Author: Charles Dickens
Year(s) of Publication: 1860-1861 (It was published piece by piece in the newspaper over the span of a year)
Genre: Bildungsroman
Setting: Mid nineteenth century England
Themes: Social Class ("I thought how Joe and my sister were sitting in the kitchen, and how Miss Havisham and Estella never sat in a kitchen, but were far above the level of such common doings."), Parents ("Dear Joe, I hope you will have children to love, and that some little fellow will sit in this chimney-corner, of a winter night, who may remind you of another little fellow gone out of it forever. Don't tell him, Joe, that I was thankless; don't tell him, Biddy, that I was ungenerous and unjust; only tell him that I honoured you both because you were both so good and true, and that, as your child, I said it would be natural to him to grow up a much better man than I did"), Generosity ("For now my repugnance to [Provis] had all melted away, and in the hunted wounded shackled creature who held my hand in his, I only saw a man who had meant to be my benefactor, and who had felt affectionately, gratefully, and generously towards me with great constancy through a series of years. I only saw in him a much better man than I had been to Joe.")
About Charles Dickens:
Book Summary:
Growing up, pip lives with his sister and her husband, Joe, in a small and melancholy town. Their financial situation relies solely on the monetary gain from Joe’s blacksmithing. They eat decently, but their clothing speaks of their economic hardships. In addition to financial difficulties, Pip faces abuse at the hands of his sister, and the cowardice of his brother-in-law. However, in the midst of the chaos in his life, he receives an invitation to spend time at a wealthy woman’s home. He reluctantly accepts the invitation at the forceful demand of his sister, and begins a habit of visiting the old woman.
While in the home of Miss Havisham, he meets the woman’s adopted daughter, Estella, and becomes quite smitten. Miss Havisham requires the two children to play games together, saying, “I want diversion, and I have done with men and women. Play” (Dickens 45). Estella and Havisham’s pristine and lavish lifestyle speaks volumes to Pip, and he begins to notice where he lacks luxuries. In an exchange between him and Estella, he becomes painfully aware of his social status and begins to weep. The description states, “She put the mug down on the stones of the yard, and gave me the bread and meat without looking at me…as if I were a dog in disgrace. I was so humiliated, hurt, spurned, offended, angry, sorry...that tears started to my eyes” (Dickens 48). His time under their roof breeds discontentment in his heart, and he begins to despise his home and his upbringing. His education, family, clothing, and home become despicable, and his guardians become embarassingfor their stupidity.
Year(s) of Publication: 1860-1861 (It was published piece by piece in the newspaper over the span of a year)
Genre: Bildungsroman
Setting: Mid nineteenth century England
Themes: Social Class ("I thought how Joe and my sister were sitting in the kitchen, and how Miss Havisham and Estella never sat in a kitchen, but were far above the level of such common doings."), Parents ("Dear Joe, I hope you will have children to love, and that some little fellow will sit in this chimney-corner, of a winter night, who may remind you of another little fellow gone out of it forever. Don't tell him, Joe, that I was thankless; don't tell him, Biddy, that I was ungenerous and unjust; only tell him that I honoured you both because you were both so good and true, and that, as your child, I said it would be natural to him to grow up a much better man than I did"), Generosity ("For now my repugnance to [Provis] had all melted away, and in the hunted wounded shackled creature who held my hand in his, I only saw a man who had meant to be my benefactor, and who had felt affectionately, gratefully, and generously towards me with great constancy through a series of years. I only saw in him a much better man than I had been to Joe.")
About Charles Dickens:
- Lived 1812-1870
- His father was a government employee who was horrible with money. His family moved to London in 1822 to try and start over, but his father found financial ruin again. His father's inability to get control of their finances landed him in debtors prison and caused Dickens to drop out of school at age 12 to work in a factory to try and provide for his family. This caused him much embarrassment. He dropped out of school again at age 15 to work when his father, yet again, burnt through their family money.
- Dickens married Katherine Hogarth
- He had ten children with nine surviving
- Unfortunately Dickens took on a relationship with a young actress and divorced his wife, publicly humiliating her.
- Many of his works were published in magazines in installments
- Was in a train accident in 1865
- He died at 58 of a stroke in his home
Book Summary:
Growing up, pip lives with his sister and her husband, Joe, in a small and melancholy town. Their financial situation relies solely on the monetary gain from Joe’s blacksmithing. They eat decently, but their clothing speaks of their economic hardships. In addition to financial difficulties, Pip faces abuse at the hands of his sister, and the cowardice of his brother-in-law. However, in the midst of the chaos in his life, he receives an invitation to spend time at a wealthy woman’s home. He reluctantly accepts the invitation at the forceful demand of his sister, and begins a habit of visiting the old woman.
