Reading Assignment 1

At a time around Christmas, Phillip Pirrip, Pip, was visiting the tombstones of his deceased parents when a frightening man approached and threatened him. Dressed in raggy clothing with iron on his leg, the man turned Pip upside-down and demanded a file and “wittles”. The man also tells Pip of a young man who would cause even more harm to Pip if he does not follow orders. Pip then runs home after the man leaves and gets beaten because he was late and Mrs. Joe was searching for him. Pip lives with Mrs. Joe, his sister, who is 20 years older than Pip, and her husband, Joe, who works as a blacksmith. Mrs. Joe brought both Pip and Mr. Joe up by hand. This means that Mrs. Joe beats them so they learn lessons and behave. Over the years, Pip has developed a friendship with Joe. He always warns Pip of Mrs. Joe's rampages, even though Joe gets his own share of beatings as well. On a “ram-page”, Mrs. Joe uses the tickler; a stick with hardened wax on the end used for punishments. Later that night, fulfilling the convicts demands, Pip steals some alcohol, bread, pork pie, and a file from Mr. and Mrs. Joe, in fear of losing his life. Pip feels guilty for stealing from his guardians but he does not want to let a person starve to death nor does he want to have harm caused to him. On his way, Pip sees a figure sitting in the cemetery. Assuming it is the man Pip spoke to earlier, he approaches him and thinks that it is the young man that was brought up during the man’s and Pip’s conversation earlier. He is soon scared off when the man seems to go crazy and Pip runs away, soon finding the man he's really looking for. When he finds the convict, he asks him if he will save any food for the young man. Realizing he is not alone, he immediately asks Pip about the young man’s whereabouts and fiercely files his iron. Pip felt uncomfortable and was scared so he crept away and walked home.