Objectives

• Analyse how Dickens uses first-person retrospective narration to create dramatic irony at specific moments in Chapters 1, 9 and 17.
• Explain how Dickens constructs Satis House in Chapters 5–6 and 8 as a symbol of arrested time and its effect on Pip's sense of identity and class.
• Evaluate how the revelation of Magwitch as benefactor in Chapters 16–17 exposes the novel's critique of Victorian assumptions about wealth and gentility.
• Write an evidenced paragraph that embeds and analyses quotations from a named passage, using subject terminology precisely.
• Assess how Dickens uses the relationships between Pip and Joe (Chapters 2, 13, 22–23) and Pip and Miss Havisham (Chapter 20) to develop the themes of guilt and redemption.
• Construct a sustained, structured argument about how Dickens presents the theme of social class across the novel as a whole.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Shame on the Marshes: Pip's Voice and the Convict in Chapter 1

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 4

   Do now

   Read the opening paragraph of Chapter 1 out loud to yourself. Then, jot down: (a) what you learn about Pip from the first five sentences, and (b) a single word that captures the tone. Hold off on discussing this with anyone for now.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter 1 where Magwitch grabs Pip — 'A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg.' Focus on the single action of tracking the adult narrator's ironic hindsight. Illustrate how the child's fear is conveyed through short, breathless sentences, while the older Pip's choice of words, like 'as if he were eluding the hands of the dead,' reveals a narrator who has endured and can interpret the moment. Show how to incorporate a quotation and comment on both the child's experience and the narrator's reflective distance in one cohesive sentence.

   Independent task

   Students will write one PEEL paragraph (150–200 words) addressing the question: 'How does Dickens use narrative voice in Chapter 1 to establish Pip's vulnerability?' They need to include at least two quotes from the Magwitch encounter — specifically referencing the 'tilted' graveyard image and the 'hands of the dead' simile — while also making a clear distinction between the feelings of child Pip and the implications of the adult narrator. Paragraphs are to be submitted at the end of the lesson for written feedback.

   Exit ticket

   On a sticky note, jot down a sentence that defines 'retrospective irony,' using a specific word or phrase from Chapter 1 as an example. Give it to the teacher before you leave.

2. Lesson 2: Arrested Time: Satis House, Miss Havisham and Pip's Self-Contempt in Chapters 5–6 and 8

   60 min · ch. 5, 6, 7, 8

   Do now

   Without opening the novel, list three adjectives that capture the essence of Satis House, along with a sentence about what you believe Miss Havisham desires from Pip. After that, open Chapter 5 and identify the moment when Pip first encounters Miss Havisham. Do your adjectives align with Dickens's description? Mention one word he uses that you didn't.

   Teacher input

   Model the analysis of the symbolic setting in Chapter 8 when Pip first encounters the rotting wedding cake on the table: "I saw that everything within my view which ought to be white, had been white long ago, and had lost its lustre, and was faded and yellow." Notice how the list structure reflects the gradual accumulation of decay, emphasizing the degradation of once-pure items. The repeated phrases "had been" and "had lost" place everything in a completed past tense, illustrating Miss Havisham's refusal to let time progress. This directly ties into Pip’s later self-description as "common," revealing how this decaying setting influences his self-image and perception of worth.

   Independent task

   Students will annotate a printed extract, which includes the wedding-cake passage from Chapter 8 and Pip's reflection from Chapter 7, where he expresses his wish to not be common. Following this, they will write two interconnected paragraphs totaling 200–250 words. The first paragraph should explore how Dickens employs the description of Satis House to symbolize the concept of arrested time. In the second paragraph, students should discuss how this setting contributes to Pip's feelings of class shame. Each paragraph must include quotes from the printed extract and correctly use the terms 'structural irony' or 'symbolic setting' at least once.

