State your biggest expectations in life

With whom does Pip live at the beginning of the book?

a) His sister and her husband b) Jaggers c) Miss Havisham

2. Whom does Pip meet in a churchyard on Christmas Eve?

a) An escaped convict b) A spirit c) A kindly nun

What has Miss Havisham worn every day for years?

a) A silver necklace b) Her wedding dress c) A charm given to her by her late husband

Miss Havisham’s is obsessed with which event from the past?

a) Her fiancé’s jilting her on their wedding day b) The death of her husband in the war c) The death of her only daughter

Which describes Pip's feelings toward Estella?

a) He hates her with every fiber of his being b) She is like the sister that he never had c) She's the most beautiful, wonderful girl ever

How does Pip come into his fortune?

a) He robs Miss Havisham b) His wealthy grandfather dies c) He receives money from an anonymous benefactor

Who does Pip discover is his benefactor?

a) Miss Havisham b) The convict c) Estella

Whom does Pip think his “great expectations” will be from?

a) Miss Havisham b) Mr. Jaggers c) Mrs. Joe

Whom does Estella marry?

a) Pip b) The Bachelor c)Herbert

What does Pip tell Magwitch about Estella?

a) That she has ratted Magwitch out to the authorities b) That she has evidence that can prove his innocence c) That she's his daughter

What do Joe and Biddy name their son?

a) Pip b) Magwitch c) Jayden

Whose admiration is Pip seeking when he tries to better himself?

a) Estella’s b) His sister’s c) His uncle’s

THEME OF DREAMS, HOPES, AND PLANS

Dreams, hopes, plans … and Great Expectations. Having "expectations" in the nineteenth century specifically meant that you expected to inherit some money after the death of a family member—just like all of Miss Havisham's annoying relatives have. But they're not the only ones with plans. Pip wants to become a gentleman and marry Estella; Miss Havisham wants to use Estella to revenge herself on men; Herbert Pocket wants to become rich; and even Joe wants Pip to grow up and work at the forge with him. One by one, every single one of these expectations fails. But does that mean we shouldn't hope or plan? Maybe not. The only person who doesn't seem to have a dream is Estella—and we wouldn't wish her life on anyone.

1. Who has dreams, hopes, and plans in this novel and what are these dreams, hopes, and plans? How do people's dreams reflect their situation in life, or characters?

2. Do Pip's dreams change? What does he want at the end of the novel, or does he not want anything at all? Does it change if you consider the novel's original ending?

3. What happens to everyone's expectations? Does anyone have his or her great expectations fulfilled?

THEME OF FRIENDSHIP

Pip doesn't deserve his friends. Joe, Biddy, and Herbert—not to mention Magwitch—all show Pip loyalty that he not only doesn't deserve, but that he seems to actively not deserve. He patronizes, rejects, and disowns his friends, and yet they still keep coming back for more. Why? Do they see and sympathize with the scared little boy that Pip used to be, or does he have awesome character traits that we don't see? Either way, “Great Expectations” suggests that, even if you don't get the love of your life, friends are a pretty good substitute.

1. When is the word "friendship" or "friend" used and who uses these words?

2. Does Pip value his friendships? Why or why not? Does he value different friendships differently?

3. Who are Pip's friends? Can we tell why they're friends? What does it say about his and Herbert's friendship that it starts with a fight?

4. How is friendship different or similar to love in this novel? What's the relationship between the two emotions?

THEME OF WEALTH

All you need is love, but in “Great Expectations” love doesn't get you far without a little money. To Pip, there's no question that Estella might love him as a poor blacksmith's boy: he has to make his fortune (or have a fortune made for him). From the outside, though, all this money stuff doesn't look too appealing. Miss Havisham had a fortune, and still appears to have enough of it to set Estella up in style, but she's miserable—and all the people who want her money are miserable too. Meanwhile, the poor blacksmith seems to have plenty of money to settle Pip's debts, and Pip and Herbert are happy making a "sufficient living" by working hard. Is Dickens saying that the only wealth worth having is the money you earn yourself?

1. What is Joe's relationship to money? Does he ever seem to want or need it? What would he do with money if he had it?

2. How does Magwitch make his money? And how does he spend it?

3. Why does Pip want money?

State your biggest expectations in life