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Great Expectations
Original title Great Expectations
Author Charles Dickens
Genre Novel , Bildungsroman
Language English
Characters Philip "Pip" Pirrip, Estella Havisham, Compeyson, Miss Havisham, Arthur Havisham, Abel Magwitch, John Wemmick
Published December 3, 1860
ISBN 978-0-14-303955-2
Book Summary
Essay Examples

Table of Contents

In “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, the protagonist Pip is a young boy who lives in the English countryside with his sister and her husband. Pip is content with his life until he meets a wealthy woman, Miss Havisham, who takes him under her wing. Pip then falls in love with Miss Havisham’s ward, Estella. However, when Pip learns that Miss Havisham has been using him to take revenge on all men, he realizes that he does not want to be with her anymore. Pip then sets out to find his own way in life, and he eventually becomes a successful gentleman.

  • 1The Dominance And Empowerment Of Women in “Great Expectations” By Charles Dickens
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    In the novel, it is quite the opposite of the real history of women in the Victorian Age. Women in the novel are the more dominant gender whereas in real life, it tended to be men. However, his tactics are not to be mistaken for feminist efforts. When women are painted in a non-domestic light, Dickens creates a brutal nature around them. In contrast, when women are submissive to men, they are seen as compassionate and nurturing. For example, Mrs.…
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  • 2Truth Claims of Marriage, Gender, and Social Class in Middlemarch and Great Expectations
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    Realism is an imperative theme across Middlemarch and Great Expectations. “The primary aim of realism is to represent real life for the time it is written, and it is the job of the author to create a number of different techniques in order to do so.” There is a substantial variety surrounding the number of truth claims used throughout George Eliot’s Middlemarch and Charles Dickens Great Expectations. These truth claims represent reality in their own ways. In this essay, I…
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  • 3Great Expectations: a Modern Tragedy in Modern Life
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    Literature can reflect society. Literature also points out what is wrong with the society. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens exposes the dark side of Victorian era's industrial age by making his novel a tragedy. Through the character, and structure, Great Expectations can be defined as a modern tragedy and with its tragedy characteristics, the novel reflects the Victorian society's suffering. First of all, Pip has many characteristics that belong to a tragic hero which is so crucial to a tragedy.…
    Tragic Hero
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  • 4The book “Great Expectation” by Charles Dickens
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    Kimberly Lacson ENG3U1-03 June 5, 2018 The book entitled “Great Expectation” convey events and circumstances that represents the occurrence in Victorian period, same historical period where Charles Dicken wrote this book. It mainly emphasizes how crucial the social condition is and how inequitable is very common between the rich, who gain convenience to all social aspects and the poor, who are mistreated or disregarded at this time. Hence, it signifies that the book is a reflection to the social condition…
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  • 5The Role of Social Class in Dickens’s Great Expectations
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    The Start of it all In Great Expectations, a novel by Charles Dickens, social class plays a big part in how the story twists and turns. The main character Pip is exposed to the whole spectrum of classes: criminals, lower class, middle class, and upper class. As Pip navigates his way through these social classes he forms relationships with people from all of the above. These relationships help him, and the reader, better understand the overall importance of life. From…
    Social Class
  • 6Irony As a Main Stylistic Device in Great Expectations
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    The Shackles of Injustice In the third part of Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses irony to communicate the following about injustice; it constrains the people that are experiencing it, whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally. There are many examples throughout the third part, most of which I found to be a little sad. Dickens uses irony as a very powerful tool to display the theme of injustice and what it does to the characters in the book. The extent…
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  • 7The Theme of Revenge in Dickens’s Great Expectations
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    Revenge, by definition, is "the action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands". People tend to believe that revenge is a form of justice, however, that is not always the case. In many different scenarios, people targeted by revenge and those seeking it will eventually experience either physical, mental, or emotional pain. Along with the themes of ambition, social class, and many others, revenge is a very prominent and constant recurring…
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  • 8The Identity of Miss Havisham in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations
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    Charles Dickens was a writer whose style of characterization was unlike that of any other writer during his time. Dickens was gifted with being able to create characters who have unique traits, personalities, complexities and flaws. For example, in the novel Great Expectations, first published in 1861, Dickens is able to create a world in which the characters have complex personalities and character traits, most of them seeming to stem from psychological roots. The character of Miss Havisham is one…
