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Great Expectations & Hard Times
Hardcover. No dust jacket.
792 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1904
7 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Charles Dickens
10.2k books31.5k followersCharles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 16, 2012
This was a wonderful book. It is called a classic for a good reason. I hope to read more Dickens this year.
January 24, 2023
Happened to see the Robert Caro/Robert Gottlieb film Turn Every Page and then read Gottlieb's review of Harold Bloom's final book and offhand Gottlieb writes Great Expectations...to my mind Dickens’s most profound and perfect book." So I read it.
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July 21, 2010 Summary: On Christmas Eve of 1812, Pip, a boy age 17, encounters an escaped convict in the churchyard while visiting his mother and father’s graves. The convict scares Pip into stealing food for him and files to grind away his leg shackles. Pip returns home where he lives with Mrs. Joe, his older sister her husband Joe Gargery.Pip steals some food from the pantry and drinks to take to the convict early that morning. This is an important event in the book because the convict will never forget the kindness that Pip showed to him, even though he force Pip into doing this act.
While they were at the house for the Christmas feast, which include the minister, Mr. Wopsle, Mr. and Mrs. Hubble, and Uncle Pumplechook, Pip and Mrs. Joe Moderately wealthy uncle. When Pip notice that his Uncle Pumplechook had drank some brandy and spits it out, Pip wanted to get out of the house, but the police was blocking his way. They Joe to repair their handcuffs and invited Joe, Pip and Mr. Worse to come with them to hunt for some escaped prisoners from the local jail. They caught the two convict while engage in a fight. One of them is the convict that helped by Pip; however, when question about where he got the food and file, he claims he stole the items in order shield Pip. A while after Pip encounter with the convict, Pip’s life returns back to normal. Pip’s Uncle Pumblechook get Pip invited to a rich old woman house name Miss.Havisham who lives in the village in Sates House. Miss. Havisham is spinster who wears an old wedding dress with one shoe on and has all the house clocks stopped at 20 minutes to nine. This woman hasn’t seen sunlight in years and claims to have a broken heart and just wanted see Pip play cards with Estella, a young girl she has adopted. Pip had harbor a feeling for Estella.
He learns everything he can from Biddy in school, in an effort to impress Estella who called him a common laboring boy. Pip work with Joe in the forge which he hated, but in return making an agreement to visit Miss. Havisham so that he can play with Estella, who he has grown to admired for and love down through the years. Pip has inherited a large sum of money from an anonymous benefactor. The condition was that he moves to London, buy some clothes and become a gentleman. This did not happen at that time, because Pip behavior had gotten worse and he was jealous of Estella and squanders his allowance, running into dept.Pip found out that Mr. Magwitch was his benefactor, who was the convict that Pip had an encounter with earlier in life. It is reveal that Magwitch was Estella’s father and the daughter of Jigger’s housemaid. Estella was given up for an adoption to Miss.Havisham; this was done in return for his services when he defended Molly who was his housemaid for a murder charge. Estella did get married to a man name Drummed, which was an unhappy one.
Before Pip flees with Magwitch, he makes one last trip to see Miss. Havisham and she realizes that she had created a monster out of Estella, who broke Pip’s heart, and asked him to forgive her. Then she stood up as they where talking and she caught her dress on fire and Pip manage to put the fire out on her dress, but later she died of her injuries. When Pip and some other friends attempted to help Magwitch to escape from prisoner, they got caught by the police and are sent to jail. Pip tried to Magwitch release, but he died before his execution. Pip meets Estella on the streets and found her abusive husband had died. She had gotten married second time to a doctor.
What I like about the story the most was when Pip was drawing closer to Estella and she constantly rejected him and then broke his heart. Pip did not have any anger toward Estella
Theme: The theme of this story was written in the first and uses languages and grammar that has fallen out of common use.
The main theme of Great Expectation is those of crime, social class, empire and ambition. Throughout the book, Pip becomes involves with all of them from criminal like Magwitch, to the extremely rich woman like Miss. Havisham
Mood: The story atmosphere was one with happiness and sadness
Protagonist: The main character was Pip
Antagonist: The characters was Compeyson, Dolges Orlick, and Bentley Drummed
Setting: The time was about the year of 1812 and place was in London
Conflict: There was an external conflict character vs. character.
Pip the main character vs. Estella.
Pip the main character vs. society.
