Great Expectations The book I read is called Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. It is set mainly in London but also has scenes in Pip's hometown. What is a small village in the countryside? Where he and his sister, Mrs. Joe and her husband Joe Gargary live, and where Pips grew up. The setting Pips finds himself in isn't as important as what's there with him. There are many contrasts between good and evil or more justice and innocence. There are so many important characters in this book that it would take me longer to describe the characters and their importance than to summarize the book. So I'll keep it to a minimum with only a few crucial people. First there is Pip, the main character of this book. When he was very young his parents died and he knows he was raised by his sister and her husband. Joe Pip is a very innocent and caring person who wants to have a greater destiny than the one he currently possesses. But he is burdened by the fact that he lives in poverty. Then there is Mrs. Joe who raised Pip but is very mean to him and controls everyone in her house. So Joe is the person who gives help to Pip. They play and explain many things to Pip: he is the only kind person in Pip's life. Mrs. Havasham lets Pip come to her house and she is very rich and the people around him think that she will raise him to be a gentleman. But she hates men and never takes off her wedding dress. He also has a daughter named Estella who was adopted and is very beautiful. But she is also raised to hate men and uses her looks to break their hearts. Magwitch escapes from prison at the beginning of Great Expectations and terrorizes Pip in the graveyard. But out of kindness Pip still brings the man what he asks for. Pip's kindness, however, makes a deep impression on him, and he subsequently devotes himself to making his fortune and using it to raise Pip to a higher social class. Herbert Pocket who is a good friend of Pip and gives him advice throughout the book.