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  • 9An Influence Of Charles Dickens On Literature
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    Author Analysis: Charles Dickens Charles Dickens, the 19th century British writer is remembered as one of the greatest authors of all time. But what makes a writer liable for such a title? For this paper, I combined my knowledge of three Dicken’s books: Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities with that of three literary criticisms, and finally a personal letter by Dickens. Throughout my research, I was able to identify common themes appearing in most of…
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  • 10The Development of Pip in Great expectations
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    Through the story Great Expectations, we see that the main character of Philip Pirrip or Pip narrates his journey of growth from childhood to adulthood as he experiences life and all of the mishaps that go on in his life. We see that through all of this he experiences love, fortune, death, and betrayal. We also see how he gain friendship in certain people and finds way to have a better life. Philip Pirrip is the narrator as well as…
  • 11Biddy in “Great Expectations”: Illuminating the Power of Education and Empathy
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    In Charles Dickens' timeless novel, "Great Expectations," Biddy emerges as a character of quiet strength and unwavering empathy. While her presence may not command the same attention as some of the more flamboyant figures in the narrative, Biddy's significance lies in her transformative influence on Pip and her embodiment of the novel's central themes of self-improvement and social mobility. From the outset, Biddy's character is introduced as a humble and unassuming presence. Residing with her grandmother in the village of…
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  • 12Biddy’s Quiet Resilience in “Great Expectations”
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    Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" is rich with a cast of colorful and memorable characters, each playing their pivotal roles in the coming-of-age story of Pip. Among them is Biddy, a character who, at first glance, might seem to play a minor, supportive role. However, on deeper examination, Biddy's presence serves as a stark contrast to the grandeur and pretensions that surround Pip's life, grounding the narrative in humility and genuine kindness. From the outset, Biddy is introduced as an orphan,…
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  • 13Pips Irritation with Impersonating Trabbs Boy
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    In Chapter Thirty, Pip is vexed by Trabb's Boy, who impersonates him by putting on a cape and saying 'Sorry, don't know yah'. This annoys Pip, so he sends a letter to Trabb complaining about the boy. He got Trabb's boy dismissed. A real gentleman, such as Herbert would have learnt to deal with this scene and would have left it there rather than complaining. In Chapter Thirty-One, Pip sees Mr Wopsle perform Hamlet at a theatre. Although the performance…
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  • 14The Way Carol Duffy Explores Relationships English Literature Essay
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    The manner Carol Duffy explores relationships in her verse form is a rich topic for comparing, as each verse form puts an interesting spin on the manner she, as the narrative voice, reacts to the people around her. On the one manus we can look at the astringent intervention of the relationship in 'Havisham ' , as she is jilted at the communion table. This makes an utmost contrast to 'Before You Were Mine ' , in which we can…
    Parenting
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  • 15Great Expectations and their influence on Pip
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    The novel Great Expectations is a first-person narrative, ostensibly by Philip Pirrip who as a child was renamed Pip. The novel is also a bildungsroman, which means that the main theme of the novel is the education and experiences of one person, in this case Pip. Throughout the novel Pip comes into contact with four main women, all of whom have a significant influence on Pip, his life, and emotional feelings. Each of these women is portrayed in different ways…
    Influence
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  • 16Pip’s Journey to True Gentility
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    Great Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December 1860 to August 1861. The action of the story takes place from Christmas Eve, 1812, when the protagonist is about seven years old, to the winter of 1840. Great Expectations is written in a semi-autobiographical style, and is the story of the orphan Pip, tracing his life from his early days of childhood until adulthood. The story can also be considered semi-autobiographical…
    Progress
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  • 17Great Expectations Analysis
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    Write about how Dickens gives the reader a sense of tension and mystery in the opening of 'Great Expectations'. Charles Dickens, the author of 'Great Expectations', uses many different ways and different methods of building up tension and mystery in the setting. He uses a variety of techniques to give the graveyard, the marshes and miss Havisham's house mysterious feelings and give them a sense of darkness and Gothic horror. Dickens uses a semantic field to bring the effect of…
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  • 18Estella and Miss Havisham in Great Expectations by Dickens
