Charles Dickens' Great Expectations

This book takes place during the late

1800's and is a story about a confused child and his

struggles though out life. It is broken down into three

different stages. As the novel opens, Pip (main character) is

wandering amongst his parents' tombstones in which he

confronts an escaped convict. This criminal threatens Pip

and tells him that in order for him to have his life spared,

Pip has to bring him a metal file and food. Pip does so and

the convict is grateful for his obedience. A few nights later,

the police catch the criminal but Pip does not reveal to

anyone what happened between the two of them. A few

weeks later Pip is instructed by his sister, Mrs. Joe

Gargery, (Pip's guardian) to go to Miss Havisham's house.

This lady is a very weird and strange person. Her fiancé left

her at the alter and she has hated men ever since. Her

house is filled with wedding stuff that is molded and

dust-covered because it has not been touched in 30 years.

When Pip to Miss Havisham's house, he meets Estella.

Miss Havisham's adopted daughter was taught to hate men

and to never fall in love. Estella is very beautiful and Pip

falls in love with her at first sight. However, she does not

love him because she has been taught otherwise. Over

time, Pip begins to fell ashamed of his uncommon life and

wants to seek a richer, more interesting life. So Pip spends

the next few years of his life at the forge where his Uncle

Joe, who is a black smith, works. While working he

receives a surprise visit from a lawyer, named Mr. Jaggers,

who tells him that he has "great expectations" from a secret

benefactor. This means that someone will pay Pip to learn

how to be a gentleman. This gets Pip very excited. At first

Pip thinks that the benefactor in Miss Havisham because he

thinks that he is being groomed into a gentleman so he can

someday marry Estellas. The next stage begins with Pi

going off to London to become a gentleman. He gets an

apartment and lives with Herbert Pocket. In London Pip

gets tutored, and learns exactly what it takes to become a

gentleman. However, he still is curious on who his secret

benefactor is. He goes to Mr. Jaggers to uncover the

mystery but the lawyer will not give him a clue. Pip later

receivers a letter from Estella explaining that she is in Paris,

and she would be happy to see him. Pip not seeing her for

years instantly falls back in love with her but in