“And Joe and Biddy both, as you have been to church to-day, and are in charity and love with all mankind, receive my humble thanks for all you have done for me, and all I have so ill repaid!”
– Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, Chapter 58. Pip’s shame and regret over his treatment of Joe and Biddy is expressed in this speech. He regrets the ingratitude he has shown in response to their love and kindness. A more humble Pip finally sees the error of his ways when he lived a life built on superficial values and forgot who his true friends were. Pip’s apology for the way he treated them shows an awakening of a sense of integrity on his self-improvement journey.