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    I believe that this is a very effective and significant passage of writing in the story line, because it results in Pip changing his perception on values and contentment. Although it is not a dramatic moment, Dickens uses language to portray the humiliation and disgrace Pip feels, for example the word "disdain" is a very strong word, and tells how Estella looks down on Pip because he is not materially valuable in society. It can also be understood from this…
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  • 19‘Great Expectations’ by Dickens
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    The concept of the nineteenth century gentleman was always somewhat confused. Whilst members of the aristocracy immediately qualified, in the age of industrial progression and with people outside the upper class coming into great amounts of wealth, there seemed to be a need to define who did or didn't qualify. To be considered a gentleman meant you had to have a certain social status; to simply behave with dignity, manners and respect was nothing if you weren't projecting the right…
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  • 20Create atmosphere in the opening chapters of Great Expectations
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    How does Dickens introduce character and create atmosphere in the opening chapters of Great Expectations? The novel introduces Pip in a deserted graveyard, he is recalling his experiences from the past. He is a small child who named himself Pip because his "infant tongue" could not pronounce Pirrip or his Christian name Phillip. He is alone and is reading his parents` gravestones, this makes the reader feel sympathy for him, that he is a lonely and innocent boy. He had…
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  • 21Philip’s “Pip” life
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    The story is spinning around the Philip "Pip" whose life had the most stange events, coincidences and significant twists. He beat his own destiny by becoming a London gentleman, a companion to the wealthy old Miss Havisham and her gorgeous but snob adopted daughter, Estella. The novel has three parts, the First, Second and Third Stage of Pip's Expectations. Each stage brings up chapters of his life, his life as a child, his life as a paid companion to the…
    Interpersonal relationshipLifePsychologyRelationship
    Paper Type:650 Word Essay Examples
  • 22Great Expectations Project DevelopmentWithin the industry there
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    Great Expectations Project DevelopmentWithin the industry there are many challenges that are to be overcome in forming a new company and putting out work, both original or otherwise, some of these being universal, whilst others are dependent upon the target audience the company seeks to engage with. In this instance the emphasis is placed upon a new company using the Charles Dicken's story Great expectations as a first project. The company in question, Bright Spark would be a Theatre in…
    ArtDevelopmentTheatre
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  • 23Experiences of Child in Relationship With Youth and Parents
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    Describe the experiences of child characters as they engage in relationship with youth, parents, and the larger society's expectations. When children are born, they begin to be socialized by their parents before the youth and larger society's expectations come into the picture. This socialisation usually has a great impact on their self-concepts, self-perceptions and the decisions they take for themselves and the challenges they face as they grow. This essay will explore the impact of children's relationship with youth, parents…
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  • 24The Societal Struggles of Human Nature through Dickens Great Expectations
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    Human nature is the very essence that drives society, Charles Dickens explores how harsh society can be on a person through his novel Great Expectations which is a bildungsroman first published as a serial 'All the Year Round' from 1 December 1860 to August 1861. This novel was written in the Victorian era just after the Industrial revelation that changed society forever. The novel follows the journey of a young orphan named Philip Pirrip, nicknamed Pip as he rises to…
    Social ClassSociologyVictorian Era
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  • 25Fall 2018 Book Review (Great Expectations)
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    This novel was published in 1861 and was quite a hit. I think this is an drama, action type genre and it is an fictional novel. Charles Dickens audience target was the Middle Class to show how the middle class lived. This novel had many significant characters such as Pip, which was a short name for Pirrip. Pip was the leader and narrator of the novel. Pip is shown as an small orphan child living in Kent (near England) with…
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  • 26Great Expectations: A Synopsis
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    "The worst prisons are those we create for ourselves. " To what extent do you agree? Set in the 19th Century Victorian England, many of the main characters in Great Expectations' are imprisoned either virtually or metaphorically. Magwich is an actual prisoner of the English penal system, and is also a prisoner of his own desire to revenge Compeyson and the class system. Miss Havisham ad Pip create prisons for themselves out of their own fixations and obsessions. It could…
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  • 27Great Expectations Main Themes
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    All along, Pip was under the impression that his benefactor was Miss Havisham, as opposed to Magwitch. * Joe Gargery, Pip's brother-in-law, and his first father figure. He is a blacksmith who is always kind to Pip and the only person with whom Pip is always honest. Joe was very disappointed when Pip decided to leave his home and travel to London to become a gentleman rather than be a blacksmith. * Mrs. Joe Gargery, Pip's hot-tempered adult sister, who…
