I really enjoyed Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The plot of this story is well-known: a poor boy meets an eccentric rich woman and beautiful adopted daughter, falls in love with the daughter, and thinks the old lady is sponsoring his becoming a gentleman but finds out the truth is a dramatic way! This long book has too many details to describe, so suffice it to say that following Pip, Estella, Miss Haversham, Pip’s sister and brother-in-law, and the other entertaining characters over time made me think about who has been an important force in my life and why I have chosen certain directions and certain changes.

Pip was a familiar character to me – he was poor and wanted something more out of life. He wanted an education, to move away from where he grew up and to accomplish something important. I understand this, as I had those same feelings. He was sometimes embarrassed by his family’s limited means; sadly, I understood this as well. Although I never took things quite as far as Pip, it was tough to read – hit a little close to home at times. Another theme was about being able to adapt and move forward … to leave the negative feelings and failures behind (after learning from mistakes). This is sometimes easier said than done but if it’s not done, that negativity will lead to deeper bitterness and anger. Moving from finding fault and laying blame to taking responsibility and understanding yourself and others is an accomplishment.

Miss Haversham is the epitome of time wasted. Her interaction with others demonstrates illustrates how “infecting” others with negative vibes and ambitions and end up with a sense of isolation and regret. She realized near the end of her life that she had been wrong. This change and growth were key in the story. Pip’s journey was about being able to learn and change course. He came to understand himself and others, allowing the world around him to inform his growth and he began to let go of the focus on money and other distractions. Magwitch, the convict turned benefactor, also experienced a dramatic change. We were left to hope that Estella, a child who learned that the way she had been raised did not have to determine her life course, realized that she could have something better. Balanced against these shifting alliances were the characters who remained rooted – Joe, Biddy, Herbert, Jaggers, Wemmick and so many others. They were steadfast in their commitment to Pip. This story reminded me of the saying about two lasting gifts we give children: roots and wings. Pip did not appreciate his roots and wanted only wings, but after flying a bit too high, he finally came to realize the need for both.

So many lessons in this book – about being careful not to judge people because they are not always as they appear, about striving for something better while appreciating what you have, about how working to achieve something is better than having it handed to you, and about understanding that goodness and love count more than money and things. An inital area of disappointment was Pip’s balance of focus on wanting to be a gentleman, and secondarily on being educated. He seemed to drift without a plan for his future, wanting only to “be a gentleman” in a vague sense without knowing what that meant in practical terms. I was disappointed because he seemed to have such promise as a child but took the long way around to achieve his goals.

Dickens always brings in social class issues, either as contextual factors or as things his characters need to directly deal with to achieve their goals. In Great Expectations, it was both but more importantly the latter. Pip needed to call on his ambition and opportunities to improve his lot in life. Fortunately, as he grew up, Pip realized that ambition without a work ethic is an empty place. And work without family, love and emotional support is not satisfying. These lessons are often difficult to learn and come with some measure of heartbreak. I like to think Pip resumed his education and continued to expand his horizons all his life. I also hope that he and Estella are able to grow and experience deep and rewarding love.

Aside from all of that great character development stuff, the book also has a great adventure! The chapter describing the return of the convict Magwitch was wonderfully scary. Running from the “bad” convicts to try to get the “good” convict out of the country was compelling. It was also nice that, after reading several books focused on getting people married, Pip was not focused on marching down the aisle! Instead, he was living in an exotic setting and learning to enjoy his life and the people in it. We saw him mature and learn the importance of loyalty and love. What can be better than that? I always enjoy Dickens – he has great characters and entertaining adventures and wonderful storylines, even though the books are a bit on the long and wordy side.