English Literature Great Expectations Revision Notes.

*Please note that these notes do not belong entirely to me at all but have been derived from various sources on the web such as SparkNotes. Although most of what is written is my own words. This is merely a way to collate all of my notes together and if it's useful to you too then great! I hope I can help."

Plot Overview, Themes & Analysis.

- Pip is a young orphan living in the marshes of Kent with both his sister and her husband (his brother-in-law.)

- An escaped convict (Magwitch) captures Pip and demands him to bring him food and something to untie the chains. Although the convict appears to be a ruthless criminal in the beginning we see a softer side when the convict is captured and takes the blame for stealing the stolen items in order to protect Pip.

 - Pip is then taken by his Uncle Pumblechook to Satis House where the infamous Miss Havisham resides. Miss Havisham is extremely eccentric and sits in an old, dirty wedding dress. 

- Pip meets Estella who he instantly takes a liking too except she's cruel and cold towards him and Pip doesn't understand why. Pip then creates an illusion that in order to be a worthy option for Estella that he must become a gentleman worthy of marriage to an upper class daughter.

- Pip hopes to be accepted by Miss Havisham but she merely brushes him off and sends him to be the local blacksmith's apprentice. The blacksmith is Joe which is also Pip's brother in law. Pip discovers through a Lawyer named Jaggers that he has a 'secret benefactor' giving him a large fortune and orders him to move to London immediately to study to be a gentleman. He also meets a law clerk named Wemmick and a young boy named Herbet whom he befriends and hopes to help him buy into a business that he will later choose for himself.

- Mrs Joe dies (The blacksmith's wife and Pip's sister) Pip goes to the funeral and grieves.

- Several years later Pip discovers that Magwitch is in fact the secret benefactor and owns a large fortune in Australia. This information is a lot to take in for Pip and confuses him greatly. Magwitch explains his desire to help Pip was because of his good conscience and the fact that he was extremely kind. Pip's illusion of social hierachy and it's importance is shadowed and becomes disoriented. He hoped that Miss Havisham was the secret benefactor and was secretly helping Pip to become worthy of Estella but he realises that first impressions aren't always correct as although Magwitch is seen as a 'filthy criminal' he still has a much more desirable inner-worth than richer characters such as Miss Havisham.

- Pip also discovers that a man named Compeyson is the one responsible for leaving Miss Havisham at the altar and this is why Estella was brought up to be cruel and to break hearts…