Great Expectations

Summary

One of the most revered works in English literature, Great Expectations traces the coming of age of a young orphan, Pip, from a boy of shallow aspirations into a man of maturity. From the chilling opening confrontation with an escaped convict to the grand but eerily disheveled estate of bitter old Miss Havisham, all is not what it seems in Dickens’ dark tale of false illusions and thwarted desire. Like much of Dickens’ work, the novel depicts an unstable society in which people’s life chances can change radically and suddenly, especially when under the influence of more powerful individuals who, for selfish or immoral reasons, have no qualms in altering, and often damaging, the lives of others.

Cover illustrated by: Sheila Wong

Sheila Wong is a graphic designer and illustrator based in the Pacific Northwest. Her work often pulls from a variety of experiences - from growing up as a child of Chinese immigrants in the Midwest, to years working in tech support and then design in the heart of Silicon Valley. When not at work, she is usually looking for new places to go camping, or building mechanical keyboards.