There are many wonderful biblical allusions in Great Expectations. For instance, we have Mr. Wopsle's reference to swine being the companion of the prodigal during his stern Christmas lunch lecture, when he accuses Pip of being ungrateful for all the many good things he has in life. Essentially, Mr. Wopsle is accusing poor young Pip of being a greedy pig, putting him in the same company as the Prodigal Son, who in the Bible was forced to work as a swineherd after he frittered away his father's inheritance.
Ironically, there are indeed parallels between Pip and the Prodigal Son, if not with the pigs he was forced to herd. For Pip could be seen as a Prodigal Son figure when he returns home to Joe Gargery after living the high life in London on the money left to him by Abel Magwitch. It's notable that Pip begs forgiveness of Joe for his snobbish behavior in much the same way that the Prodigal Son begged forgiveness of his father for having led such a dissolute lifestyle.
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