Great Expectations  By Charles Dickens ( )  Written and published in 1861 ( 19 th Century) which was in between the Romantic and Victorian literary periods Story is divided into three phases of Pip’s, the main character, life expectations.

1 st phase of Pip ’ s life  Pip’s first stage starts when he is an orphan living with his sister and her husband. He aspires to be a gentlemen in order to attain the love of Estella, a protagonist/antagonist in his life.

2 nd and 3 rd phases of Pip ’ s life  Pip travels to London to become a gentlemen, but soon finds that not staying true to “who you are” is trouble.  Lastly, Pip changes and is not the person who he once was in life. He is a “stranger” in his own body.

Themes/Motifs  Self-worth: Knowing what you deserve and what you are made of- this is important to everyone because all people are unique and bring something worthwhile to the world.  Gratitude and suffering: Here, the reader learns about what it means to appreciate what you have and also suffer at the same time.

Themes cont ’  Social climbing: This is the most important theme of the novel because all the characters want a different lot in life, some are willing to crush others to attain it, while others will not.

Romantic and Victorian influences  Romantic influences: The novel is emotional and does have that “ happy ending” feel to it.  Victorian influences: The places in the novel are dark and people explore their cruel nature. The ending can also be seen as “tragic.”

Summary  Add a summary at the end of the introduction notes. Write summary on the left-hand side and then underneath it write the following question:  Do you believe that people change with money? Why do you believe that? Can that change be positive, negative, or both?  Write your answer on the right-hand side. I will ask for volunteers to share their answers.