Chapters 8 and 9 Summary
Chapter 8
Pip goes to Mr. Pumblechook's house. Mr. Pumblechook is a seedsman, and Pip finds drawers full of seeds. He believes the seeds want to escape, and he also notes a connection between the seeds and the corduroy pants that Mr. Pumblechook and his shopman wear. Mr. Pumblechook spends all day looking at the saddler across the street, and the saddler spends all day looking at another tradesman.
After sleeping in a sloping attic, Pip breakfasts with Mr. Pumblechook, who immediately quizzes Pip on math problems and gives Pip crumbs and watered-down milk. They walk to Miss Havisham's house, which is made of old brick and has bars and walled-up windows. Mr. Pumblechook asks the girl who answers the door if Miss Havisham wants to see him, but the girl responds that she does not. The girl takes Pip across the courtyard, and she points out the disused brewery beyond. She tells him the house is called the Manor House or Satis House—Satis means "enough."
The girl takes Pip to a dark room lit by candles, into which no daylight enters. There, he sees a strange woman before a looking glass dressed all in white silk and satin, with white shoes (one of which is off her foot). Pip notices that the white of her clothes has faded and that the dress is meant to fit a rounder woman, as the woman, whose name is Miss Havisham, is now skin and bones. She tells him that her heart is broken and orders him to play, but he says he can't. She tells him then to call Estella, the girl who let him in.
As Estella enters, Miss Havisham tries a jewel on her and weighs its effect with her pretty dark hair. Miss Havisham tells Estella to play cards with Pip, but Estella refers to Pip as a common, coarse boy. Pip notices that the clocks in the rooms have stopped, and everything in the room has been allowed to decay. Estella and Pip play cards, and Estella continues to insult Pip. Miss Havisham asks Pip what he thinks of Estella, and he says that she is pretty and proud. Miss Havisham tells him to come again in six days and tells Estella to bring him downstairs and give him something to eat. Estella brings him beer, meat, and bread.
Left to himself, Pip begins to cry into a wall near the brewery, humiliated by Estella's insults. He then walks on old casks, where he sees Estella from behind, but she does not turn around to look at him. He imagines seeing a figure that looks like Miss Havisham hanging from a hook. Estella comes to let him out, and she says she knows he was crying. He returns to Mr. Pumblechook's but, finding that Mr Pumblechook is out, decides to walk home.
Chapter 9
When Pip gets home, his sister quizzes him about what Miss Havisham's house was like, as does Mr. Pumblechook when he arrives for tea. Pip cannot describe the strange sights he saw, and he lies instead, saying that Miss Havisham is dark (about which Mr. Pumblechook agrees, showing he has never met Miss Havisham) and that she sat in a dark velvet coach. He continues to tell a series of lies, such as that the coach was in Miss Havisham's room and that they, along with Estella, played with flags and swords.
After Mr. Pumblechook leaves, Pip tells Joe that he lied about his visit because Miss Havisham and Estella were so rude to him and he felt so common. Joe tells him not to lie and reassures Pip that he is not coarse. When Pip goes upstairs to bed, he thinks about how common Estella would consider Joe.
Expert Q&A
What is the context of this quote from Great Expectations: "That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me..."
The quote "That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me..." from "Great Expectations" refers to Pip's return from his first visit to Miss Havisham's house. The visit, marked by humiliation and the feeling of inferiority, profoundly affects Pip, causing him to feel embarrassment about his background and the common behavior of his family. This day signifies a turning point in Pip's life, marking the beginning of his struggle with shame and embarrassment throughout the novel. His reflections highlight the power of choices and their lasting impacts, akin to Jacob Marley's chains in "A Christmas Carol".
In chapter 8 of Great Expectations, why does Pip think Miss Havisham and her room appear as they do?
In Chapter 8, Pip perceives Miss Havisham and her room as lifeless and decayed because everything appears to have stopped in time, specifically at twenty minutes to nine. Miss Havisham's attire, a yellowed wedding dress, and the halted clocks suggest a life arrested at the moment of heartbreak. Pip describes the setting as corpse-like and melancholic, symbolizing Miss Havisham's emotional and temporal stagnation. This imagery evokes a sense of death and decay.
What is the significance of the "chain" metaphor in the last sentence of Chapter 9 in Great Expectations?
The "chain" metaphor in the last sentence of Chapter 9 of Great Expectations signifies the pivotal moment in Pip's life when his desires and future are altered by his experiences at Satis House. This metaphor illustrates how one significant event leads to a series of consequential actions and decisions, forming a "chain" that shapes Pip's destiny, much like the chain forged by Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol.
How does Estella's contempt affect Pip and what does it reveal about them in Chapter 8?
Estella's contempt deeply affects Pip by making him feel humiliated and inferior during their encounter. Her scornful remarks about his "coarse hands" and "thick boots" highlight her perceived superiority and Pip's social insecurities. This interaction reveals Estella's haughty nature and Pip's vulnerability to class distinctions, triggering his shame and self-consciousness. Her disdain causes Pip to question his self-worth, underscoring the social divide between them and foreshadowing his desire for self-improvement.
In Chapter 8 of Great Expectations, what building does the derelict mansion resemble?
In Chapter 8, the derelict mansion resembles a decaying brewery, with descriptions emphasizing neglect and isolation. The courtyard is overgrown, the brewery is empty, and the wind howls like a ship at sea, creating an atmosphere of desolation. The mansion's entrance, with chains and dark passages, metaphorically suggests a prison, reflecting Miss Havisham's self-imposed isolation and emotional imprisonment. The imagery foreshadows Pip's later vision of Miss Havisham's death.
Why do Mrs. Joe and Pumblechook believe Pip's tale in chapters 9-10?
Mrs. Joe and Pumblechook believe Pip's tale because they idolize the upper class and are predisposed to accept extraordinary stories about them. Pumblechook, who has never been inside Miss Havisham's house, corroborates Pip's fabricated account due to his own limited observations, while both he and Mrs. Joe eagerly accept the tale, driven by their admiration and desire to see the aristocracy as unique and superior.
What does the seed metaphor signify in chapter 8 of Great Expectations?
In Chapter 8, the seed metaphor signifies the constraints and aspirations within societal classes. Pip observes seeds in packets, likening their confinement to societal limitations. This metaphor extends to Pip's own sense of entrapment in his social class, paralleling Uncle Pumblechook's unfulfilled aspirations to rise socially. The seeds symbolize the desire for growth and breaking free, reflecting Pip's and others' struggle to transcend societal boundaries and achieve personal and communal growth.
In Chapter 8 of Great Expectations, how does Pip's name connect with the vegetation and prison imagery in Pumblechook's shop and Miss Havisham's house?
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