Great Expectations

Great Expectations is a Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, by Charles Dickens. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip (the book is a Bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story). It is Dickens' second novel, after David Copperfield, to be fully narrated in the first person. The novel was first published as a serial in Dickens's weekly periodical All the Year Round, from 1 December 1860 to August 1861. In October 1861, Chapman & Hall published the novel in three volumes.

The novel is set in the 19th century, and follows the life of Pip, an orphan who dreams of becoming a gentleman. When he is given a large fortune by an unknown benefactor, he moves to London and falls in love with the beautiful and unattainable Estella. However, Pip's newfound wealth also leads him into a life of debt and deceit.

As Pip grows older, he begins to realize that the things he thought were important, such as wealth and social status, are not as important as the things he had originally overlooked, such as loyalty and friendship. He also learns that he must accept his past in order to move forward with his life.

Great Expectations is considered one of Dickens's greatest novels. It is praised for its humor, its social commentary, and its complex characters. The novel has been adapted into numerous films and television series.

Themes

The novel explores a number of themes, including:

• The importance of loyalty and friendship: Pip learns that the things he thought were important, such as wealth and social status, are not as important as the things he had originally overlooked, such as loyalty and friendship.
• The dangers of pride and ambition: Pip's pride and ambition lead him into a life of debt and deceit.
• The importance of forgiveness: Pip learns that he must accept his past in order to move forward with his life.

Characters

The novel includes a number of memorable characters, including:

• Pip: The protagonist of the novel, Pip is an orphan who dreams of becoming a gentleman.
• Estella: A beautiful and unattainable woman, Estella is the love interest of Pip.
• Miss Havisham: A heartbroken woman who has been trapped in time since her fiancé jilted her on her wedding day.
• Abel Magwitch: Pip's unknown benefactor, Magwitch is a convict who has been falsely convicted of a crime.
• Joe Gargery: Pip's kind and unassuming brother-in-law.
• Herbert Pocket: Pip's loyal and supportive friend.

Impact

Great Expectations is considered one of Dickens's greatest novels. It is praised for its humor, its social commentary, and its complex characters. The novel has been adapted into numerous films and television series.

Here are some of the novel's most famous quotes:

• *"I wish every reader would seize hold of me, for a good hard look, as I stake down my pen—for my own part, I am satisfied with making money."

• *"Pip, my dear! Pip, my dear!"

• *"She was so changed, was so beautiful, so refined, so unlike herself of old, that I took her for some other lady."

• *"My dear sir, I hope we may become well acquainted."

• *"Pip, that I have to come to this! Pip, that I have to tell you!"