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  • 28The Power of Sympathy in Great Expectations
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    The writer then shows how powerful Pip thinks Abel Magwitch is. "So that his eyes looked most powerfully down into mine, and mine looked most helplessly up into his." This creates sympathy for Pip because he is helpless and alone. Dickens then emphasizes how helpless Pip is. "After each question he tilted me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger." This creates more sympathy for Pip. Abel Magwitch then threatens Pip…
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  • 29Dickens Presentation of Female Characters in Great Expectations
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    Charles Dickens' Great Expectations was first serialised in 1861 in the journal 'All Around the World' during the Victorian period. During this time women were almost regarded as second class, even though the reigning queen had been on the throne for fourteen years. On the contrary, the Queen herself was quite masculine thinking it quite 'improper' that women should have the same rights as men. No women could vote, all major decisions were made by men and there were no…
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  • 30The Enigmatic Miss Havisham: A Dickensian Portrait
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    Charles Dickens intricately weaves a tapestry of characters in "Great Expectations," with Miss Havisham standing out as a mesmerizing enigma. Her repulsive yet fascinating nature captures the reader's attention, and Dickens employs rich details and nuanced storytelling to unravel the layers of her complex character. As we explore two pivotal passages from the novel, we delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding Miss Havisham. Decay of Satis House: A Metaphor for Miss Havisham's Living Death Satis House, Miss Havisham's residence, serves…
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  • 31Explore Joe Gargery’s role in Great Expectations
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    In Excellent Expectations, Joe serves as a father figure to Pip, when he remains in truth his brother-in-law, as Joe married Pip's sibling, Mrs Joe Gargery. We are presented to Joe as a "moderate, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, silly, dear fellow". Pip describes him as a kind and gentle male, making the reader immediately like him. "Good-natured" and "sweet-tempered" provide Joe an endearing quality, so the reader is drawn to him. However, "absurd" introduces a possibly negative side to his character,…
    Explore
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  • 32An Evaluation of Pip, and His Great Expectations
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    In the year 1860, author Charles Dicken’s began his thirteenth novel, Great Expectations. The work is a coming-of-age novel, which tells the life story of an orphan boy named Pip, who much like Dickens’ in his earlier years is unhappy with his current life. A number of Charles Dickens’ personal life events are mirrored in the novel, leaving Great Expectations to be one of his most autobiographical works. Young Pip, the protagonist of the novel is stuck living in the…
    Paper Type:1600 Word Essay ExamplesEvaluation Essay
  • 33Parent-Child Relationships in Charles Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’
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    In Charles Dickens' novel 'Great Expectations,' the relationships between children and their parental figures play a central role in the exploration of themes such as belonging, status, and identity. The protagonist, Pip, begins his journey as an orphan, never having known his biological parents. This initial condition sets the stage for a complex web of familial dynamics that Dickens masterfully portrays throughout the narrative. Pip's early life is marked by a notable absence of traditional parental care. He grows up…
    Parenting
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  • 34Great Expectations Thesis
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    Charles Dickens used Miss Havisham as a sign of theoretical imprisonment. Miss Havisham; although not being physically sent to prison as Abel Magwitch, was a strong representation of a psychological jail time. She was never informed to remain locked up in her home rotting away and torturing herself for several years with no human interaction besides that of her step-daughter Estella and ultimately Pip. She not just physically imprisons herself however mentally she imprisons her mind into the state of…
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  • 35Revenge in the Great Expectations
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    Revenge is a primary theme in the novel Great Expectation by Charles Dickens. In this novel, many characters go out of their way to extract revenge, leading them to misfortunes such as death and imprisonment. Dickens makes it very clear that nothing positive can come from revenge through his characters and the results that come from their revenge. These acts range from petty resentment filled with passion, to long and drag out strife laced with malice, to lifelong vendettas driven…
    Revenge
    Paper Type:1600 Word Essay Examples
  • 36Extracts From ‘Great Expectations
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    The extracts I will be analysing are from the novel Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens. I am going to be describing how Dickens has succeeded in making the reader feel sorry for Pip. Dickens used his own experiences as a boy to help him write sympathetically of being a young child, his family had no money and got transferred from city to city until he was ten years old, his father was also sent to prison for six months…
    Paper Type:1800 Word Essay Examples
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