The book was not as depressing as I expected. A poor boy made upwardly mobile by a secret benefactor who doesn't reveal himself until the end, being a convict that the boy helped at the stories outset.

I couldn't really sift out any moral lesson.

And it provides a mostly-happy ending the whole family can enjoy. ( )

I think Algernon Swinburne put it best when he said that its "defects are as nearly imperceptible as spots on the sun or shadow on a sunlit sea." A perfect novel, one of the best in the language. Dickens again and again instills a kind of pride in me for being a native English speaker. ( )

I did not like this book at all. It's been a while since I read it, so I can't really explain why, but I know I didn't like it. See my review on A Tale of Two Cities. ( )

I have to confess that I kept putting off snapping the binding on this book because it started to feel like I had a college assignment that I truly didn't want to read. However, I am glad that I read "Great Expectations." It was actually my second time through as I realized when I started reading...I discovered that this book was one of the classics that I read in between college and dental school when I was bound and determined to read as many of the classics as possible. I have to confess that it was definitely a different experience reading as a seasoned adult versus a naive 20 year old. "Great Expectations" follows the classic Dickensian plot of an orphan who comes of age and learns valuable life lessons along the way. Written in the first person by Pip, you are constantly coming in contact with characters that you love or hate with very little in between gray. There are definite high points in the story...love the scenes with Miss Haversham and low points...did not enjoy the years when Pip is an apprentice with his brother-in-law Joe. ( )

Pontificating, proselytizing protagonist surrounded by brainless supporting characters, all written by an author who is full of himself. After this, I have no respect for Dickens and all the "masterpieces" he believes himself to have created. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's self-important authors who write stories in which their condescension shines through. ( )

TERRIBLE!!!!! The book was about a poor man who had a benificiary. it was very boring and i would not recomend this book at all. ( )

Look I have tried and I will try again sometime, but Dickens is so linearly plotted, so mind ploddingly literal, so taken with tiresome detailed descriptions of candlesticks and cobwebs and cobblestones. You know I can read Shakespeare and the Russians but, as yet, apart from the joyfully short Christmas Carol, enjoying Dickens has eluded me. I'm afraid he's parked with Thomas Hardy. Sorry... sorry.

I was pleasantly surprised about how much I enjoyed this book when I read it as a Freshman. The characters and the plot are fascinating, and as the main character develops his priorities with all of the expectations that society places on him, one really thinks hard about what a 'gentleman' is essentially. ( )

Victorian literature was another revolution, replacing the romantic literature of the past that had romanticized the upper classes. Victorian literature was written for the people. Magazines became very popular with the English people and catered to all classes of readers. The popular magazines provided an outlet for many writers who wrote their novels in month-to-month sections, much like a serial. The pressure of social problems tended to create a new awareness of and interest in human beings and relationships; thus, characterization became a dominant quality in literature.

Dickens was a master at creating characters and bringing them to life. Great Expectations houses some of the greatest characters of all time. The timeline of Pip as he grows from the loneliness of a little orphan boy into the complicated world of a young adult has proven to be one for the ages. He encounters the likes of Magwitch, Miss Haversham, Jaggers, Wemmick, and Estelle along the way.

Dickens wrote Great Expectations when he was in his upper forties yet he imbibes a mature Pip with such vivid detail of what a lonely child might feel as he makes his way through childhood experiences. This includes innocent expressions of what it means to be a gentleman. It also includes the angst of associations of guilt a childhood mind conjures up when confronted with threatening situations during his development of a sense of right and wrong. ( )

Wow. Just...wow. I can't even begin to explain how good this book was. But I'll try :P

For those who don't know the basic story, Pip is an orphan raised by his sister and her husband. One day at the age of seven, as he discovers the graves of his dead parents and siblings, he is threatened by a convict into stealing some food and a file to feed and free the man. Pip, frightened half to death, does as he is told.

Much later in life, he becomes suddenly wealthy at the hands of his benefactor, a person who's name he his not allowed to know. Assuming it to be Miss Havisham, the crazy old lady he's been visiting lately, as a scheme to make him a gentleman for her adopted daughter Estella, he leaves his old life, and the only people who have ever cared for him, thoughtlessly behind in pursuit of the old lady's beautiful daughter.