While in the home of Miss Havisham, he meets the woman’s adopted daughter, Estella, and becomes quite smitten. Miss Havisham requires the two children to play games together, saying, “I want diversion, and I have done with men and women. Play” (Dickens 45). Estella and Havisham’s pristine and lavish lifestyle speaks volumes to Pip, and he begins to notice where he lacks luxuries. In an exchange between him and Estella, he becomes painfully aware of his social status and begins to weep. The description states, “She put the mug down on the stones of the yard, and gave me the bread and meat without looking at me…as if I were a dog in disgrace. I was so humiliated, hurt, spurned, offended, angry, sorry...that tears started to my eyes” (Dickens 48). His time under their roof breeds discontentment in his heart, and he begins to despise his home and his upbringing. His education, family, clothing, and home become despicable, and his guardians become embarassingfor their stupidity.
Pip’s world receives a shock when a man comes to his house and informs him that an anonymous benefactor whose identity “...remains a profound secret, until the person chooses to reveal it” (Dickens 107) decided to pay for him to, “...be immediately removed from his present sphere of life...and be brought up as a gentleman - in a word, as a young fellow of great expectations” (Dickens 107). Coming soon after his first inklings of life beyond his own limited upbringing, this offer excites Pip, and he begins preparing to move out of his home. Although Joe mourns the departure of his young brother-in-law, Pip gives little thought to the effects of these new opportunities on his family. He soon picks up his life and moves to London to pursue the will of his anonymous benefactor. Although the identity of the generous sponsor remains a mystery, his intentions for Pip’s life do not. He swiftly immerses Pip into the complicated world of the upper-class. Through these circumstances, Pip meets his future best friend and other influential men. Opportunities previously unavailable to him seem commonplace, and wealth becomes something taken for granted rather than seen as a luxury. His old ways begin to seem despicable, and he despises the simpleton of his family he left behind. All previous kindness forgotten, he hates all he grew up in, and rejects it with reckless abandonment. The funding from his anonymous benefactor significantly shapes his future and molds his attitude and personality.
On a dreary night, Pip finds an uninvited guest in his home. However, Pip finds a peculiar familiarity in the aged man. Memories flood his mind, as he recognizes the man as a convict he came into contact with years ago on the marshes. At the time, the convict fled the guards and needed a file to detach himself from his ankle restraints. Pip happened to walk through marshes at this time. The convict lunged at the unsuspecting boy and demanded a file lest he lose his life to the young man who possessed a “...secret way pecooliar to himself, of getting at a boy, and at his heart, and at his liver” (Dickens 3). After Pip’s memories of the man standing before him revive, the old convict explains to him that the moment he aided him in the marshes, he vowed that, “...sure as ever I earned a guinea, that guinea should go to you. I swore arterwards, sure as ever I spec’lated and got rich, you should get rich” (Dickens 250). He decided to devote his life and future wealth to bettering the life of Pip. He then explains that he developed a sort of paternal love for Pip. While Pip reels from this shocking information, the convict informs him that he continues to run from the law and requires a place hidden from authorities. This significantly complicates Pip’s life and leaves him harboring a fugitive that he now feels an obligation to care for. Pip and his friend later embark on a mission to return the convict to safety. On this trip, the convict fights a nefarious former partner in crime and kills him. The police swiftly arrest him and he receives a death sentence. However, before they send him to hang, he dies of poor health. This traumatic situation deeply affects Pip due to the fact that he assumed Miss Havisham funded his road to a proper and upper class life, causing him to believe that he would marry Estella. His dreams shatter when the true benefactor reveals himself, and Pip becomes angry with Miss Havisham for leading him astray in his thinking. All the events surrounding the convict and his true identity cause Pip to lose his entire fortune, leaving him penniless. At this point, Pip longs to return to the house he grew up in. The wealthy and lavish life he once led no longer satisfies him, and the revelation of his benefactor’s true identity sends Pip down a drastically different path than he intended.
My Thoughts:
Great Expectations is a well-written and excellent for those interested in a rags-to-riches story. I however, did not love this book simply because of its length. Despite the great wording, I found it to be difficult to get through and unnecessarily long. Many scenes could have been shortened or simply cut entirely. However, I am sure this was an easier story to read when it was originally being put out to the public because it was being published in installments in a magazine. Overall, I would not read this book again, but do not regret reading it once.
Great Expectations is a well-written and excellent for those interested in a rags-to-riches story. I however, did not love this book simply because of its length. Despite the great wording, I found it to be difficult to get through and unnecessarily long. Many scenes could have been shortened or simply cut entirely. However, I am sure this was an easier story to read when it was originally being put out to the public because it was being published in installments in a magazine. Overall, I would not read this book again, but do not regret reading it once.