Joe struggles to control his sadness that evening, and Pip is angry with him for being sad. Yet Pip also gets angry when Joe and Biddy manage to show genuine happiness for him and ask about his preparations. When Pip heads to town to get a new suit of clothes he observes that even the cows in the pasture seem to view him more respectfully. Trabb, the tailor, cannot be helpful enough and yells at his assistant for not being respectful enough to Pip. Even Pumblechook falls all over Pip. The pompous man shakes his hand, feeds him, and pretends that they were great friends when Pip was a child.
Pip speaks to Biddy about trying to work with Joe to be less backward in his learning and manners so he will be ready when Pip “elevates” him. Biddy observes that perhaps Joe is aware of what he is and is happy and dignified filling that role with respect. Pip gets angry, accusing her of jealousy, and remarks that he will not ask anything more of her. She apologizes if she has given any slight and notes that whatever he feels toward her, it will not change what she feels for him. She does observe though that “a gentleman should not be unjust neither.”
Before leaving, Pip wears his clothes to Miss Havisham’s where he succeeds in making Sarah Pocket jealous. Miss Havisham feeds his belief that she is his fairy godmother. On the day of his departure, Pip asks to leave alone, not wanting to be seen with Joe and Biddy when he greets the stage in his new clothes. He tries to be indifferent about leaving, but cries as he walks away. On the coach, he struggles with mixed feelings about the way he left and considers getting off the coach and returning to make amends. However, he cannot decide, and after a bit, the coach has gone too far to go back.