While they were at the house for the Christmas feast, which include the minister, Mr. Wopsle, Mr. and Mrs. Hubble, and Uncle Pumplechook, Pip and Mrs. Joe Moderately wealthy uncle. When Pip notice that his Uncle Pumplechook had drank some brandy and spits it out, Pip wanted to get out of the house, but the police was blocking his way. They Joe to repair their handcuffs and invited Joe, Pip and Mr. Worse to come with them to hunt for some escaped prisoners from the local jail. They caught the two convict while engage in a fight. One of them is the convict that helped by Pip; however, when question about where he got the food and file, he claims he stole the items in order shield Pip. A while after Pip encounter with the convict, Pip’s life returns back to normal. Pip’s Uncle Pumblechook get Pip invited to a rich old woman house name Miss.Havisham who lives in the village in Sates House. Miss. Havisham is spinster who wears an old wedding dress with one shoe on and has all the house clocks stopped at 20 minutes to nine. This woman hasn’t seen sunlight in years and claims to have a broken heart and just wanted see Pip play cards with Estella, a young girl she has adopted. Pip had harbor a feeling for Estella.
He learns everything he can from Biddy in school, in an effort to impress Estella who called him a common laboring boy. Pip work with Joe in the forge which he hated, but in return making an agreement to visit Miss. Havisham so that he can play with Estella, who he has grown to admired for and love down through the years. Pip has inherited a large sum of money from an anonymous benefactor. The condition was that he moves to London, buy some clothes and become a gentleman. This did not happen at that time, because Pip behavior had gotten worse and he was jealous of Estella and squanders his allowance, running into dept.Pip found out that Mr. Magwitch was his benefactor, who was the convict that Pip had an encounter with earlier in life. It is reveal that Magwitch was Estella’s father and the daughter of Jigger’s housemaid. Estella was given up for an adoption to Miss.Havisham; this was done in return for his services when he defended Molly who was his housemaid for a murder charge. Estella did get married to a man name Drummed, which was an unhappy one.
Before Pip flees with Magwitch, he makes one last trip to see Miss. Havisham and she realizes that she had created a monster out of Estella, who broke Pip’s heart, and asked him to forgive her. Then she stood up as they where talking and she caught her dress on fire and Pip manage to put the fire out on her dress, but later she died of her injuries. When Pip and some other friends attempted to help Magwitch to escape from prisoner, they got caught by the police and are sent to jail. Pip tried to Magwitch release, but he died before his execution. Pip meets Estella on the streets and found her abusive husband had died. She had gotten married second time to a doctor.
What I like about the story the most was when Pip was drawing closer to Estella and she constantly rejected him and then broke his heart. Pip did not have any anger toward Estella
Theme: The theme of this story was written in the first and uses languages and grammar that has fallen out of common use.
The main theme of Great Expectation is those of crime, social class, empire and ambition. Throughout the book, Pip becomes involves with all of them from criminal like Magwitch, to the extremely rich woman like Miss. Havisham
Mood: The story atmosphere was one with happiness and sadness
Protagonist: The main character was Pip
Antagonist: The characters was Compeyson, Dolges Orlick, and Bentley Drummed
Setting: The time was about the year of 1812 and place was in London
Conflict: There was an external conflict character vs. character.
Pip the main character vs. Estella.
Pip the main character vs. society.
January 10, 2017
Great Expectations is a fictional book about a boy named Pip, really Phillip, and his life growing up. He goes through many unexpected trials such as his sister dying, invitations to a rich, unmarried, crazy lady's house to play with her adopted daughter Estella, and sudden meetings with escaped convicts. Eventually he gets over a few broken hearts and makes some friends only to be greatly shocked again. If you enjoy adventure with romance, this Charles Dickens book is an excellent reading choice for those categories and I highly recommend it.
January 24, 2010
The very first Dickens I ever read. More than good enough to encourage further exploration of Dickens works. Would that Barnes & Noble would have put out the entire Dickens in these replica editions.
December 28, 2015
I didn't really read this book but am using it for the number as the book I reader doesn't come up. The book I readied is call d Hard Choice by Allison Lee Davison. It was a great book and I really enjoyed it
December 19, 2008
I don't understand the high regard in which this book is held.
June 10, 2009
This is a beautiful hardcover reprint of the 1937 Nonesuch version.Really worth the expense for my all-time favorite book.
July 29, 2009
I loved this story.
November 15, 2009
well I read this.
January 24, 2012
Both books excellent. Dickens truly was a great writer and his novels are timeless with wonderful characters.
November 6, 2016
Moral of the story: People are going to slight you, and to reject that slight you have to find a way to let the hurt of it go.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews