Showing results for title "Great Expectations", by author "Charles Dickens" in Literary History & Criticism

This classic tale tells of an orphan, Pip, who through a series of strange circumstances first finds a trade as a blacksmith's apprentice and then learns that he has "great expectations" of a future inheritance from an anonymous benefactor. He soon learns to live the profligate life of a gentleman as he gradually sheds his associations with the gentle souls of his past, Joe (the blacksmith) and Biddy (a level-headed young lady). He throws his money at improving the prospects of his roommate and friend Herbert and his heart at an "ice princess" whose heart will never respond. But then an ...

"Great Expectations," a classic novel by Charles Dickens, chronicles the life of an orphan named Pip, who rises from humble beginnings to become a gentleman in Victorian England. The story, set in the early 19th century, delves into themes of social class, ambition, and personal growth.The novel opens with young Pip living with his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, and her blacksmith husband, Joe. Pip's life takes a dramatic turn when he encounters an escaped convict named Magwitch, whom he aids by providing food and a file to remove his shackles. This encounter leaves a lasting impact on Pip's ...