<p>Written in the last decade of his life, <i>Great Expectations</i> reveals Charles Dickens' dark attitudes toward Victorian society, its inherent class structure, and its materialism. Yet this novel persists as one of Dickens' most popular. Richly comic and immensely readable, <i>Great Expectations</i> overspills with vividly drawn characters, moral maelstroms, and the sorrow and pity of love.  In an overgrown churchyard, a grizzled convict springs upon an orphan named Pip. The convict terrifies the young boy and threatens to kill him unless Pip helps further his escape. Later, Pip finds himself in the ruined garden where he meets the bitter and crazy Miss Havisham and her foster child Estella, with whom he immediately falls in love. After a secret benefactor gives him a fortune, Pip moves to London, where he cultivates great expectations for a life that would allow him to discard his impoverished beginnings and socialize with the idle upper class. As Pip struggles to become a gentleman and is tormented endlessly by the beautiful Estella, he slowly learns the truth about himself and his illusions.</p><p>Optimized for Kindle devices and featuring Panel Zoom facility.</p><i><p>From its beginnings in the 1940’s to today, Classics Illustrated continues to encourage a love of reading and adventure in youthful minds through beautifully-illustrated comic book adaptations of the world’s most beloved stories by the world’s greatest authors.</p><p>A collection of Classics Illustrated books is an inviting start to any young person’s library.</p></i>