Great Expectations This is the story of a boy called Philip Pirrip whose parents were both dead.

He was brought up by his sister and her husband, who used to call him Pip instead of Philip. One cold winter afternoon he was at the graveyard, cold and frightened. Suddenly he heard a terrible mans voice who threatened to cut his throat. The man was wearing torn and muddy clothes, and his shoes were old and broken. He also had an iron chain on his leg, he was a convict. He asked Pip where he lived, who his parents were ad who he lived with. When he knew Pip lived with a blacksmith, he asked the boy to get him a file and some food for the next day. The man also told him that a young man was with him and he could find him wherever he was. Then the man went towards the marshes and Pip ran home. The forge was closed and Joe, his sisters husband, was in the kitchen. Pips sister had been out looking for him and she was really angry, and when she saw Pip, she beat him. Joe protected him. His sister was twenty years older than him. She was tall and thin, with a hard face and sharp black eyes. Joe was a simple, gentle man who never complained about her bad temper. It was Christmas Eve and as Mrs Joe was busy, she made Pip stir a mixture for a pudding. Suddenly they heard some loud noises. They were giving a warning about two convicts escape. The next morning Pip went downstairs, took a meat pie and some brandy for the convict, then he took a file from the forge and left the house. He met the convict, but it was the young one. He continued walking and then he saw the other man who grabbed the food from Pips hand. The boy asked him why he didnt give any to the young man. The convict asked Pip where he had seen him and Pip pointed to where the man was. Then the convict started to file the iron on his leg. Pip left quietly towards his house before Joe and his sister woke up. When Pip got home, Mrs Joe was busy with the Christmas lunch to ask him questions. Lunch was at 1.30. He was cleaned by Mrs Joe and dressed in his best clothes to receive the guests: Mr Wopsle, the church clerk, and Uncle Pumblechook. Pips sister offered her uncle some brandy, as soon as he drank it, he jumped up and began to rush round the room. Then he threw himself into a chair. By mistake, Pip had filled up the brandy bottle with his sisters strongest and most unpleasant medicine instead of water. After meal, Mrs Joe went to the pantry to get the meat pie Pip had taken to the convict. Pip was so scared that he tried to run away but in the front door there was a group of soldiers and the sergeant, who was holding a pair of handcuffs. They were looking for Joe, to mend them. When the work was ready they set off. Joe and Pip accompanied them. When they were on the marshes, suddenly they heard a shout. It was from the convicts. They were splashing in the muddy water of a ditch, cursing each other. The soldiers pulled them from the ditch, both torn and bleeding.

When the soldiers lit the torches, the convict Pip had helped saw him. Pip shook his head to show him that he hadnt wanted the soldiers to find him. Then the man said he didnt want to blame anyone for what he had done. He said he had stolen food from the blacksmiths house. Then the soldiers took them away. Two years later Joe and Pip were alone in the house. Mrs Joe had gone to town with her uncle. Pip had learnt to read and write in the evening school he attended, and was trying to teach Joe because he had never gone to school, his father made him work. Joes father was cruel to his mother and often hit her and Joe, too. That was why Joe had let Pips sister do what she wanted, marry him and bring Pip to the forge, because he didnt want any harm to her as he remembered his mother. It was 8 oclock when Mrs Joe and her uncle arrived. They said that Miss Havisham, who lived in town and knew Uncle Pumblechook, wanted a boy to go to her house and play there and Uncle Pumblechook offered Pip to go to the womans house. The next morning Pumblechook took Pip to Miss Havishams, a big and gloomy house, made of old stone and iron bars on the windows. A pretty girl beautifully dressed welcomed them. The girls name was Estella. She left the boy in but not his uncle. They went into the house by a side door, because the front door had chains across it. Inside it was dark, the curtains were drawn and the shutters closed. The girl led him across several passages and up a staircase with one candle. When they got to a room, the girl asked Pip to go in. He knocked at the door and a womans voice told him to come in. the room was large, full of furniture and lit by candles. Sitting at a table was the strangest woman Pip had ever seen. She was wearing a wedding dress, had brides flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. There were suitcases full of dresses and jewels. She only had one white shoe on. Then Pip realized that over the years, the white wedding dress had become yellow, the flowers had died and the bride had grown old. Only her dark eyes showed she was alive. The womans heart was broken so she thought shed like to see a child play. She asked Pip to call Estella to play cards with him. When she came in she didnt want to play with Pip because he was so common. When he made mistakes she laughed and was cruel to him. Miss Havisham asked Pip to whisper to her what did he think about Estella. He said he thought she was proud and cruel, but very pretty. Then Pip wanted to go home. Miss Havisham told Pip to come in six days and ordered Estella to give him something to eat and drink. Pip went out by the side door and the daylight hurt his eyes. Then Estella brought some meat and bread and placed it on the ground as if he was a dog. When she had gone Pip cried and kicked the wall. When Estella returned and unlocked the iron gate, she told him that she knew he

