Great Expectations

One of the longer books that I have on the RA Favorite Book list was written by Charles Dickens, a classic author. The book, Great Expectations,is the quintessential tale of the life of a young boy, Pip, that has everything and has a life altering experience which leads to an adventure of a lifetime.  The tale, which is set in the early 1810s, begins with a young six year old visiting his dead parents cemetery plots and is confronted by an escaped convict.  The convict forces Pip to steal some things from his aunt’s home to assist him during his travels.  Pip’s sister, the evil “step-mother” type character, is constantly berating Pip for not living up to her expectations.  Luckily for Pip, her husband, Joe, is the nice guy who supports him as much as he can.  After Pip’s helping effort to the convict, he sits at the table with family and guests on Christmas Day for the big dinner, unfortunately the dessert, which Pip gave to the convict, is ready to be served when the local sheriff comes for help from Joe, a blacksmith, with a tool once they capture the escaped convict.  Later that evening they do capture the convict, who confesses to all that Pip was not responsible for stealing things from the aunt’s home and that he did so.  By doing so, the convict begins to create his connection to Pip, which comes back later to explain Pip’s changing expectations for his life.  Rarely do orphans make it big, but this is the tale where the “expectations” for a person based on their “lot in life” doesn’t always follow the pattern they are “supposed to follow.”  Pip falls in love with Estella Havisham, the adopted orphan of Mrs. Havisham, a crusty old woman who has not left her home since she was scorned by a lover many years earlier.  Pip is contacted by a lawyer informing him that he has received a significant inheritance, though the lawyer can’t let him know who the person who left him the money is.  Pip lives the good life, always thinking that Mrs. Havisham was the giver.  Pip finds challenges in love (losing Estella) and finally losing his money.  He also learns who really provided him the inheritance; it wasn’t Mrs. Havisham, whom he has an incredibly bad interaction (which leads to her demise).  Pip’s expectations are never realized as he loses most everything of value, but he gains something more valuable than riches.  While this is a very LONG tale, Dickens is quite the writer of prose.  The story keeps the reader engaged and wondering what’s next for Pip.  Will he and Estella ever really be together?  When her husband learns of her frugal beginnings and adoption, she too falls from grace and is left alone.  Ahh, so Pip gets a second chance!  What will happen?  You will need a good deal of time to get through this long book, but a good read nonetheless!  Dickens is a must read for the avid reader.  In the same league as Melville, Steinbeck, and Hemingway!