The Death of Mrs. Joe

While Pip is with Estella in London, he receives news that Mrs. Joe has passed away. Even though Pip has grown farther and farther apart from his old life, he still feels great sorrow over her death. She was a very important character early on in the book until she got brain damaged. Although she was very strict, it was because of her in the beginning that Pip remained with such good morals before he went to London as he was brought up by hand. Even though the way she treated him was not the best, Pip still felt thankful for what she did for him and loved her early on in the book. Now, he still feels some of the thankfullness towards her, although not his much, and this prompts him to return home. Pip has lost much of his high morals and ethics, but not all of it and still goes home to see his dead sister. When he returns to his home town, he also sees Joe and Biddy again, but the connection between them is still not there. It is at this point that Pip finally realizes how much he has alienated his former family and how badly he has mistreated them. He leaves intending to visit more often, showing that he still retains a lot of the moral values that he was taught at an early age by Mrs. Joe and Joe.