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   lit24 Teacher
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   Pip's guilt over his unfeeling and thoughtless behaviour towards Joe and Biddy reaches its peak in Ch.57.

   Pip is now an invalid and is recovering from his burn injuries which he sustained when he tried to save Miss Havisham from being burnt alive. Owing to his extravagant life style he has become bankrupt and is arrested for debt.

   Joe repays all of Pip's debts and nurses him through his illness. Pip is ashamed of himself and full of remorse tells the gentle and kind hearted Joe:

   " 'O Joe, you break my heart! Look angry at me Joe. Strike me, Joe. Tell me of my ingratitude. Don't be so good to me!' "

   A little later, Joe tells Pip that it was Biddy who asked him to go to London and look after Pip. At once Pip also feels guilty about the way he had previously been ungrateful to her:

   "the sweet tact and kindnes with which Biddy-who with her woman's wit had found me out so soon-had prepared him for it made a deep impression my mind."

   Pip finally decides to make amends for all his ingratitude towards Joe and Biddy by deciding to return to the forge and become Joe's assistant and by humbling himself and seek Biddy's hand in marriage:

   "What remained for me now but to follow him to the dear old forge......I would go to Biddy, that I would show her how humbled and repentant I came back.....I would say to her 'if you can receive me like a forgiven child.' "

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/expectations/characters

   http://www.enotes.com/expectations/essays-criticism

   http://www.enotes.com/expectations/themes

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   Posted by lit24 on Tuesday April 28, 2009 at 9:15 PM