What a beautifully told story. Dickens's prose is near magical and, though definitely not modern, extremely easy to follow. I loved Pip, despite his horrid faults. He's arrogant and selfish, but that's the point. Dickens wrote about the tragedies he saw every day: people desiring material wealth at the expense of those around them, heartless people wanting only to hurt others, the taking for granted of beautiful friendships, the judgement of good people based on looks or wealth alone (hmm, this kind of sounds like today). Though Pip is the main character and the one who we are supposed to identify with the most, he embodies most of these traits. He is a truly flawed character that reminds me of most people I know. Through him, we make the same mistakes he does but we also learn as he learns. To judge Pip's character is to judge your own.

When Pip comes into his inheritance, he officially rises to a position higher than Joe, his sister's husband and the only one who loved him through most of his childhood. Pip becomes wealthy and educated, he starts to look down upon Joe's simple, blacksmith ways. He disregards Joe's feelings, hurting him terribly, because Joe does not fit into his new society. Joe embarrasses Pip so Pip will not stand his company. How many teenagers/young adults does this remind you of? Though most people treat it as a normal symptom of growing up (and I'll admit to being guilty of it myself), it's a real eye-opener to truly see the effects of one's thoughtless behavior. That's what this entire book is about: thoughtlessness. It is my belief that Dickens wanted people to think about others and to realize what is really important, and that's the people you share your life with. It's nice to have money, but money comes and goes. Your parents, siblings, children, aunts and uncles only have so much time before they're gone, so treasure them.

I admit that I'm a very materialistic person. It's gotten me into a lot of trouble financially and I'm not proud of my situation at the moment. I think it's fantastic that I found this book, focusing so much on moving away from materialistic wealth and towards true riches, at a second hand store for only $.10. Normally, when I finish a book, I put it back on the shelf. This one, however, I'm leaving out on my desk where I will see it everyday. Great Expectations will act as a reminder for me as to what kind of life I want to start living.

I don't think this review did this book justice, but I don't care. At the moment it's late and after finishing this book, I feel I need to have a long heart to heart with my mom. ( )

GREAt and great. A novel of self-discovery, and finding out that what you truly want isn't about money or positon. A+ ( )

Read after "Mister Pip" by Lloyd Jones

I have a problem with Great Expectations. The problem is, I believe I haven't read it. I have, three or four times, but the very first time, I didn't finish it (we were reading it aloud on a class trip, and the trip ended) and somehow, no matter how often I read it, I think I've never finished it. It's been my secret shame.

So I'm writing this review to remind me. I have read Great Expectations. The parts of it I cherish are the sidelights: Magwitch, Wemmick and his Aged Parent. Even the Pockets tumbling up. In the introduction to this edition, John Irving mentions that the language shifts when the plot takes off. Perhaps that's why I stop remembering it: the sidelights fade. I've never had too much use for Mr. Pip (as opposed to young Pip, who is rather charming) -- none of his repentance and retrospective self-deprecation was enough for me.

While I see the craft in this book, and the rich imagery that makes it so beloved of English teachers, it is not my favorite Boz. It's well worth reading though, if only for the images -- the ruined wedding feast, the clerk 'posting' bits of toast through his mail-slot mouth, the family of gravestones by the marshes -- that will stick with you, even if the denouement insists on fading. ( )

A timeless classic, adapted to film, about an orphaned boy, Pip, reared by my sister and her husband, only to come into a large fortune by an unknown donor. Pip leaves his family behind on a quest to become a true gentleman and learn everything one of money needs to know. He falls in love with Estella only to have his heart broken over and over by the cold hearted woman.

Dickens writes dark and lonely well, and nothing is left out in this tale of fortune, forgiveness, and finding out the truth.

Though the story focuses on Pip and his life before and after money, it takes a turn into telling the story of all characters and how Pip was throw into this life without even realizing the knowledge he held, key secrets to his love’s real life and those around him.

