Today we bring a book summary and review of another timeless classic that is a must read for all, especially children. Yes, I\’m bringing to you the story of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

The problem with the classics is that the language they have been written in is of those times and many of us do not have the patience to read the detailed descriptions.

We bring to you a simple summary to encourage you to read the original classics later. But in any case, we must be aware of these classics storyline and the very interesting characters and twists of the story.

But before we come to the story let’s know a little bit about the author.

About Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He was the second of eight children. His father was a clerk in the navy pay office and was imprisoned for debt when Dickens was 12 years old. Dickens had to leave school and work in a factory. These experiences influenced his later writing and gave him a lifelong sympathy for the poor.

Dickens is considered one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era. He wrote many novels that are still popular today, including Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities. His novels often dealt with social issues such as poverty and injustice. He was also a master storyteller

Charles Dickens was a really good writer. He made up stories that were so cool! His characters were always interesting, and his plots were always exciting. I loved reading his books, and I still do. He was a really smart guy, and he understood people really well.

The Story Summary

Great Expectations is a cool book about a kid named Pip who doesn\’t have any parents. He lives with his bossy sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, and her nice husband, Joe Gargery, who is a blacksmith. Joe is Pip\’s best buddy.

Pip tries to make his life better in lots of ways. He gets extra lessons from Biddy, who is related to his teacher. And he starts hanging out with a rich and strange lady named Miss Havisham. At Miss Havisham\’s house, Pip falls in love with her adopted daughter, Estella. She\’s super fancy and pretty. Miss Havisham wants them to be together, but Estella doesn\’t feel the same.

When Pip grows up, he starts working as a blacksmith too. Then, a fancy lawyer named Mr. Jaggers tells Pip that he got a big inheritance from someone secret, and Pip thinks it might be Miss Havisham. Pip becomes a rich guy in London and learns from a teacher named Matthew Pocket. He shares a place with Matthew\’s son, Herbert, and they become good pals. Herbert tells Pip that Miss Havisham got her heart broken by a bad guy.

Pip starts feeling better than where he came from. But after his sister dies, he realizes he\’s been ignoring Biddy and Joe. He goes back to London and this convict who Pip helped before comes back. His name is Abel Magwitch, and he tells Pip he\’s the secret benefactor. Magwitch got rich in Australia and wants to thank Pip. But Magwitch is running away from the law, and he used to be partners with the bad guy who tricked Miss Havisham, named Compeyson. Pip and Herbert figure it out.

Pip talks to Miss Havisham about Estella. He finds out she\’s gonna marry a rich guy named Bentley Drummle. Miss Havisham feels bad for raising Estella to be mean and asks Pip for forgiveness. But as Pip leaves, Miss Havisham has an accident and gets badly burned. She dies later. After that, Orlick tries to hurt Pip, but Herbert and some other people save him.

Pip and Herbert help Magwitch escape by rowing him down the river. But Compeyson and the police catch up with them. Magwitch fights with Compeyson and they both fall in the river. Compeyson drowns, and Magwitch gets sentenced to death. So Pip loses all his money.

Pip gets really sick and has no money left. Joe comes to London to take care of him and pay some of his debts. Joe also tells him what\’s happening back home: Orlick got caught for stealing, Biddy taught Joe how to read, and Miss Havisham gave her money to Estella, Herbert\’s dad, and Pip. Pip goes back home thinking he\’ll marry Biddy, but Joe already married her. So Pip decides to go work with Herbert in Egypt.

After a long time away, Pip comes back to England. He visits where Miss Havisham\’s house used to be and finds Estella, who is now a widow. Her mean marriage changed her, and she\’s kinder now.

The book ends with Pip and Estella walking together, holding hands.

So you can see why Charles Dickens is considered to be such a great storyteller:

He had a gift for creating memorable characters.

His plots were suspenseful and engaging.

He was a master of using language to create atmosphere and evoke emotion.

He was able to explore complex themes in a way that was both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Do read the original or an abridged version of the book.

Do let us know if you found my review interesting.