Summary

Great Expectations begins with a simple boy's life. His name is Pip
and he is poor and abused. Pip lives with his sister, Mrs. Joe, and his
brother in law, Joe. His life is unpleasant and is filled with misery and
loneliness. The book explains his adventures and unlikely experiences.
Pip visits an old scary lady named Miss Havisham and is introduced to a
girl named Estella. He immediately falls in love with Estella and wishes
to become a gentleman so that he will be worthy of her. Miss Havisham
informs Pip that she will help fulfill his wish to become a gentleman
and Pip becomes an apprentice to his brother in law Joe. One of Joe's
employees, Orlick, attacks Mrs. Joe who is seriously hurt. Pip suspects it
is Orlick but cannot be sure and has no proof.


A lawyer named Jaggers informs Pip that he has been given a large
fortune so that he may get an education and become a gentleman. This
causes Pip to assume that Miss Havisham is the benefactor. He leaves
his home and moves to London to get an education and befriends a boy
named Herbert Pocket. Herbert’s relative, Matthew Pocket, tutors Pip
and helps him become a true gentleman. Although Pip misses his home,
he is inspired to become worthy of the great Estella and remains in
London.


Later in Pip’s life Orlick re-appears and is employed for Miss
Havisham. Jaggers helps fire Orlick by introducing his violent past to
Miss Havisham. Shortly after, Mrs. Joe passes away and Pip attends her
funeral. He is filled with extreme amounts of grief and sorrow. Years
later, Magwitch storms into Pips room and reveals that he indeed
was the benefactor. Shocked, Pip cannot understand how this can
be true. Magwitch explains that he was moved by Pip and chose
to dedicate his whole life to making a fortune and making Pip a
gentleman.


Since Magwitch had changed Pip’s life, Pip feels as though he should
help the convict escape London. This is the beginning of the solutions
to the mysteries. Pip finds out that Compeyson, Magwitch’s partner,
is the man who left Miss Havisham at the altar. He also finds out that
Magwitch is Estella’s father and she has been raised by Miss Havisham
to ‘play with boys hearts’, because of Miss Havisham's personal experiences and
past.


Estella marries an upper-class man named Bentley Drummle and Pip
is distraught. He visits the Satis House and Miss Havisham begs for his
forgiveness because of the way she’d treated him in the past. The same
day Miss Havisham catches on fire while wearing her wedding dress but
survives.


Pip is called to a meeting in the marshes and encounters Orlick. Right
as Orlick tries to kill Pip, Herbert arrives with a group of friends just in
time to save Pip. Just as Herbert and Pip try to escape with Magwitch,
they are caught by the police while traveling down a river. Compeyson
is also there and begins engaging in a fight with Magwitch. Compeyson
dies from drowning in the river and Magwitch is sentenced to death.
Pip loses his fortune and becomes ill. Joe follows Pip and comes to
London to care for Pip in his bad health. Joe informs Pip that Orlick is in
jail for robbing Pumblechook and Miss Havisham has passed away.
Pip concludes that he wants to marry Biddy and rushes home to fulfill
his wish. He comes home to find that Joe and Biddy have already wed.
Years later, Pip sees Estella in the garden at the Satis House. Estella
reveals that her marraige was not pleasant and Drummle had passed
away. Although Pip still wishes to be with Estella, Miss Havisham has
changed her and she will never be the same.