Charles Dickens
&
Great Expectations
Bio
 1812 – 1870
 Born in Portsmouth, England,
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which is on the southern coast.
Forced to leave school to work in
a factory when his father sent to
prison for debt.
Had little formal education, and
his early impoverishment drove
him to succeed.
Wrote fifteen novels, five novellas
and hundreds of short stories and
non-fiction articles.
Campaigned vigorously for
children's rights, education, and
other social reforms.
Starting at the age of twelve, Dickens’s first job
was pasting labels on bottles like these.
Working conditions were so traumatic that
Dickens didn’t speak of his experience until the
very end of his life.
This was the desk upon which Dickens
wrote Great Expectations and other works.
“English class is not my favorite. I have struggled with it all my
life. But Great Expectations was so good; it competes with modern TV
shows.”
“Honestly, I loved that all the characters are messed up in their
own way. I think that all the characters’ backstories and how they
connect with one another is great. It was definitely my favorite book.”
“Great Expectations was by far the most enjoyable literature
piece we read. Aside from any language or vocabulary setbacks, this
novel did a fantastic job at not only capturing adolescence as a whole
but also being relatable.”
“It was hard to get through, don’t get me wrong…but in the
end, I wrote some pretty bomb essays from it. To enjoy the book, you
actually have to pay attention and understand what’s happening.
Reading it is also helpful.”
Great Expectations
The story follows the young life
of a boy named Pip as he pursues
his two dreams in life: marrying
his first love and becoming
wealthy.
• Great Expectations was serialized
from December 1, 1860 until
August 3, 1861. Dickens
published two chapters a week.
Serial novels like this were the
closest Victorian England got to
TV shows. Just think of the book
as an eight-week Netflix binge.
•
Great Expectations
Every chapter is more or less a
self-contained story that
contributes to the overall arc of
the novel, similar to a TV drama.
• There are plenty of twists and
moments of suspense, but the
payoff is only valuable if you’re
paying attention to the details.
• People went crazy for Dickens’s
work in his day. They would line
up at newsstands, desperate for
the next chapter.
•
Context
 Great Expectations takes place
in Victorian England: mainly
in the marshlands of Kent
and the dense metropolis of
London.
 Pip is born in the early
1800s; he is telling his story
in 1860.
 During this time, the
Industrial Revolution is in
full swing, bringing about the
light bulb, the steam engine,
and the assembly line.
Context
 London is a thriving, dense,
busy metropolis, and
England is the most powerful
nation in the world with
colonies all over the globe.
 The marshes that Pip grows
up in are essentially swampy
backwoods. London is a
cultural epicenter of the
modern world.
Social Criticism
 Dickens used his work to
focus on social justice and
inequality.
 While England was growing
more rich and powerful,
Dickens brought attention
to the struggles of the poor
and the lower class.
 The contrast of incredible
wealth and devastating
poverty was troubling to
Dickens, and he wrote about
it from experience.
Two Pips
 Pip the Protagonist…
 Is a young boy at the start of the
book and a young man at the end.
 Learns things the hard way.
 Has big dreams.
 Is pretty much a jerk half the time.
 Pip the Narrator…
 Is telling the reader the story at a
much older age.
 Regrets many of his decisions.
 Has better insight and awareness.
 Seems like a nicer guy than he was as
a young man.
Pay Attention to...
 Symbols/motifs, such as fog, hands, prisons, shadows, and light.
 How money/class effects people (it’s not always bad).
 “Everyone in Dickens is either a jailer or a prisoner...”
 Humor. It’s frequently there, but you have to read closely.
 Crime, justice, and punishment.
 Clues, twists, and revelations. There will be many.
 Old, difficult words. Look stuff up!
 Character quotes of significant length and meaning that only that
character would say. Those are the stuff of quizzes!
Clips
 BBC Miniseries
 Old School
 New School