In "Great Expectations," why is Pip unable to notice Joe's intelligence?

Another reason Pip is initially unable to notice Joe's intelligence is his lack of discernment. From the very beginning, Pip has always been one to pride himself on his scholarship and intellect. In Chapter Seven, he patronizes Joe when he realizes that the older man is largely illiterate. At this point in his youth, Pip does not yet realize that intelligence is not necessarily synonymous with book learning.

Pip's lack of discernment is further reinforced...

Another reason Pip is initially unable to notice Joe's intelligence is his lack of discernment. From the very beginning, Pip has always been one to pride himself on his scholarship and intellect. In Chapter Seven, he patronizes Joe when he realizes that the older man is largely illiterate. At this point in his youth, Pip does not yet realize that intelligence is not necessarily synonymous with book learning.

Pip's lack of discernment is further reinforced after he comes into a fortune and is apprenticed to Mr. Matthew Pocket. Almost overnight, Pip is thrust into a world of affluence, and he is given an almost unbelievable opportunity to turn himself into a London "gentleman." Because his newfound position affords him great privileges and an upper-class education, Pip begins to entertain the idea of winning the beautiful Estella for a wife. Meanwhile, he rejects Biddy and Joe as relics from a shameful, impoverished past.

Basically, Pip becomes a snob; he takes on an elitist attitude towards Joe and Biddy because he incorrectly equates poverty with ignorance. At this point, it is impossible for Pip to recognize Joe's intelligence because his perception has been dulled by the trappings of wealth and his lust for social relevance. Ironically, Pip's impoverished beginnings lead him to develop entrenched biases against the working classes. He becomes ashamed of what he considers Joe's coarseness, and he works to disassociate himself from the older man.

Pip's ambition blinds him to his precarious position. He competes with Bentley Drummle for Estella's hand but fails to prevail; Drummle becomes Estella's betrothed and eventually marries her. Later, Pip discovers that Magwitch, a common convict, is responsible for his rise to prominence, and this devastates him.

Pip's seemingly perfect life starts to fall apart. He begins to realize that he will never truly be considered an equal among his privileged and titled peers. These new revelations become the catalyst for Pip's journey towards maturity. He begins to develop discernment and to learn that there is a great difference between book learning and wisdom. Essentially, Pip learns to appreciate the simple and unadorned nobility of character that Joe has always exemplified.