‘Great Expectations’ has been somewhat of a literary journey of discovery. I started with a mild dislike of Dickens as Pip finds himself contemplating the gravestones of his parents. This stemmed from my one abortive attempt at reading ‘The Pickwick Papers’
My dislike gently fades as Pip embarks on achieving his great expectations introducing some marvellous characters, in particular, Miss Havisham and Wemmick with his Aged P. By the time I find myself reading the chapter entirely devoted to Pip’s exploration of his feeling for Estella I found myself, thoroughly enjoying, the language, the plot and the characterisations involved.
This book is a delight and will be remembered more so as the highway that led to my final understanding and appreciation of 19th Century language and Dickens' work in particular. ( )

The basic plot of this book was interesting, and I can see why it's a classic. However, Dickens is extremely wordy. He goes on and on about things that are completely irrelevant to the plot. ( )

Great Expectations is one of the Dickens books I never read because I was sure I had read it. I knew all about spooky Miss Havisham in her wedding dress with her moldy, spider-filled wedding cake, so I must have read it, right? No, I must have watched the dreary 1970s movie version somewhere along the line and missed out on the real thing.

Too bad it took so long to get around to this one because Great Expectations is a whale of a good read. It is chock-o-block full of Dickens’s extraordinary characters, it is clever and funny, and there are exciting adventures, like prison breaks, murders, and a kidnapping. Orphan Pip goes from helping escaped convicts on the moors to keeping Miss Havisham company before being taken up by an unknown benefactor and taught to be a London gentleman. All goes awry before adult Pip can win the heart of his beloved Estella, but he learns important lessons and all comes right in the end.

As it turns out, all came more right in the end of the version I read than originally planned by Dickens. He changed the original melancholy ending in subsequent editions and mine used the later, happier ending. Having gone back and compared the two, the original seems more integral to the story. Either way, what a wonderful book. I wish I had read it 25 years ago, like I thought I had.

Also posted on Rose City Reader. ( )

Classic

Great Expectations is one of the more accessible of Dickens' novels. It is still dark and depressing, but the cast of characters is more varied. There's even a pinch of fancy and fun though it is tinged with derangement. It gets billed as a coming of age novel quite often, but I think it is much more complex than that. It is about hopes and dreams and let-downs more generally. I read it 3 times (all in school) and found it more enjoyable and more memorable than many assigned reads. ( )

Charles Dickens' Great Expectations is a coming of age tale that includes love, violence, money and even a little adventure. The book follows a boy named Pip as he grows from a lower class child into a man of an upper class status. In the time that this book was written, one's social status was of the utmost importance, and Pip as a young boy had nothing but aspirations for becoming a part of high class society.
The ironic thing about this story however is that it doesn't glorify the upper class lifestyle. Sure things from Pip's perspective do seem glamorous at first, but as he grows up he begins to enjoy his lifestyle less and less. This is due to a few contributing factors. One is a girl... this story, like any other with a boy, has a girl. This girl has the tendency to break Pip's heart, and that affects his frequently despondent mood. There are also other contributors to Pip's story of whom I will not speak of, bur needless to say this story takes quite a few twists and turns. One of the only complaints I have about it is it's length. This is indeed a long book, and reading it can become rather taxing at times. It was also tough to get a lot out of this book, seeing that I needed to focus on multiple assignments at once, which made things much more difficult and MUCH less enjoyable. However at the end of the day Great Expectations is a well written book that is sure to entertain.

Great Expectation gave me a sense of purpose. Not so much that I had one, but discovering my purpose. As we follow Pip’s story, I acquired the sense that he himself was in search of some purpose. Either way, this book is interesting. Now, keeping in mind I didn’t say I liked it, but it is interesting none the less.
It started rather dry for me. This may have just been a result of the styling of writing Charles Dickens likes to use. So the story is centered on this boy Pip. He is a commoner, but dearly wishes to rise to a higher status. The book is basically about this boy and his quest to gain a higher social standing, mostly just to score with this girl Estella. She is woven into the story through Ms. Havisham, the old mistress who hires Pip to play with Estella. Pip immediately falls for her, despite his young age. The problem is Estella treats Pip like crap. This is the whole basis of the story. That, and the convict.
Pip encounters two men fighting in the marsh as a child. One of the convicts confronts Pip and tells him to fetch food and a file. Pip does so, treating the convict indifferently to any other person. Now, this issue reoccurs later in the story with huge significance, won’t say how.
I would recommend Great Expectations, because most likely you will enjoy this novel. I however did not. It’s too long, and too dry for my taste. I would call this book an acquired taste. That, or I’m not quite old enough to appreciate it yet.