   Exit ticket

   The stopped clocks in Chapter 5, which are mentioned as being "half-past nine," connect to Pip’s self-description as "common" in Chapter 7, highlighting his feelings of inadequacy and the notion that time has "stopped" for him in terms of social advancement.

3. Lesson 3: The Illusion Shattered: Magwitch's Return and the Critique of Gentility in Chapters 16–17

   60 min · ch. 9, 16, 17, 18

   Do now

   Read the first paragraph of Chapter 17 silently. Note every detail Dickens provides about Magwitch's appearance. Then compose one sentence conveying Pip's feelings about this visitor, relying solely on those details, before he discovers his identity.

   Teacher input

   Model the move of tracking structural irony across the novel by reflecting on the passage in Chapter 17 where Magwitch declares, 'Yes, Pip, dear boy, I've made a gentleman of you!' Examine this moment in relation to Chapter 9, when Jaggers announces Pip's 'great expectations.' Notice that the word 'gentleman' appears in both scenes, yet now it carries a heavy irony: Pip's entire identity is funded by a transported criminal rather than the genteel Miss Havisham. To write a comparative sentence that holds both moments in tension, you might say: "While Jaggers's proclamation in Chapter 9 presents Pip's transformation into a 'gentleman' as a desirable aspiration, Magwitch's admission in Chapter 17 reveals the grim reality that this status is built on the tainted legacy of crime."

   Independent task

   Students are required to write a structured response of 250–300 words addressing the prompt: 'How does Dickens use Magwitch's return in Chapter 17 to reveal the emptiness of Pip's gentlemanly identity?' They must refer to Chapter 9 (where Jaggers makes his announcement) to create a structural contrast, include a quote from Magwitch's speech, "I've made a gentleman on you," and discuss at least one detail regarding Magwitch's physical appearance mentioned at the beginning of the chapter. The responses will be collected for grading.

   Exit ticket

   In Chapter 17, Pip's fear and disdain for Magwitch are ironic compared to his initial fascination and innocence about him in Chapter 1.

4. Lesson 4: Guilt, Fire and Forgiveness: Pip's Moral Reckoning in Chapters 20–23

   60 min · ch. 13, 20, 21, 22, 23

   Do now

   Without looking at the text, rank these three characters in order of how much guilt Pip feels toward them: Joe Gargery, Miss Havisham, Magwitch. Provide two sentences explaining why you chose the top character. Keep this — you’ll come back to it at the end of the lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model the analysis of how dialogue and free indirect discourse reveal character change by examining the scene in Chapter 22 where Joe cares for the feverish Pip, affectionately calling him "dear old Pip, old chap." Contrast this with Chapter 13, where Joe, feeling humiliated at Satis House, directs all his responses to Pip instead of addressing Miss Havisham directly, as he struggles to face her. Highlight how Joe's consistent use of language—specifically the phrase "old chap" appearing in both chapters—reflects Dickens's portrayal of Joe's love as unwavering and constant. This serves as a moral counterpoint to Pip's social aspirations. Illustrate how to analyze the role of repeated phrases across different chapters.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing a comparative paragraph (200–250 words) that responds to the question: 'How does Dickens use Joe Gargery in Chapters 13 and 22 to explore the theme of guilt and redemption?' They should include quotes from Joe's dialogue in both chapters, discuss the importance of his consistent way of speaking, and reference Miss Havisham's expression of guilt in Chapter 20 ('What have I done!') as a contrasting example of guilt that leads to destruction instead of redemption. Once completed, paragraphs are submitted.

   Exit ticket

   Return to your do-now ranking. Has it changed? Write one sentence explaining whether Pip's debt to Joe is moral, emotional, or social — and why this distinction is important.

5. Lesson 5: Ruined Ground: The Revised Ending, Estella and What Pip Has Become in Chapter 25

   60 min · ch. 6, 14, 20, 25

   Do now

   Read the final paragraph of Chapter 25. Write down: (a) one image Dickens uses to depict the reunion's setting, and (b) what that image could imply about Pip and Estella's futures. Avoid using the word 'hope' — choose a more specific term.

