Great Expectations - Plot Summary
Uploaded by Appleman on Jun 09, 2007
CHAPTER 1
Philip Pirip, known as Pip, is a young orphan being brought up by his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, and her husband the blacksmith. One Christmas Eve, Pip visits the graves of his parents and five dead brothers, trying to imagine what they looked like. He has never known them. He is interrupted by a frightening man, large and mud-smeared, with prison irons attached to his leg. The man demands to know Pip's name, then turns him upside down trying to empty his pockets of any money. Young Pip has only a piece of bread, much to the stranger's disappointment. The man finds out that Pip lives with his brother-in-law, the blacksmith, and demands that Pip bring him a file and some food. The man tells the terrified seven-year old that if he fails to bring these things the next day, his heart and liver will be torn out. He also warns Pip not to breathe a word about their encounter to anyone
CHAPTER 2
Pip returns to his home and interacts with his sister and her husband. His sister Georgiana, known as Mrs. Joe, is two decades Pip's senior, and a vigorous bully. Joe and Pip are comrades in the household, both victims of Mrs. Joe's bad temper and rough spirit. In her customarily gruff way, Mrs. Joe gives both Pip and Joe bread and butter for their supper. Pip hides his in his trousers, to take to the stranger.
That night, Joe tells Pip that two convicts have escaped from the nearby Hulks, which are prison ships. Young Pip is so frightened by his secret acquaintance with one of these convicts that he cannot sleep. Early the next morning, Christmas Day, he collects food from the pantry, including a pork pie specially made for dinner. He also pours out some brandy from the brandy bottle and replaces it with water, so as not to get caught. Having stolen Joe's file from the forge, he runs off in search of the convict
CHAPTER 3
On his way to meet the convict, Pip comes across another convict who startles and runs away. When he reaches the gruff man he met the day before, who hungrily devours the food, Pip tells him about the other convict. The stranger becomes very angry and excited, hurriedly trying to file away the chains on his leg. Pip realizes the stranger is too busy to notice,...