While the second stage of the book is indeed, very boring, it also contains a lot of useful information and contrasts that I think (will) give a better understanding and respect of what happens in the third stage, and reflect on what happened in the first stage. New characters like Herbert and Mr. Wemmick illustrate the new life Pip lives and the contrast between his new life and the old. It shows how he's moved on, and how he forgets about his old life. After Mrs. Joe dies, Pip states very clearly, "I'm never going back." Other characters like Mr. Jaggers or just the minor character of a prisoner in Newgate also draw comparisons.
The one motif I think is particularly important is that of guilt. His new friends as mentioned above show how he tries to forget about his old life by being happy with his new friends. He states that when he is in Mr. Wemmick's "castle", he feels seperate from the outside. He enjoys escaping his problems for a little while. Meanwhile, he knows all of his problems arose because he tried so hard to become part of the upper class, and now regrets it. An interesting comparison in my opinion is how Pip goes to Newgate and means the Colonel, a prisoner. When he goes out to meet Estella, he thinks about how "seperate" a jail is and how he hopes Estella will never see him in one. However, despite his contrast of the two, his life right now could be compared to a jail, as he is played by Estella and has huge debts. Indeed, he goes on and realizes that his new life has ensnared him more then he could have ever possibly expected.
-Aaron
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