Pip, a young and bright orphan boy, is attacked by an escaped convict while visiting his parents’ graves. Being raised by his older sister and her kind-hearted blacksmith husband named Joe, he has a foundation to view the convict’s actions uniquely. Although the convict accosts and threatens Pip into committing a crime of theft on his behalf, an unexpected turn of events surprises all readers. Due to Pip’s upbringing, he is able to discern that there are consequences to actions and that not all convicts have evil hearts. He helps readers see that there is often more to people than what first appears.

Great Expectations, the brilliant work of Charles Dickens, creates a profound sense of meaning in its small world. The initial release of this novel created such a stir by gaining almost complete universal acclaim. Both readers and critics were astonished by Dickens’ continuous themes and portrayal of poverty, love, rejection, wealth, and the consequences of our actions which continue to resonate with the popular culture of today.