   Teacher input

   Model the evaluation of authorial choice—specifically Dickens's decision to revise his ending—based on the final lines of Chapter 25: 'I saw no shadow of another parting from her.' Explore the ambiguity of this sentence: the word 'shadow' resonates with the novel's themes of darkness and self-deception, as seen in Satis House and the marshes at night in Chapter 1. The phrase 'no shadow' could suggest a definitive union or merely indicate a lack of additional loss. Write a paragraph that offers two valid interpretations before concluding with a judgment, using 'Dickens' as the subject for analytical verbs such as 'positions,' 'withholds,' and 'refuses.'

   Independent task

   Students will create a complete timed essay plan, which should include a bullet-pointed argument with three to four key points, each accompanied by a quotation and chapter reference. Following the plan, they will compose the opening two paragraphs (250–300 words) of an essay responding to the question: "How does Dickens present the relationship between Pip and Estella as a critique of Victorian social ambition?" They are required to reference Chapters 6, 14, and 25, and their response must explicitly address the revised ending. Both the plans and the paragraphs will be collected.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, express your opinion on the revised ending: does it provide Pip with real redemption, or does Dickens keep it from him? Use one word from Chapter 25 to back up your perspective.

Activities

Assessment

• Exit ticket after Lesson 1: student can name and exemplify retrospective irony using a specific phrase from Chapter 1 — looking for precision of terminology and textual grounding, not general statements about 'the narrator'.
• PEEL paragraph from Lesson 1: marker checks whether the student distinguishes the child Pip's terror from the adult narrator's shaping — a conflation of the two voices is the key error to flag.
• Annotated extract from Lesson 2 (Satis House passage, Chapter 8): looking for whether students connect the grammar of the past-tense list to Miss Havisham's psychology, not merely label 'decay imagery'.
• Structured response from Lesson 3: marker checks whether the student holds Chapters 9 and 17 in tension simultaneously, or simply retells the plot of Chapter 17 — the comparative sentence is the diagnostic moment.
• Comparative paragraph from Lesson 4: looking for whether students can explain the function of Joe's unchanged register across two chapters, rather than simply quoting it — the word 'therefore' or equivalent causal connective is a positive signal.
• Essay plan and opening paragraphs from Lesson 5: marker checks whether the student's argument is present in the opening paragraph and whether the revised ending is addressed as an authorial choice, not a plot summary.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g. satire, irony, understatement).
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that interprets a literary text and requires a line of reasoning, supported by relevant evidence from the text.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of specific words and phrases, including extended metaphor and imagery, in context — applied here to Dickens's decay imagery in Satis House (Ch.8) and the marshes (Ch.1).
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view, including the distinction between the experiencing self and the narrating self in first-person retrospective narration as used throughout Great Expectations.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of contrasting characters — specifically Pip and Joe Gargery, and Pip and Magwitch — as a means of developing the novel's thematic argument about class and moral worth.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure, including how Dickens's serial publication form and the two endings shape meaning and reader response.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response, with references to the text to support interpretations — applied to essay and paragraph tasks across all five lessons.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology — applied specifically to narrative voice (Ch.1), symbolic setting (Ch.8) and dialogue (Ch.13, Ch.22).
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received — applied to Dickens's use of the 'self-help' debate, the Victorian class system and his own biographical shame of poverty.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation — assessed in the summative essay and all written independent tasks.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression — assessed in all five independent tasks and the summative essay.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts — specifically Dickens's use of retrospective first-person narration, the symbolism of Satis House, and the structural irony of Magwitch's revelation in Ch.17.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received — including Victorian attitudes to class mobility, the serial publication context, and Dickens's biographical relationship to poverty and shame.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations — applied in the revised-versus-original-ending debate activity and in the summative essay's requirement to consider authorial choice.