Resumo de Great Expectations

The story unfolds with the young orphan, Pip sitting in a cemetery, looking gloomingly at his parent?s tombstones. He lives with his formidable sister and her husband in the marshes of Kent. Suddenly, an escaped convict springs up from behind a tombstone, catches hold of the young orphan and demands some food and a file for his iron legs. Pip concedes to his demands. In the near future, the convict is captured and in his capture, he shows a very considerate side of himself by protecting Pip and admitting to have stolen the items himself. Uncle Pumblechook takes Pip to Satis House one day, which belongs to a wealthy dowager, Miss Havisham, who is characteristic in her eccentricities by adorning her wedding dress, wherever she went. It is here that he meets the alluring Estella and falls in love with her. She, on the other hand, treats him with contempt. He then decides to become a wealthy man so that he can measure up to her status. He perceives that Miss Havisham is fond of him and that she might help him to become a gentleman in order to marry Estella. He is confounded when Miss Havisham informs him that she is ready to help in out all the paper work required for him to become a labourer in his family business. Pip is apprenticed to his blacksmith brother-in-law. In due course, he meets kind and decent, Biddy and also comes in contact with a conniving labourer Orlick. One night, Pip?s sister is attacked and she becomes an invalid. Though, in due course she gesticulates and lets him know that in fact Orlick was responsible for her despondent condition.

Tired of his mundane job, they are soon visited by a lawyer, Jaggers. He tells them that a benefactor has left him a huge sum, and Pip will have to accompany him to London to educate himself and become a gentleman. Naïve that he is, Pip still believes that Miss Havisham is his secret benefactor and she has agreed to part with her money to make a gentleman out of him. While in London, Pip finds a comrade in Herbert Pocket and in his father, Mathew Pocket, he finds a tutor. He also befriends Wemmick, Jaggers?s clerk. Herbert justifies his comradeship by helping Pip behave like a gentleman and they both live a rather riotous life in the city and subsequently run into debts. Pip visits his hometown when Mrs. Joe, his sister dies. Time passes, until one day, Pip is confronted with Magwitch, the convict. He further crushes all his dreams by admitting that he was so enamoured by his innocent helpful nature at the time of need that he decided to dedicate his life to transform him into a gentleman. For that he went to Australia and minted a lot of money to help him give form to his wish. With consternation, he takes in the news. He is devastated, as all this while he was under the impression that Miss Havisham was his benefactor. All the same he feels morally obliged to help Magwitch, who at this point of time is being pursued by both Compeyson, his crime partner and the police.

Very soon the mystery unfolds, when Pip realises Compeyson was the man who had left Miss Havisham stranded at the altar. Miss Havisham raised Estella to break men?s hearts as a revenge for the heartbreak she suffered at the hands of Compeyson. He also realised that Miss Havisham treated him just as a boy for Estella to practise on. Estella in the meantime marries Bentley Drummle. Pip visits Miss Havisham, who pleads forgiveness and Pip forgives her. But before he leaves, her dress catches fire as she bends over the fireplace. She receives burns and becomes an invalid. Pip feels that it is his obligatory duty to help Magwitch escape. But just before the escape, Pip is called for a shady meeting where he comes face to face with Orlick, who tries to kill Pip. Herbert and his friends arrive just in time to save him. Another hurdle in Magwitch?s escape appears when Compeyson tips the police about it. Magwitch and Compeyson jostle in the water and Compeyson is drowned. Magwitch is caught and sentenced to deathh. He reconciles with God and welcomes his death. He feels that his death sentence is God?s forgiveness and dies peacefully. Pip loses all his fortune. Joe comes to look after Pip when he falls ill. He fills him up with the news from home. Miss Havisham had died leaving all the fortune to the Pockets, Orlick was in jail after robbing Pumblechook. Pip feels nostalgic after Joe leaves and decides to go home and marry Biddy. But he is too late; Biddy and Joe are already married. Joe and Herbert go abroad to work. Many years pass by before Pip returns. He chances to meet Estella in the gardens of Satis House, which are in ruins. He comes to know that her husband, Drummle, is no more. He had treated her badly. At this point of time, he feels that Estella is a changed person. He sees that she shows affection and countenance. In her, he finds a kindred spirit and they both leave the garden, hand in hand, never to part again.

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