Great Expectations Essay Review
A Great Expectations essay based on the novel by Charles Dickens can draw a vivid picture of the central character Pip from childhood till adulthood. It is a complex yet gripping story with many characters with different interpretations of what is right and wrong. The story begins when five-year-old Pip is confronted by an escaped convict at the village churchyard. For the first time in his life, he feels sorry for his actions when fear makes him rob food from his home where he stays with his sister Georgiana and her husband Joe Gargery. Pip steals a Christmas pie among other things. The literature essay would reveal later that this generous act of the five-year-old leaves a telling effect on Magwitch.
Pip is worried his theft would not go unnoticed during Christmas dinner. As fate would have it, the police turn up at the household to get some handcuffs repaired. It was common at the time for civilians to assist the police catch escaped convicts. Magwitch is caught and confesses to having stolen the food to save Pip from repercussion. The literature review writing exercise should elaborate on how a child became so fearful because of abuse from his sister and her husband that he resorted to theft at the tender age of five.
Life returns to normal. Pip befriends an orphan Biddle at school, until one day he is asked to visit Mrs. Havisham and her adopted child Estella. The Great Expectations essay should highlight the unhappy situation Pip in when Estella ridicules him. The whole setup is quite weird. Mrs Havisham is a spurned woman who finds respite in the house blocking out the light. Estella is being reared to be cold and uncaring. Though Pip also is dealt with cruelly, he begins to like her when he kisses her after a fight with another young man.
Pip is now an apprentice with Joe learning the art of forging along with Orlick, another employee. Lured by the thoughts of becoming a gentleman, he doesn’t like the job anymore and wants to visit Estella one last time. In his absence, Georgiana is badly hurt by Orlick. The English essay can build suspense over the fact that the identity of the intruder is not revealed till much later. Pip is very unhappy that he cannot be with Estella and squanders a large sum of money. His benefactor pulls him through these difficult times. Pip assumes that it is Mrs. Havisham who is the benefactor and nurtures the hope that he would one day marry Estella.
Magwitch turns out to the real benefactor and not Mrs. Havisham, who was just pretending to be one. Pip is disgruntled but finds Estella a changed woman on meeting her again. She has no feelings for Pip which disappoints him. Pip starts seeing life differently. He realizes his becoming a gentleman really didn’t matter. Magwitch was the one who really cared for him. Their escape plan fails and Magwitch is arrested. Pip loses his inheritance as Magwitch dies in jail before his execution. Pip finally matures into a responsible adult. The Great Expectations essay can end with the note that Pip shows maturity when he feels happy for Estella who is married.
