The Finches of the Grove are a group of young men who have formed a club. They spend extravagant amounts of money on frivolous things. Pip associates with them because he aspires to be like them.
Pip’s spending habits are getting out of control. He spends even when he doesn’t have the money to do so. They get a lot of items ‘on tick’ meaning that they are running up debts with tradesmen. This is not a helpful practice as the spender may not be able to pay the debt and will end up in debtors prison and the tradesman ends up out of pocket.
Mrs Joe’s death is significant because she represented a time when his life plan was clear and had set rules – he would become a blacksmith and work hard. Pip actually feels a fondness for his dead sister even though she was horrible to him because she is linked with a simpler time in his life. Her death fails to bring Pip and Joe closer because Pip can still not acknowledge that his behaviour is self-entitled and weird.
Pip’s claim that Biddy has done him an ‘injustice’ and an ‘injury’ is ironic because Pip has stayed away from Joe and Biddy and not helped them out in any way. He is actually being quite cruel to Biddy and doesn’t even thank her for caring for Mrs Joe.
I find that rather than being a hero in the story, Pip is quite a contemptable person , his main concern is social possition and his standing with others. His treatment of Joe and Biddy the very people who in the past helped him he ignores.
Joe is the true solid character in the narrative and the fearsome Jaggers.
