CHAPTER 16 Practice Quiz — Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: CHAPTER 16
Where was Joe when Mrs. Joe was attacked?
Joe was at the Three Jolly Bargemen, smoking his pipe, from a quarter after eight to a quarter before ten.
What weapon was used to attack Mrs. Joe?
A convict's leg-iron that had been filed asunder some time ago was found on the ground beside her.
What was the result of the police investigation into the attack?
The investigation was a complete failure. The constables and Bow Street men arrested obviously wrong people and never identified the real attacker.
How does Mrs. Joe communicate after the attack?
She communicates by writing on a slate, since her speech has become unintelligible due to the injuries.
What mysterious symbol does Mrs. Joe keep drawing on her slate?
She repeatedly draws a shape like a curious T, which Biddy eventually identifies as a hammer — representing Orlick.
How does Mrs. Joe react when Orlick is brought to her?
Instead of denouncing him, she shows great anxiety to be on good terms with him and displays humble, submissive behavior like a child toward a hard master.
Why does Biddy come to live with the Gargerys?
Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt dies, and Biddy moves in with her small box of belongings to serve as Mrs. Joe's caretaker.
What lasting injuries does Mrs. Joe suffer from the attack?
Her sight is disturbed (seeing objects multiplied), her hearing is greatly impaired, her memory is damaged, and her speech becomes unintelligible.
How has Mrs. Joe's personality changed after the attack?
Her temper is greatly improved and she becomes patient — a dramatic reversal from her former domineering, aggressive nature.
How does Joe react to his wife's condition?
Joe is deeply saddened, often saying with moistened eyes, 'Such a fine figure of a woman as she once were, Pip!' He was sadly cut up by contemplating his wife's condition.
What does Biddy's ability to decode the slate symbol reveal about her character?
It reveals her sharp intelligence and perceptiveness. Where Pip failed despite many attempts, Biddy quickly connected the hammer shape to Orlick the blacksmith.
What is Orlick's alibi for the night of the attack?
Orlick had been seen about town all evening in various public houses and had come back with Pip and Mr. Wopsle. There was nothing against him save the earlier quarrel.
How does Chapter 16 develop the theme of guilt and secrecy?
Pip believes he provided the weapon (the leg-iron) but cannot reveal this without exposing his childhood secret about helping the convict. He debates confessing daily but always decides against it.
What commentary does Dickens make about the justice system in this chapter?
Dickens satirizes the police as incompetent — they arrest wrong people, force circumstances to fit preconceived ideas, and impress the neighborhood with their mysterious manner of drinking rather than actual results.
How does the theme of communication appear in Chapter 16?
Mrs. Joe loses her ability to speak clearly, the family struggles to interpret her slate writings, and Pip remains unable to communicate his secret. Breakdown of communication operates on both physical and moral levels.
What does Mrs. Joe's submissive behavior toward Orlick suggest about power dynamics?
It reverses the household power structure: the formerly domineering Mrs. Joe now behaves like a fearful child toward someone who may have attacked her, suggesting violence can fundamentally reshape relationships.
How does Dickens use dramatic irony in Chapter 16?
Pip knows (or strongly suspects) the origin of the leg-iron and the likely attacker, but he cannot share this knowledge without revealing his own secret — leaving the reader aware of truths the other characters miss.
What is satirical about Dickens's portrayal of the Bow Street officers?
Dickens mocks their performance by noting their "mysterious manner of taking their drink" was "almost as good as taking the culprit. But not quite, for they never did it."
How does foreshadowing operate in Chapter 16?
Mrs. Joe's submissive, conciliatory behavior toward Orlick foreshadows the later revelation that he was indeed her attacker. The George Barnwell reference at the chapter's opening also foreshadows themes of violence by familiar figures.
What does "filed asunder" mean in the context of the leg-iron?
It means cut apart by filing. The leg-iron had been sawed through with a file, separating it into pieces — the same action Pip witnessed his convict performing on the marshes.
What does "propitiation" mean as used to describe Mrs. Joe's behavior?
Propitiation means the act of appeasing or trying to win favor from someone. Mrs. Joe shows "humble propitiation" toward Orlick, behaving submissively to gain his goodwill.
What does "conciliate" mean in the context of Mrs. Joe wanting to please Orlick?
To conciliate means to win over or placate someone, especially after a conflict. Mrs. Joe shows "every possible desire to conciliate" Orlick when he is brought before her.
What does Pip mean when he says the secret "had so grown into me and become a part of myself, that I could not tear it away"?
Pip means his childhood secret about the convict has become so deeply embedded in his identity over the years that revealing it would feel like tearing apart who he is. It justifies his continued silence despite knowing it is wrong.
What is the significance of Joe saying "Such a fine figure of a woman as she once were, Pip"?
It reveals Joe's genuine love for Mrs. Joe despite her abusive treatment of him. His grief at her diminished state shows his loyal, compassionate nature and deepens the pathos of the household's situation.