CHAPTER 46 Practice Quiz — Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: CHAPTER 46
Where is Magwitch hiding in Chapter 46?
At Mrs Whimple's house on Mill Pond Bank, Chinks's Basin, near the Thames.
What alias does Magwitch use at Mrs Whimple's?
Mr Campbell. Herbert tells the household he has Mr Campbell consigned to his care.
Who is Clara Barley?
Herbert Pocket's fiancée, a gentle dark-eyed young woman of about twenty who cares for her invalid father at Mill Pond Bank.
Who is Old Bill Barley?
Clara's bedridden father, a gouty former purser who drinks rum constantly and growls from his upstairs room.
What nickname does Herbert use for Clara's father?
Gruffandgrim.
What does Pip deliberately withhold from Magwitch?
The information that Compeyson is in London. Pip fears Magwitch's hatred would drive him to seek Compeyson out and destroy himself.
What warnings does Pip relay to Magwitch from Wemmick?
That Magwitch is under suspicion, Pip's chambers have been watched, and Magwitch must stay hidden until they can arrange his escape abroad.
What escape plan does Herbert propose?
Pip should buy a boat and row regularly on the Thames to establish a routine, then eventually row Magwitch downriver to a foreign-bound ship.
What signal system do Pip and Magwitch agree upon?
Magwitch will pull down the east-facing window blind whenever he sees Pip row past and all is well.
How has Pip's attitude toward Magwitch changed by Chapter 46?
Pip now feels genuine concern and affection for Magwitch, with his heart described as "heavy and anxious" at parting — a stark reversal from his earlier revulsion.
What does Magwitch ask Pip to say instead of "Good-bye"?
"Good night." This request shows Magwitch's emotional vulnerability and his hope that they will meet again.
What comic detail about Old Barley and cheese does Herbert share?
Old Barley insists on cutting Double Gloucester cheese himself despite having gout in his right hand, which produces furious roars of pain.
How does Old Barley function as a foil to Magwitch?
Both are rough, socially marginal men, but Barley is selfish and tyrannical while Magwitch displays quiet dignity and gratitude — showing moral worth is independent of class.
What theme does the river symbolize at the end of Chapter 46?
The river carries dual meaning: Herbert sees it flowing romantically toward Clara, while Pip dreads that every dark mark on it might be Magwitch's pursuers.
What is the theme of concealment in Chapter 46?
Multiple layers of concealment operate: Magwitch hides under a false name, Pip withholds information about Compeyson, and the rowing plan is designed to disguise the escape as routine.
What literary device does Dickens use through Old Barley's scenes?
Comic relief. Barley's growling, cheese disasters, and profane sea-shanty lighten the tension surrounding the dangerous escape plot.
What foreshadowing appears at the end of Chapter 46?
Pip's paranoia about being watched, the dark river flowing toward Magwitch, and the ominous silence at the Temple all hint at future dangers.
To what does Pip compare Clara Barley?
A captive fairy pressed into service by a "truculent Ogre" (her father Old Barley).
What does Pip notice is different about Magwitch when he visits?
Magwitch seems "softened" in an indefinable way that Pip cannot precisely describe but clearly feels.
Where does Pip eventually row to as he establishes his routine?
He starts above Blackfriars Bridge and gradually extends his range through the Pool shipping lanes, past London Bridge, and down to Erith.
What persistent fear plagues Pip after this chapter?
The haunting notion of being watched. Once the idea takes hold, he suspects countless innocent people of surveillance.