Great Expectations

Pip, an orphan aged seven, falls in love with Estella, the wealthy spinster Miss Havisham's adoptive daughter, despite her chilly and disdainful behaviour. Pip is resolved to rise above his circumstances and become a gentleman in order to win Estella's love. But Miss Havisham arranges for him to work as a common labourer in his brother-in-company, the law's much to Pip's dismay. But when a London-based attorney shows around, Pip gains optimism after discovering he has a wealthy secret patron. Pip sets out for London to begin his schooling as a gentleman in the hopes of winning Estella over. Then, one day, a childhood act of kindness reappears, changing the direction of Pip's life when he discovers who his donor is. Great Expectations, a coming-of-age tale about social aspiration, love, crime, and the disappointment of expectations, is one of Charles Dickens's best and most well-liked books.