Great Expectations is an enthralling, complex tale - with a surprising twist. It is a rags to riches story for a young orphan boy, whose name is Pip.

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Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations is an enthralling, complex tale - with a surprising twist. It is a rags to riches story for a young orphan boy, whose name is Pip.

In the beginning of the novel, Pip the protagonist, has a chance meeting with Magwitch an escaped convict, still in leg irons. Pip is threatened, and shortly returns with food and a file, which pleases Magwitch. Pip has no idea of the significance that this chance meeting will have on the rest of his life.

Some time later, Pip meets the wealthy, eccentric Miss Havisham and her adopted daughter, Estella. Miss Havisham is a deeply troubled individual. On her wedding day her groom fails to turn up and the wedding is cancelled. This has lead to Miss Havisham's vendetta against all men, and she uses the beautiful Estella as the main tool in this quest. Despite Estella's spitefulness, Pip immediately falls in love with her.

Pip learns that he has a mystery benefactor, which he assumes is Miss Havisham. With his new found wealth, Pip decides to go to London to pursue to life of a gentleman. Pip disowns and is embarrassed by his past. Many years later Magwitch appears on the scene and announces that he is the secret benefactor, which leaves Pip in a state of shock. Pip eventually reacquaints himself with his past and befriends Estella. Pip has learnt during his life that money is not everything and happiness is more important.

In Great Expectations there are many themes the most important of which is power. For example, Miss Havisham seeks total power over men. Another major theme is friendships. The manner of friendships is explored and how they can change over time. Finally ambition and self improvement is a potent theme. Pip seeks to gain an education and is not satisfied in being a blacksmiths apprentice.
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The wealthy, barely sane Miss Havisham lives in a decaying mansion called Satis House.

Firstly, Dickens describes her appearance as being "withered" along with her bridal dress. He also says that she looks like a "waxwork" and a "skeleton" crossed together which seems inhuman to Pip, as a young boy. Furthermore Dickens says "...the dress had been put on it a rounded young figure of a young woman, and that figure of which it now hung loose..."

We can learn from these descriptions that Miss Havisham no longer cares about her figure after being jilted on ...

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