life is made of ever so many partings welded together Divisions among such must come, and must be met as they come. What does he mean in terms of his and Pip s relationship? In your opinion, whose behavior during the visit was more admirable, Joe s or Pip s? Explain. Chapters 32-45 Vocabulary 1. Fidelity 2. Larceny 3. Melancholy 4. Meritorious 5. Predecessors 6. Spasmodic 7. Subordinate 8. Superfluous
Chapter Questions 32-45 1. How does Pip react to driving by the prison with Estella? What does Pip s reaction indicate about his image of Estella as a person? 2. What news does Magwitch bring to Pip? How does Magwitch s information affect Pip? 3. What one financial request does Pip make of Miss Havisham? What does this request indicate about his character? 4. How does Pip feel about himself as a gentlemen when he no longer has any money? What values of Pip s society is Dickens criticizing by calling attention to Pip s feelings? 5. Do you agree that Pip should no longer benefit from Magwitch s money? Why or why not? Chapters 46-59 Vocabulary 1. Acquiescence 2. Beguile 3. Demeanor 4. Despondent 5. Eloquence 6. Entreat 7. Obdurate 8. Repugnance 9. Tremulous 10. Truculent Chapter Questions 46-59
1. Describe Miss Havisham s behavior when Pip visits her. How has their relationship changed? 2. What happens to Magwitch? How does Pip begin to feel toward Magwitch? 3. What does Joe do for Pip? How does Pip feel about himself and his actions after Joe leaves? 4. Why does Dickens return Pip to the countryside of his youth? What theme does this turn events emphasize? 5. What is your interpretation of the last line of the book, where Pip states I saw no shadow of another parting from her. 6. Were you satisfied with the ending of the novel? Explain your answer. Theme Essay This novel has many different themes; pick one and write an essay explaining how different events or characters in this novel help illustrate this theme. This essay must be at least a page and a half, and typed in Times New Roman size 12 font, and be double spaced.