Great Expectations follows the life of an orphan named Pip, who lives with his sister and her husband. Pip seeks to better his station by gaining an education and making connections with the wealthy, particularly Miss Havisham and her adopted daughter, Estella. After receiving a mysterious inheritance, he becomes a gentleman in London, learns the truth about his benefactor, and matures through various trials and relationships.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is lauded for its rich character development and vivid depiction of Victorian society. Critics praise its intricate plot and profound themes of social class and personal redemption. However, some find the pacing slow and the prose occasionally dense. Overall, it's considered a classic with enduring literary value.

Readers who enjoy Great Expectations by Charles Dickens typically appreciate intricate character development, themes of personal growth, and social critique. Fans of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, which also explore complex characters and societal issues, would likely enjoy this novel.

Melancholic / Contemplative / Bittersweet / Mysterious / Nostalgic

**Pip (Philip Pirrip)**  
Pip is the protagonist and narrator of *Great Expectations*, an orphaned boy raised by his sister and her husband, Joe Gargery. The novel follows his journey from a blacksmith's apprentice to a gentleman with the help of a secret benefactor. Pip is driven by a desire for self-improvement and wealth, largely influenced by his love for Estella.

**Estella**  
Estella is Miss Havisham’s beautiful and refined adopted daughter in *Great Expectations*. Though aloof and cold-hearted towards Pip, he falls deeply in love with her. Estella is central to Pip's ambitions to rise in social status and become a gentleman.

**Joe Gargery**  
Joe is Pip’s brother-in-law and father figure in *Great Expectations*, a kind and gentle blacksmith who remains a loyal friend to Pip throughout the novel despite Pip distancing himself after becoming a gentleman.

**Miss Havisham**  
Miss Havisham is a wealthy, eccentric woman living in a decaying mansion near Pip’s village in *Great Expectations*. Jilted by her fiancé, she raises Estella to break men’s hearts, including Pip’s, reflecting her own heartache and desire for revenge.

**Abel Magwitch**  
Abel Magwitch is an escaped convict whom young Pip helps in *Great Expectations*. Grateful for Pip’s aid, Magwitch later becomes Pip's secret benefactor, funding his transformation into a gentleman as a form of repayment and support.

**Mr. Jaggers**  
Mr. Jaggers is a powerful lawyer overseeing Pip’s financial affairs in *Great Expectations*. He is known for his intimidating demeanor and represents both wealthy clients like Miss Havisham and criminals like Magwitch.

**Wemmick**  
Wemmick is Mr. Jaggers’s clerk in *Great Expectations*. Outside the office, he is friendly and good-natured, forming a personal bond with Pip and inviting him to his home where Wemmick cares for his elderly father.

**Herbert Pocket**  
Herbert Pocket is a friend of Pip's in *Great Expectations*. Initially meeting Pip as a child, they later live together in London. Herbert aids Pip in his transition to gentleman status and becomes a trusted confidant.

**Mrs. Joe Gargery**  
Mrs. Joe is Pip’s strict and often harsh sister who raises him "by hand" in *Great Expectations*. She is married to Joe Gargery and plays a role in Pip's early life, although she treats him sternly.

**Mr. Pumblechook**  
Mr. Pumblechook is Pip’s pompous uncle-in-law and a local merchant in *Great Expectations*. He takes credit for Pip's "good fortune" once Pip becomes a gentleman, despite having little to do with it.

**Biddy**  
Biddy is a kind and nurturing friend to Pip in *Great Expectations*, helping him with his education. She later becomes a caretaker in Pip’s household, representing humility and a simpler, contented life.

- Great Expectations was initially published as a serialized novel in All the Year Round, a periodical founded and edited by Charles Dickens himself, running from December 1860 to August 1861.
- Dickens was influenced by his own experiences as a child when crafting the character Pip, mirroring some of his personal struggles and triumphs in Victorian England.
- An original ending to Great Expectations was revised at the suggestion of author Edward Bulwer-Lytton, resulting in the version that most readers are familiar with today.

Charles Dickens

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore Great Expectations and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Great Expectations Summary and Study Guide

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-6

Great Expectations Chapters 1-6 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 7-14

Great Expectations Chapters 7-14 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 15-19

Great Expectations Chapters 15-19 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 20-26

Great Expectations Chapters 20-26 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 27-33

Great Expectations Chapters 27-33 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 34-40

Great Expectations Chapters 34-40 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 41-48

Great Expectations Chapters 41-48 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 49-56

Great Expectations Chapters 49-56 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 57-59

Great Expectations Chapters 57-59 Summary & Analysis

character

Character Analysis

Great Expectations Character Analysis

theme

Themes

Great Expectations Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Great Expectations Symbols & Motifs

quote

citation

Important Quotes

Great Expectations Important Quotes

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

Great Expectations Essay Topics

Great Expectations

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Great Expectations?

Reading Age

Book Details