Book Review of Great Expectations

Book review of Great Expectations

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Great Expectations is a tale of a young man raised high above his

position in society by a mysterious person. Despite the book lacking

in length, it more than makes up for in its remarkable characters and

gripping story.

It was published serially in 1860 and issued in book form in 1861. The

third person mixed with first person narrative takes Pip (Philip

Pirrip) through a journey he would never forget. He was brought up “by

hand”, in the marshes of Kent by his disagreeable Sister and the

sweet-natured Joe Gargery and always wanted to grow to be a wealthy

gentleman.

The young Pip one day helps a convict to escape in a nearby graveyard

by getting him some food that he needed and a file to take the iron

off his leg. Pip was unaware of all that what was to follow such a

task.

Having started the novel in a cemetery, Dickens introduces Pip into

the decaying household of Miss Havisham, a rich women, driven half-mad

by her lover that left her on their wedding day. Pip was brought to

Miss Havisham’s to play with her ward, Estella, whom was being taught

by Miss Havisham to make young men love her, as she was so beautiful.

Estella makes Pip become ashamed of himself, as she torments him on

how he looks and makes him feel common (as he is). She makes Pip’s

life a misery at the same time as making him fall in love with her.

These two things eat away at Pip, especially when he continues to

visit Miss Havisham’s eerie mansion, “Satis House”.

Pip wanted to become “oncommon” as well as wanting to turn out to be a

gentleman. He increasingly becomes unhappy with his life as he thought

he would stay as Joe’s apprentice for all of his time. He als...

... middle of paper ...

... he had his doubts on the

ending to Pip’s journey.

The story is creative and unpredictable, and divided into three

stages. Although the second stage is rather boring until the end, the

first phase sets up everything that later occurs in the novel, with

the third stage being full of excitement and contains Pip’s regrets on

what has happened in the course of his life and also, his improvement

in himself.

“Great expectations” is to a great extent a very well made novel,

examining moral values and using a large variety of skills to provide

us with the story. Dickens’ memorable characters come to play their

part in a story whose title shows the reader the deep irony that

created Dickens’ thoughts on the Victorian class.

The novel was written over a hundred years ago, and despite being dull

at times, it still has a lot to say about the way we live today.