had been crying and laughed at him. Then she pushed him out and locked the gate. When Pip returned to the forge Mrs Joe asked Pip many questions but he invented stories. He thought the truth was too strange to be told. At night when he was alone with Joe he told him that nothing was true. The next time Pip went to Miss Havishams, there were some ladies and gentlemen there. Miss Havisham was in another room. There was a long table and on it there was a wedding cake covered with dust and insects feeding off it. She said she would be put on that table when she died. Then with Pips help, she walked round the room. The guests came in but soon after she asked them to go. Miss Havisham told him it was her birthday and many years before it should have been her wedding-day. Finally Pip went downstairs where he saw a fair-haired boy of his age. He was pale and wanted to fight. He pulled Pips hair and hit him hard in the stomach with his head. Pip answered and hit him in the nose and eye. Pip had won. They shook hands and the pale young boy walked away. Estella had seen everything and told Pip to kiss her if he wanted to. So Pip kissed her gently on her cheek, and then walked home. From then on, he visited Miss Havisham three times a week. He pushed Miss Havisham in a wheelchair. Estella was kind to him but sometimes she was also rude and cruel. But one day, Miss Havisham told him it was time to be apprenticed to his brother-in-law and ordered him to bring Joe soon. When Joe was there, she gave him a bag with twenty-five pounds for Pips work. Then they left. When they arrived home, Joe gave his wife the money. She was delighted with it. Pip became a blacksmith but he was afraid Estella would see his dirty face and hands. In the evenings he studied hard to be well educated. One day, after almost a year, Pip asked Joe for half a days holiday. Joes employee, Orlick, wanted half a day free to, but Mrs Joe didnt agree. Orlick was rude to her and she got so angry that Joe had to challenge Orlick to a fight. Soon he was on the ground. Then they drank a glass of beer peacefully in the forge. When Pip arrived at Miss Havishams, a servant opened the gate. Miss Havisham was alone because Estella was in France being educated to be a lady. Pip left the house and walked home. When he arrived at the forge, there was a crowd outside. Joe was in the kitchen with the doctor. His sister was lying quiet and still on the floor. Someone had attacked her when she was alone, she had been badly injured with a heavy weapon. Beside her there was an iron chain. Pip suspected the attacker could have been Orlick, because of his quarrel with his sister. She couldnt walk or speak. She could just write a word or draw. Joe hired a girl called Biddy to look after his wife. One Sunday Pip walked with Biddy and he confessed her he wanted to be a gentleman. He was in love with Estella and he knew he could be happier with Biddy, but hed never fall in love with her.

