
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens, the king of Victorian serials, turned his rough upbringing into literary gold, writing about poor, downtrodden orphans while living comfortably in his later years. He cranked out classics like Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol, often working himself into exhaustion, yet still found time to do dramatic public readings of his work. Dickens had a knack for turning misery into entertainment, making him both a social critic and a master of cliffhangers.
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In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens introduces us to Pip, a young boy with big dreams of becoming a gentleman, though fate has other, messier plans involving convicts, eccentric recluses, and unrequited love. It’s a social critique wrapped in a coming-of-age story, reminding us that wealth and status might not solve everything, especially when you’re hung up on someone like the ice-cold Estella. Ultimately, it’s a story about personal growth, where Pip learns the hard way that great expectations often come with even greater disappointments.