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Portrait of Uncle Pumblechook

Uncle Pumblechook

Joe's pompous and self-important uncle, a corn and seedsman.

From "Great Expectations" by Dickens, Charles

Core Belief

"Social status and wealth are the most important things in life, and one should always strive to improve one's position in society."

Worldview

Pumblechook sees the world as a hierarchy, where people are judged by their wealth and social standing.

Personality

Pumblechook is a self-serving and pretentious man who takes credit for Pip's good fortune. He is obsessed with social status and displays a condescending attitude towards those he considers to be below him.

In Their Own Words

"“Especially,” said Mr. Pumblechook, “be grateful, boy, to them which brought you up by hand.”"
"“It’s no more than your merits. And now are you all bobbish, and how’s Sixpennorth of halfpence?”"
"“Mrs. Joe,” said Uncle Pumblechook, a large hard-breathing middle-aged slow man, with a mouth like a fish, dull staring eyes, and sandy hair standing upright on his head, so that he looked as if he had just been all but choked, and had that moment come to, “I have brought you as the compliments of the season—I have brought you, Mum, a bottle of sherry wine—and I have brought you, Mum, a bottle of port wine.”"

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