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Great Expectations Wealth Quotes Page 3
Citations follow this format: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Yet, having already made his fortune in his own mind, he was so unassuming with it that I felt quite grateful to him for not being puffed up. (2.22.92)
Herbert defies the laws of human nature – just dreaming of the money to come is enough to satisfy him. He doesn’t mope around like a crestfallen six year-old. Pip on the other hand is never content, even though he has inherited a fortune.
"It don't signify to you with your brilliant look-out, but as to myself, my guiding- star always is, 'Get hold of portable property.'" (2.24.41)
Wemmick is all about owning goods that can be moved quickly, at a moment’s notice. His concept of money is closely tied to mobility. In his line of work, he sees lives come and go and he knows that wealth (in the vague stocks, land, and savings kind of way) is always appropriated by the government when people die. He doesn’t care about social class, he only wants to live comfortably and to be able to keep hold of his wealth.
As we got more and more into debt, breakfast became a hollower and hollower form, and, being on one occasion at breakfast-time threatened (by letter) with legal proceedings, "not unwholly unconnected," as my local paper might put it, "with jewellery," I went so far as to seize the Avenger by his blue collar and shake him off his feet – so that he was actually in the air, like a booted Cupid – for presuming to suppose that we wanted a roll. (2.34.10)
Here, Pip and Herbert learn what happens when one doesn’t have enough money. While wealth is often tied to dreams and visions of grandeur in this novel, here we see it tied to matters of survival and ugly realities.