Pip had been an apprentice for four years. One evening they were in the village inn when a man came in asking for Joe and Pip. Pip had seen the man at Miss Havishams. He was Mr Jaggers. He had a client who had plans for Pip. The client wanted Pip to go to London to be educated as a gentleman. Pip thought the client was Miss Havisham. There were two conditions: he always had to use the name Pip and he wouldnt know his benefactors name. Pip would have a private teacher called Mr Mathew Pocket. In a weeks time Pip would be in London. Mr Jaggers gave him money to buy new clothes. Before leaving he said goodbye to Miss Havisham. At six oclock the next morning he left to London. He was a young man with great expectations. After a six-hour journey, he arrived at London after midday. The city was crowded and the streets were dirty and narrow. Pip went to Mr Jaggers office but he was at court so Pip waited in his room. When Mr Jaggers appeared he told Pip that on Monday he would go to Mr Pockets house to start his studies, but until then hed stay with his son Herbert. Mr Wemmick, his clerk, accompanied pip to the inn. After half an hour Herbert arrived. They stared at each other and recognized themselves. The pale young gentleman was the one he had fought in Miss Havisams garden. Herbert told him Miss Havisham was his fathers cousin and Mr Jaggers was her lawyer and Pips guardian. Miss Havishams mother had died. Her father, a very rich man, married his cook and had a son, who after his fathers death, inherited less than his sister. Then a man pretended he was in love with Miss Havisham. She was in love with him and gave him all the money he asked for. Herberts father was the only relation who warned her about that man but she was so angry that she ordered him to leave the house. They decided to marry but on the wedding-day the bridegroom didnt come. That was at twenty to nine. From that time everything stopped in the house and she didnt see the light again. She wanted to take revenge on all men, so she adopted Estella and brought her up to break mens hearts because hers was broken. The next day, Pip and Herbert went to Mr Pockets house in Hammersmith. They got on very well and Pip helped him pay his rooms with his allowance. Herbert had little money and no expectations, so Pip decided to ask Mr Jaggers for more money to buy some carpets and furniture. There were two other gentlemen studying at Mr Pockets, one was a young man, Bentley Drummle, who came from a rich family but he was far from being a gentleman. Pip preferred Startop. Mr Jaggers took an interest in Mr Pockets young gentlemen. One day he invited them to dinner. He enjoyed watching them talking and arguing and he was interested to see how Drummle and Pip hated each other. One day Pip received a letter from Biddy. Joe was going to London on Tuesday. When he arrived, Pip wasnt so much happy. He didnt wish to see Joe, but Joe was pleased to see Pip. He had tea and when he was alone with Pip, he told him he had a message form Miss Havisham. Estella was back home

and wanted to see him. Joe called Pip sir whenever he spoke to him. Pip wanted Joe to stay for dinner but Joe said it wasnt right for him to be there so he left. Pip began to prepare for the journey. When he arrived at Miss Havishams Orlick opened the gate. When he entered Miss Havishams room, Estella was there. She was so beautiful but in spite of that he felt distant from her. They walked in the garden and talked about their childhood. Back in London, he told Herbert about his love for Estella and Herbert told him he was engaged to be married to a poor girl called Clara; they couldnt marry until he made a fortune through hard work. Pip thought Herbert was lucky because he was poor and Clara loved him, but Estella was proud and had no love in her heart for him. One day he received a letter from Miss Havisham. Estella was coming to London and he had to meet her at the coach office. When she arrived, Pip took her to Richmond, she was going to live in the house of an important lady and was going to be introduced to the rich and powerful people of London society. One evening he received a letter with bad news, his sister was dead. He went to the funeral. As he stood in the graveyard, he thought of the convict he had met there. Joe was going to be alone and Biddy was going to teach in a school in the village. Pip told Biddy he would come and visit Joe often, but when he was back in London he thought only of Estella and didnt keep his promise. He was spending too much money and he was a bad influence on Herbert. He wanted to do something for him so he went to Mr Wemmick and he agreed to help him. Pip invested money in a shipping company called Clarrikers. The people in the company promised to offer Herbert a job and later to make him a partner. Two years had passed. Pip was living with Herbert, whose business was doing very well. He was in France and Pip was alone. At eleven Pip was about to go to bed when he heard some footsteps. He held a lamp and opened the door. An old man with long grey hair, a wrinkled brown face and roughly dressed, came into his room. He had had a hard journey. Pip thought he was a stranger but then he recognized the convict he had helped so long ago. The man was wet and tired so Pip offered him a drink. His eyes were full of tears. The man told him he had been in Australia working as a sheep farmer, and that he was his benefactor. The old convict had worked hard and lived a poor life to make a gentleman of Pip. He would die if he were caught, because a convict sent to Australia couldnt return. Pip couldnt believe it. He had done wrong to Joe and Biddy for that wretched man.

