This classic novel follows the life of Pip, an orphan who rises from humble beginnings to become a gentleman. Along the way he encounters a colorful cast of characters, including the eccentric Miss Havisham, the enigmatic Estella, and the terrifying Abel Magwitch. Dickens' vivid descriptions of Victorian London, his masterful characterizations, and his hauntingly beautiful prose make this one of the iconic works of English literature. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Great Expectations is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip. It is Dickens's second novel, after David Copperfield, to be fully narrated in the first person.
The original CliffsNotes study guides offer a look into key elements and ideas within classic works of literature. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the familiar format. CliffsNotes on Great Expectations explores Charles Dickens's renowned work, a novel that gives you plots that twist and turn, themes of good and evil, and people who want for means to make sense of their lives. Following the story of an orphaned boy whose first-person take on the world around him gives readers a detailed picture of Victorian England, this study guide provides summaries and critical commentaries for each chapter within the novel. Other features that help you figure out this important work include Personal background on the author Introduction to and synopsis of the book In-depth character analyses Critical essays on topics of interest Review section that features interactive questions and suggested essay topics and practice projects Resource Center with books, films, and websites that can help round out your knowledge Classic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.
Lloyd Jones' new novel is set mainly in a small village on Bougainville, a country torn apart by civil war. Matilda attends the school set up by Mr Watts, the only white man on the island. By his own admission he's not much of a teacher and proceeds to educate the children by reading them Great Expectations. Matilda falls in love with the novel, strongly identifying with Pip. The promise of the next chapter is what keeps her going; Pip's story protects her from the horror of what is happening around her - helicopters menacing the skies above the village and rebel raids on the ground. When the rebels visit the village searching for any remaining men to join their cause, they discover the name Pip written in the sand and instigate a search for him. When Pip can't be found the soldiers destroy the book. Mr Watts then encourages the children to retell the story from their memories. Then when the rebels invade the village, the teacher tells them a story which lasts seven nights, about a boy named Pip, and a convict . . .
ABOUT THE BOOK I first read Great Expectations for a middle school English course. Often, I was one of the only kids in my class that would actually read the assigned title, and this book was no different. However, while I normally read the books compulsively and didn’t necessarily enjoy them, Great Expectations I truly did relish reading. I related strongly to Pip, the protagonist, who feels pressured by a mysterious benefactor to accomplish great things. Because of the faith of this benefactor and his quick rise from a poor working background, the young Pip often feels that he must be superior to his peers from more privileged backgrounds, which often provokes their resentment. The young me didn’t recognize the cause and effect of Pip’s behavior and the resulting abuse from the other kids, but I think one of the reasons I identified with him so strongly was my own failure to recognize the effect my attitude might have had on the way I was treated. Later in life, I read Great Expectations again. In this second reading I felt a strong kinship with the Pip character as an older man. Despite all of the support he received from his benefactor, he still ends up falling ill and deeply into debt and ultimately achieving a relatively mediocre life. I, too, came into illness and debt in my early twenties which slowed down my progress in life significantly. Pip’s attitude of superiority toward his peers and the expectation that he will be great falls short of reality. MEET THE AUTHOR Jean Asta is the owner of Asta Communications, a freelance communications company providing writing, editing, and training services for clients around the globe. She has a BA in English Literature and a Master's in Public Administration, both from the University of Georgia. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK At the beginning of the tale Pip lives with his older sister and her husband, Joe Gargery, the blacksmith. Pip and Mrs. Joe lost their parents long ago, and we get the sense that Mrs. Joe has never really recovered from the tragedy. While Pip’s relationship with his ornery older sister is tenuous, Joe actually cares for him throughout the story as if he were his own son. On Christmas Eve, Pip encounters an escaped convict who manipulates him into helping him to escape from the authorities. The assistance forces Pip to be secretive with his family and to steal resources so that the convict can survive. Pip feels a great deal of guilt about this, especially because he mistakenly believes the convict was responsible for assaulting his sister, although it was actually Joe’s employee Orlick. Miss Havisham is a bitter old woman who lives in a house that she has kept frozen in time from the moment she was jilted at the altar. She stopped all the clocks at the instant of her jilting, has never removed her wedding dress, and left all the decorations and food set out for her wedding in place in Satis House, long since having rotted and molded. Miss Havisham is the caretaker of a pretty young girl named Estella... Buy a copy to keep reading!
A CONTEMPORARY REIMAGINING OF GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR MIDDLE GRADERS Life is full of great expectations for Korean American Pippa Park. It seems like everyone, from her family to the other kids at school, has a plan for how her life should look. So when Pippa gets a mysterious basketball scholarship to Lakeview Private, she jumps at the chance to reinvent herself by following the "Rules of Cool." At Lakeview, Pippa juggles old and new friends, an unrequited crush, and the pressure to perform academically and athletically while keeping her past and her family's laundromat a secret from her elite new classmates. But when Pippa begins to receive a string of hateful, anonymous messages via social media, her carefully built persona is threatened. As things begin to spiral out of control, Pippa discovers the real reason she was admitted to Lakeview and wonders if she can keep her old and new lives separate, or if she should even try.
Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award winner In this “taut, eloquent first novel” (Booklist, starred review), a young Black boy wrestles with conflicting notions of revolution and family loyalty as he becomes involved with the Black Panthers in 1968 Chicago. The Time: 1968 The Place: Chicago For thirteen-year-old Sam, it’s not easy being the son of known civil rights activist Roland Childs. Especially when his older (and best friend), Stick, begins to drift away from him for no apparent reason. And then it happens: Sam finds something that changes everything forever. Sam has always had faith in his father, but when he finds literature about the Black Panthers under Stick’s bed, he’s not sure who to believe: his father or his best friend. Suddenly, nothing feels certain anymore. Sam wants to believe that his father is right: You can effect change without using violence. But as time goes on, Sam grows weary of standing by and watching as his friends and family suffer at the hands of racism in their own community. Sam beings to explore the Panthers with Stick, but soon he’s involved in something far more serious—and more dangerous—than he could have ever predicted. Sam is faced with a difficult decision. Will he follow his father or his brother? His mind or his heart? The rock or the river?
Whether students have read or aspire to read the classics, the most commonly assigned literature is capsulized for everyone to enjoy, including Moby Dick, Old Man and the Sea, A Tale of Two Cities, and Dr. Suess's One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
