Student Lead Discussion 1

April 20th, 2015

Discussion Leader: Elyse

Note Taker: Rachel

Question 1: Who is Pip?

Rachel: Pip is a young boy who is the main character in Great Expectations

Anna: Pip lives with his sister and her husband

Question 2: How old do you think Pip is?

Debra: He's probably around 10 because he steals from his sister and goes to the graveyard

Rachel: He seems young because he doesn't stand up to his sister

Anna: His punishment is the Tickler and he was on a "playdate"

Question 3: Describe the cemetery scene. What is the significance of the convict?

Anna: He's scared because the convict is threatening and intimidating

Debra: The two convicts are working together to survive

Elyse: Pip steals the food out of fear. But the convict also protects Pip by saying he stole the food, rather than Pip.

Question 4: How is the relationship between Joe and Pip? How does he use this to his advantage?

Debra: The two are really close and Mrs. Joe doesn't really care about Pip.

Anna: Joe is the only person Pip feels bad from Stealing from

Elyse: Joe uses their relationship to tell Pip how much Mrs. Joe cares for him.

Debra: Quote on page 51

Anna: They have a father/son relationship

Debra: Quote on page 47. It seems Joe cares much more than Pip's sister does.

Anna: Mrs. Joe doesn't care about Pip because she thinks she's better than everyone else.

Question 5: How is education in the Victorian Era? How is this evident?

Debra: Education wasn't important. People were more focused on survival

Elyse: You can see it in their dialogue

Anna: Education will become more important to Pip to because of Miss Havisham

Rachel: Because of Miss Havisham's wealth and importance education is probably more important to her so Pip will more likely improve upon his education.

Question 6: Who is Miss Havisham? What's the significance of the stopped clock? What could her plan for Pip be?

Rachel: I feel like the plan might be to improve upon Pip's education. Based on the title and cover of the book, it seems like his life will improve because of Miss Havisham. The cover gives the idea of a lavish lifestyle so the plan is the improvement.

Anna: The clock stop is the time that her groom left her at the after.

Debra: She was driven off the edge when she was left at the alter

Elyse: She is completely heart broken and this life event has really torn her to pieces

Question 7: What was the significance of the Kiss on the cheek

Anna: He was kind of ashamed. There was no love intention

Elyse: It was something because she was trying to be polite and only doing it because she had to.

Question 8: What do the marshes represent?

Anna: At first it's creepy and represents uncertainty.

Debra: Marshes are unknown. You don't know what's there.

Elyse: It also serves as foreshadowing and something will happen at the marshes.

Debra: When talking about a potential proposal, it would represent an uncertain relationship that could be a bit risky.

*Some questions were combined