The next morning they had breakfast. The man gave money to Pip to spend like a gentleman. The old convicts name was Abel Magwitch but he had taken the name of Provis on the ship, and he would live in London. Pip bought new clothes for the old man and cut his hair. When Herbert came back from France, Pip told him everything. Herbert suggested Pip to take the man to France or Germany. First Pip wanted to know everything about the man. Provis didnt know where he was born, just his name. He started stealing food to keep alive and he had been in and out of jail. He was punished wherever he went. He had no education, except he could read and write a little. Twenty years before he had met Compeyson, the other convict. He looked like a gentleman but he was wicked and very clever. They became partners, but Compeyson blamed Provis for everything that went wrong in his plans. When they were caught, he was sent to prison for fourteen years and Compeyson for seven years, because in court he was dressed like an honest gentleman and Provis looked wicked and dishonest. When he escaped from the Hulks, Pip had helped him and when he knew that Compeyson had escaped too, he waited for him on the marshes and caught him. Then he was transported to Australia for life but he never knew about Compeyson again. The man was the one who left Miss Havisham on her wedding-day. Before taking Provis abroad, Pip wanted to see Estella. She wasnt in her home in London, so he went by coach to his town and he visited Miss Havisham. Estella was there. Pip told Miss Havisham he knew about his benefactor and asked her to help Herbert because he was honest. He turned to Estella and said he loved her. She then told him she was going to marry Drummle. Pip tried to persuade her to change her mind, but she said she couldnt marry a man who expected her to love him. He left and to calm his feelings he walked all the way back to London. When he got to his room, there was a note from Wemmick on the door which said he mustnt stay the night there. He spent the night at a hotel. When he met Wemmick, the man told him he was being watched, and that someone was looking for Provis. He also knew Compeyson was alive and in London. Herbert took Provis to Claras house, which was near the sea; from there it would be easier to take him abroad by boat. For the next few weeks life was normal. One evening Pip went to dine with Mr Jaggers, Mr Wemmick was there too. Mr Jaggers had a note from Miss Havisham who wanted to see Pip on business. As they were having dinner, the housekeeper stood nervously behind Mr Jaggers. Pip watched her and then he remembered where he had seen the same movements and hair. He realized she was Estellas mother.

Wemmick and Pip left the house and Pip asked him about the housekeeper. She had been jealous of her husband and another woman. So she fought the woman and the woman died. She was on trial for murder. Mr Jaggers, her lawyer, helped her. She was also accused of killing her daughter who had disappeared but Mr Jaggers proved her innocence. Then she left her husband and became Mr Jaggers housekeeper. When Pip went to Miss Havisham she agreed to help his friend. She looked at Pip sadly. Pip was unhappy but Estella was unhappy too since she had married Drummle. She asked for forgiveness but Pip felt sorry for her. When he returned to London, Herbert told him a story about Provis. He had had a little child with a young woman who had killed another woman because she was jealous of her. This revengeful woman had also made disappear the little girl. Now Pip knew Provis was Estelas father. They were going to move Provis out of the country on Wednesday. On Monday Pip found a letter which said that if he wanted information about his guest, he had to go alone to the old house on the marshes. There he was attacked from behind and tied with a thick rope. It was Orlick. He was angry with Pip. He blamed Pip because he had lost his job at Miss Havishams. He was drunk and said Pip was going to die that night. He confessed he had killed his sister with the iron chain the convict left. When he picked up his hammer to kill Pip Herbert and Startop rushed in. Orlick escaped. They set off to catch the sip to Hamburg. They spent the night at a little riverside pub. Early in the morning, Pip woke up and saw two men examining their boat. He said nothing. Late in the morning they rowed to the centre of the river. When they saw the steamer coming, they got ready to stop it, but another boat passed ahead. There were three customs men and a fourth man with the face covered. The two rowing boats were touching each other. Provis pulled the cloak from the fourth mans face. He was Compeyson. Provis grabbed the man, the boats went round and round in the rough water until Pips boat was overturned. Then Pip was pulled into the other boat where Herbert was. After a time Provis was swimming but he was badly injured with the paddles from the steamer. Compeyson was dead. Provis was taken to court and then to a prison hospital. Pip told him about his daughter. He raised Pips hands to his lips, opened his eyes, smiled and closed his eyes forever. The excitement of all the events made Pip seriously ill. Herbert was working in India, and Pip was alone with no one to look after him, except for Joe who heard about him and came to London to nurse him. Miss Havisham had died and Estella had inherited her fortune. Orlick had been arrested for breaking into Pumblechooks house and stealing his money. When Pip was better Joe went back to his town.

Pip decided to go to the village, thank Joe for his help, and ask Biddy to marry him. When he got to the forge, he saw Biddy had married Joe. Pip asked them to forgive him for having been so ungrateful to them. Then Pip went to work in Herberts company in India and became a partner too. They worked hard and honestly and made good profits. Herbert went back to England to marry Clara. After eleven years Pip returned to England to see Biddy and Joe. They had a son called Pip and they also had a daughter. In the evening he went to visit the place where he had met Estella. She was there too. She had changed for she was a better person now. She asked Pip to be kind to her and be her friend. Pip told her they were friends and they would never part.