Great Expectations

The journey to visit Estella brings an unexpected and unwanted connection to the past. Traveling by coach, Pip finds himself in the company of two convicts being transported in chains—and recognizes one as the man who gave him the mysterious two-pound notes years ago, the messenger from his convict. The encounter floods Pip with anxiety about his shameful early connection to the criminal world, fearing any recognition or revelation. He sits frozen, trying to be invisible, praying the man won't remember him. The convict discusses the mysterious task he once performed—giving money to a young boy on behalf of someone else—without recognizing the adult Pip sitting nearby. The incident reminds Pip of everything he wants to forget about his origins: the marshes, the convict, his theft, his lies. It reinforces his desperate need to believe that Miss Havisham is his benefactor, because any connection to the convict would be socially disastrous. The irony—that Pip is repulsed by the very people who might have more claim to his success than Miss Havisham—remains invisible to him. Arriving at the Blue Boar, he's further disgusted to encounter Mr. Pumplechook, who now treats him with fawning respect, taking credit for Pip's rise. Both encounters emphasize Pip's increasing disconnection from truth: he believes lies (about Miss Havisham) and denies truths (about his humble origins and early kindnesses).