Reading Great Expectations has been a long, strenuous, effort. It was not the easiest thing to read and finding time to do all of the readings thoroughly was almost impossible. The characters, although relatable and realistic, did not have good personalities which made it difficult for me to really get into the story. I understand that this a novel written by a great author, that this is classic work, but I have to say this runs a close tie with Robin Crusoe on my list of favorites.
One of the aspects of the novel that I did like was that Pip showed, at times, that he knew his head had gotten to big. One of the only acts of kindness Pip did, other then give Herbert the money, was telling Able that the daughter he thought her lost was alive, well, and beautiful. I feel like a lot of people from my generations and the ones to follow will also have a difficult time reading this because of all the advancements and progress writers have made in the last century.
I’m not disappointed that I studied this novel this semester; I think it will be to my benefit in the years to come, but for now, as a second semester senior, I personally did not enjoy this novel for its entertainment aspect.

I actually enjoyed reading this book; in the beginning I thought I was going to hate it. This story deals with so many topics – love, finding someone, losing someone, arrogance & cruelty, depression – all emotions that could pertain to our lives. If a book is relatable to the reader, it makes it all more interesting. Pip (the main character) is a young orphan who had to live with his sister and her husband. His sister had a very hard hand, seemed to show no emotion other than anger and commands. Pip would always go to Joe for comfort. Pip’s “journey” all started off with an encounter with a convict in the cemetery. Later he is introduced to a family of higher social class who end up having a negative influence on Pip – gives him arrogance, teaches him to look down on people – losing sight of the people who truly cared about him. Also with these visits he falls in love with the daughter at this house – Estella, who treats Pip cruelly. Pip rises and falls throughout the book, it was interesting to see how he had realizations as to how he changed - it showed character development.

Great Expectations was written by John Dickens, and was published weekly in newspapers. Maybe it’s the reason why this book is long; too long to my mind. Even though, links between characters are really well done and the scenario is very understandable, I don’t think that it was a realistic book. London is so huge, how was it possible that all characters were so closely related? I mean, it can be fine for Estella, Molly, Mr Jagger and Miss Havisham but the facts that Magwitch was Estella’s father and that Compeyson was the one that robbed Mrs Havisham make me wonder on how much this story could have really occurred. I think it is very unlikely. Besides that, the main topic of the book didn’t interest me a lot. Once again, what were the probabilities, at this time, that a poor man really inherit of a fortune and becomes a gentleman? Plus, the ending was too easy. After 11 years, Pip finds Estella again! We can easily suppose that everything is going to be for the best to them. Personally, Estella’s character makes me think of one more of her trick after the death of her husband. She is old and needs someone that would accept her.
However, I would like to highlight to points of the novel that I liked. This book is supposed to show Pip’s evolution through time (Bildungsroman) and it does it well. Also, there were MANY characters in this book, and Dickens well connected them. He didn’t forget an ending for any of them. Despite my lack of interest for the novel in general, I really wanted to know the conclusion for every people. On this part, Dickens managed to interest me. I was reading the book by curiosity and not by duty.

For years, I have been in conversations with people who aren't English majors, who don't read that often, and can still reference this novel. Previously, I haven't had a clue what they meant, but now, I can really see how much this novel has affected society. I can also tell you first hand that it is a perfect representation of society now, even though it was written as long ago as it was. I know quite a few people who I could relate to Estella, Pip, Havisham, and even Jaggers. Now, I can take part in, and understand when these names come up in conversation in relation to real people. It is one of those things that helps make the story entertaining and believable. Verisimilitude is key in any novel, because it keeps people interested. I started replacing the characters in the novel with people I actually knew, because they fit to the character so well. I think that if they knew that, they might be slightly angry, but it helped me enjoy the book a lot more than I otherwise would have. I like being able to relate things I read to real life. With this, I can. Charles Dickens might as well have had a pen and paper and traveled with me throughout my life. The same story would have been exactly the same for most parts, just in a different age, and new names for the characters. I did enjoy this book, and I'd seriously recommend it. If for nothing else, so that you can make sophisticated jokes to people that they will never understand unless they themselves have read this fantastic piece of literature. ( )